You can’t practice methodological naturalism 99% of the time and still claim to be a scientist. … 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Inevitably links go out of date.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.
Kent Hovind Busted on Federal Charges 
Jul 17th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Dr. Dino claims he is employed by God, receives no income, has no expenses and owns no property.… Read the rest
Jeremy Waldron on Incoherent Ideas of Free Speech
Jul 17th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Nazis can disrupt the streets of Skokie, but those who disrupt Rumsfeld’s message will be dragged away. … Read the rest
Shelley’s Mishap at Oxford
Jul 17th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Poet writes atheist pamphlet shock.… Read the rest
‘Women are [not] Imperfect in Intellect and Religion’
Jul 17th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Turkey’s religious authorities declare they will remove sexist statements from the hadiths.… Read the rest
Atheists as ‘Other’
Jul 16th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Atheists’ serves as catch-all word for ‘bad people.’… Read the rest
Sarfraz Manzoor on ‘Faith Schools’
Jul 16th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘How do we avoid, in Trevor Phillips’s phrase, sleepwalking into segregation?’… Read the rest
Nick Cohen on the Selling of Honours
Jul 16th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Honours Act says you can’t buy them, you can’t sell them and if you do either you can go to prison.… Read the rest
Prayers Save People From Death
Jul 16th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
There was this guy who was very ill, see, and people prayed for him, and he didn’t die. So.… Read the rest
It’s ‘Crop Circle Season’
Jul 16th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Victoria Coren on alien holiday planning; James Randi comments.… Read the rest
The Issue of Rights is Absolutely Central
Jul 15th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
We have to hold the line at the defense, however de-hegemonized, of universal principles of rights.… Read the rest
Martha Nussbaum on Catherine MacKinnon
Jul 15th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Until recently, human rights norms were typically devised by men thinking about men’s lives.… Read the rest
Katha Pollitt on the Joy of a Bad Review
Jul 15th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Apparently there is such a thing as bad publicity: bad publicity that people don’t know about.… Read the rest
Stupid Cliché-ridden Review
Jul 15th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Starts off with ‘strident feminism’ then cites bra-burners. Oy.… Read the rest
The Religious Right and the HPV
Jul 15th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Being pro-cancer is a little tricky for people who claim to be ‘pro-life.’… Read the rest
Students in Iran Call for Hunger Strike
Jul 14th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Call in particular for the release of Ramin Jahanbegloo, Mansour Ossanloo, Ali Akbar Moussavi Khoeni.… Read the rest
Free Political Prisoners in Iran
Jul 14th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
A co-ordinated global hunger strike from July 14 through July 16, 2006.… Read the rest
AI Renews Calls for Release of Prisoners
Jul 14th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Amnesty International calls for release of Ossanlu, Jahanbegloo, Mousavi-Kho’ini.… Read the rest
Review of Why Truth Matters
Jul 14th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Reference made to authors’ immense talents. Well exactly.… Read the rest
Two Sentenced for ‘Honour’ Killing
Jul 14th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Samaira Nazir was stabbed to death by her brother and cousin.… Read the rest
