In the last month Columbia has been embroiled in four separate free-speech controversies.… Read the rest
Welcome to our archive of news stories relevant to the project of fighting fashionable nonsense. The stories are drawn from the electronic pages of the world’s media. On this page, you’ll find links to those stories that have been featured on Butterflies and Wheels during the current year. At the bottom of the page, you’ll find links to separate archives of stories from previous years.
We’re always pleased to hear about news stories that you think should be featured on Butterflies and Wheels. Just send an email here, if you want to point one out to us.
A note about links
Inevitably links go out of date. We suggest, therefore, that you make hard-copies of the stories that particularly interest you.
Pope Warns Scientists Against Doing an Icarus 
Oct 23rd, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
By doing research that the Vatican disapproves of. Don’t touch that apple.… Read the rest
Bérubé’s ‘What’s Liberal’ Reviewed
Oct 23rd, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘An unrepentant liberal, fond of postmodern culture, but not of Noam Chomsky or Michael Moore.’… Read the rest
Columbia Teachers College and ‘Loyalty Oaths’
Oct 23rd, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Does stated ‘respect for diversity and commitment to social justice’ amount to an ideological loyalty oath?… Read the rest
Omer Ismail on Darfur
Oct 23rd, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Sudanese government denies its role in the genocide, restricting reporters in order to hide the truth. … Read the rest
Science Rallies to Save Tripoli Six
Oct 23rd, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Time not only to save the six, but also to defend a common vision of science and law in establishing the truth.… Read the rest
Anti-gay Catholic Group Harassing a Priest
Oct 23rd, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Catholic Truth, a right-wing newsletter, trying to out an Edinburgh priest.… Read the rest
Religious Believers Will Just Have to Live With It
Oct 22nd, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Pissed-off atheists are finding their voice in a debate set up and manipulated by religious forces.… Read the rest
Untruth in Advertising
Oct 22nd, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Feminists for Life’ might as well be an office of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.… Read the rest
Nick Cohen on Bono and Being ‘Tax-efficient’
Oct 22nd, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
And humbug.… Read the rest
Mary Warnock on Music and Education
Oct 22nd, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Nobody can deny how central a part music plays in the life of most children and adolescents.’… Read the rest
A C Grayling on What Merits Respect
Oct 21st, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Time to refuse to tip-toe around people who claim immunity on the grounds that they have a religious faith.… Read the rest
Shahid Malik MP Tells Azmi to Give Up Fight
Oct 21st, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Muslim parents in his constituency don’t want their children taught by veiled teacher.… Read the rest
Eagleton’s Review of The God Delusion
Oct 21st, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Now non-subscription at LRB.… Read the rest
Jim Holt Reviews The God Delusion
Oct 21st, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Underestimate of difficult philosophical questions about religion makes it intellectually frustrating.… Read the rest
P Z Myers Reviews The God Delusion
Oct 21st, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Promotion of religion as a guide to absolute truth and substitute for scientific thinking is a bad idea.… Read the rest
Ben Goldacre on Oliver Curry’s Fanciful Essay
Oct 21st, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Empty ‘science’ stories are being generated by PR companies who pay academics to produce some spurious piece of ‘research’.… Read the rest
Jeff Weintraub on Salah Choudhury
Oct 20th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
He deserves solidarity and support from those of us who can say what we want without taking risks.… Read the rest
Atheist Books Top Best-seller Lists
Oct 20th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Publishers Weekly said the business has seen ‘a striking number of impassioned critiques of religion.’… Read the rest
Parliamentary Motion on Science Education
Oct 20th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Literature being sent to UK schools by ‘Truth in Science’ is full of scientific mistakes.… Read the rest
