All entries by this author

Stupid Extra Words Are Bad and Stupid *

Jan 25th, 2006 | Filed by

Would you like a nourishing beverage with that?… Read the rest



Does Liberalism Need Multiculturalism? *

Jan 25th, 2006 | Filed by

The politics of recognition focuses on groups and cultural belonging. … Read the rest



The Kitzmiller Decision

Jan 25th, 2006 | By Dawkins, Dennett, Kurtz, Jones, Ridley, Forrest, Haack

B&W is asking various rationalists, scientists, biologists, zoologists, philosophers and the like for their reactions to the Kitzmiller decision. New ones will be added as they come in, so keep reading.

Susan Haack

GOOD SENSE IN DOVER

The question before Judge Jones, of course, was not whether “Intelligent Design Theory” should be taught in Dover public schools, but whether the School Board’s proposed “evolution disclaimer” is constitutional. His arguments on this point were, for me, a lesson in the complexities of Establishment-Clause jurisprudence. His belt-and-braces approach results in a convincing argument that the proposed evolution disclaimer constitutes an improper state endorsement of religion, and that both its purpose and its effect would be improperly to advance religion.

But what I … Read the rest



But Surely –

Jan 25th, 2006 2:15 am | By

Let’s celebrate, shall we? Oh yes, do let’s. Let’s celebrate diversity, and plurality, and variety, and mulitpicity, and multitudinity, and difference, and variosity, and culture. Let’s celebrate culture. Here, have some confetti. Let’s party.

A national festival to promote Muslim culture which is being partly funded by the government has refused to stage an event designed to highlight the lives and experiences of gays and lesbians…Promotional publicity states that the festival will feature the “diversity and plurality” of Muslim cultures, but gay Muslims say they have been refused permission to present an event.

Well of course they have. They’re not plural, you see. They’re not diverse. They don’t fit in, they don’t match up, they don’t belong. How can … Read the rest



They’re after the school curriculum again…

Jan 24th, 2006 10:44 pm | By

Well this came as a shock. How had I managed to miss it until now? And is there never going to be an end to this kind of nonsense?

The State Board of Education, California, is currently engaged in approving the history/social science textbooks for grades six to eight in schools, an exercise undertaken periodically. The Hindu Education Foundation and the Vedic Foundation (based in the U.S.) have used the occasion to push through “corrections” in the textbooks approved. Shiva Bajpai, who constituted the one-member ad hoc committee set up by the Board, succeeded in getting virtually all the changes requested by these organisations incorporated into the textbooks. Professor Emeritus at California State University, Northridge, and a Hindutva-leaning adviser

Read the rest


Report Says Reform Will Lead to Segregation *

Jan 24th, 2006 | Filed by

Research suggests selectivity in school admissions would increase social segregation.… Read the rest



Ayaan Hirsi Ali on Radio 4 *

Jan 24th, 2006 | Filed by

‘I wanted a chance at a life where I could shape my own future.’… Read the rest



Kristeva to Lecture in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem *

Jan 24th, 2006 | Filed by

‘In Kristeva’s view, clarity and direct logic are not a sought-after value.’… Read the rest



Festival of Muslim Cultures Refuses Gay Event *

Jan 24th, 2006 | Filed by

Director says festival is non-ideological and non-political and non-sectarian. Eh?… Read the rest



Friends of South Asia v Vedic Foundation *

Jan 24th, 2006 | Filed by

Repetition of recent attempts in India to inject sectarian doctrines into history books.… Read the rest



Historians and Hindu Nationalists in Sacramento *

Jan 24th, 2006 | Filed by

Disagreeing over revisions to history textbooks.… Read the rest



Salman Rushdie

Jan 24th, 2006 2:15 am | By

Stewart gave us a report on seeing Salman Rushdie at a reading on Friday, and I thought I would make it more visible. Hit it, Stewart:

He had a few nice obvious laugh lines like his reply to the question as to why he now lives in the States: “Well, you know, of course the real reason is I’m an enormous fan of George W.Bush.” Also, a somewhat unnecessary disclaimer that got the reaction he expected: “Let’s just be clear: I’m not in favour of Islamic terrorism. I mean, in case there was any doubt about that, that’s not my view.”

He mentioned his grandmother being “scary” and followed up with: “And my grandfather was the opposite. My grandfather was … Read the rest



There is a Reason

Jan 23rd, 2006 7:55 pm | By

Norm quoted a question the other day that I’ve been thinking about on and offishly. It’s from a theologian or professor of ‘divinity’ (wot?) called Keith Ward (who wrote a presumptuous godbothering book called ‘God is Better Than Science’ or some such thing which I’ve read and disliked very much). He wonders why Richard Dawkins can ‘only see the bad in religion’. (He means ‘see only the bad,’ but never mind). That’s what I’ve been pondering, as a general question, not a specifically Dawkins-directed question. Why do some atheists ‘see only the bad’ in religion? Or, at least, why do we (because I’m one, although I do in fact sometimes note what one could call ‘the good’ or at least … Read the rest



Science Journals and Scientific Fraud *

Jan 23rd, 2006 | Filed by

‘Journals cannot be investigating prosecutors or detectives.’… Read the rest



Julian Borger Talks to Michael Ignatieff *

Jan 23rd, 2006 | Filed by

Demonstrators denounce Ignatieff as a cheerleader for torture.… Read the rest



Scholars Resist Hindutva ‘Corrections’ in California *

Jan 23rd, 2006 | Filed by

Vedic Foundation nearly pulled a fast one, but scholars raised the alarm.… Read the rest



Alison Lurie on Narnia *

Jan 23rd, 2006 | Filed by

‘It is no surprise that conservative Christians admire these books. They teach us to accept authority.’… Read the rest



Daniel Dennett Answers a Lot of Silly Questions *

Jan 23rd, 2006 | Filed by

The idea of a God that can answer prayers and intervenes in the world – that’s a hopeless idea. … Read the rest



From Universalism to Identity *

Jan 22nd, 2006 | Filed by

Brilliance of civil rights universalism was critique of racialised ways of viewing individuals.… Read the rest



Forward Interviews Bernard-Henri Lévy *

Jan 22nd, 2006 | Filed by

When a person thinks God is an old pal or helping to mow the lawn, this is idolatry and paganism. … Read the rest