1. A Matter of Faith

Comment #64759 by Salvatore on August 21, 2007 at 5:09 pm

...perhaps the most perplexing of life's cosmic questions.

2. Hitchens, Dawkins, Harris: The Unholy Trinity ... Thank God.

Comment #63516 by Salvatore on August 14, 2007 at 4:14 pm

Think of it, at least ten of your hundred closest friends are the "pissed off faithless"

3. Interview with Richard Dawkins

Comment #63262 by Salvatore on August 13, 2007 at 5:45 pm

Keith,

Quite happily I am in no position to defend the development of American pop or rock music over the last, say, thirty years… though I suspect many people could vehemently attempt to convince you that something interesting has been going on over that time… Me, I just haven't been paying attention…

However, because I'm a good sport, for the category of "This doesn't sound like Led Zepplin" I'll offer some from the much-loved Wesley Willis, of Chicago, Illinois:

http://www.alternativetentacles.com/octopodes/483/dCEk14jNNa@BoYwSXmU/Wesley_Willis-Rock_n_Roll_McDo.mp3

http://www.alternativetentacles.com/octopodes/484/dCEk14jNNa@BoYwSXmU/Wesley_Willis-Outburst.mp3

http://www.alternativetentacles.com/octopodes/543/dCEk14jNNa@BoYwSXmU/Wesley_Willis-Cut_The_Mullet.mp3

4. Interview with Richard Dawkins

Comment #63232 by Salvatore on August 13, 2007 at 3:35 pm

I think Darwin2 has distracted us from the important comments to made here -- begun by RickM -- namely, the surprise we Americans are experiencing at how bad music is on British radio...

5. Electrons to Enlightenment 4: Debating Darwin

Comment #61538 by Salvatore on August 5, 2007 at 4:14 pm

I'm afraid I have to agree with Giskard... not very much here worth listening to... except to advance your study of muddlology...

6. The Flea Circus Invites a Newcomer!

Comment #60365 by Salvatore on August 1, 2007 at 5:13 pm

It's, um, a little difficult to, um, check out any of these books at my local library... or even read, um, any other books by these authors... there, uh, seems to be no record of them...

(In fairness, though, they have a copy of McGrath's Dawkins Delusion on order... Should I assume that'll be the best of the bunch?)

7. CNN Debate on Koran in Toilet

Comment #60359 by Salvatore on August 1, 2007 at 4:59 pm

Can I hope to find a copy of the God Delusion in the next public toilet I visit?

8. The hitch in Hitchens' thinking

Comment #58892 by Salvatore on July 26, 2007 at 2:32 pm

One thing I wanted to mention on the idea of nebulous definitions of religion: In the U.S., legally, religion is usually defined as broadly as possible, to give the most protection for people's deep-held beliefs.

For example, a student can object to dissecting a frog in science class if she claims such a thing is against her religion (deep held-belief). Arguing that her beliefs are inconsistent because she wears leather shoes (actual case) does not succeed, legally.

My point is just that it's not unusual to refer to the collection of someone's ethical or traditional beliefs as their "religion."

9. Must the US president believe in God?

Comment #57740 by Salvatore on July 20, 2007 at 9:01 pm

Likewise, U.S. federal officials "swear or affirm" to uphold the constitution when they are sworn into office... (Traditionally, of course, the president adds a "so help me god" and uses a bible.)...

Supposedly this was largely an allowance for Quakers, who object to swearing oaths to god, although it will serve fine for our first atheist president...

10. Town Hall Seattle: God Is Not Great

Comment #57534 by Salvatore on July 19, 2007 at 4:56 pm

For those into the Huck Finn argument, you'll find it brilliantly explored by Jonathan Bennett ("The conscience of Huck Finn", Philosophy, 49, 1974). He also uses Heinrich Himmler and Jonathan Edwards as examples of when sympathy clashes with a bad ethics. You may have to go the university library to get a copy, though. (Try: http://www.jstor.org/view/00318191/ap060167/06a00030)

Personally, I'm not sure why people assume that our inner chimpanzee is altruistic and not a vicious asshole, but maybe that's just me.

11. Town Hall Seattle: God Is Not Great

Comment #57230 by Salvatore on July 18, 2007 at 3:56 pm

This time Hitchens doesn't need to debate his brother.

This time he debates himself!

12. Beyond Belief: Atheism (with AC Grayling)

Comment #57114 by Salvatore on July 18, 2007 at 9:59 am

The first half or so is worth a listen. A.C. Grayling is quite interesting. Once they start playing the testimony of the religious geneticist, you might as well hit stop or you're just going to get frustrated...

13. Found: the giant lion-eating chimps of the magic forest

Comment #56386 by Salvatore on July 15, 2007 at 2:35 pm

What the article says:

There is a population of rather large chimpanzees that sleep on the ground more than other chimpanzees and use long sticks to get termites.

What the article wants to say:

There is a secret population of giant chimpanzees that use 2.5 meter spears to hunt lions and leopards and are so fearsome elephants and buffalo avoid them, and they don't mind chilling with people if you don't shoot at them, but they're awfully aggressive and would really like to lay some GBH on your ugly hairless arses, and they are also bigfoot.

14. Christians disrupt Hindu Prayer at Senate Invocation

Comment #56384 by Salvatore on July 15, 2007 at 2:22 pm

Can Clappers get a witness?

...

Oh, I guess Frank Williams is the witness... well, amen, brother.

15. Bill Moyers interviews E.O. Wilson

Comment #54974 by Salvatore on July 9, 2007 at 2:12 pm

"Consider how ignorant we are... and what difference it makes."
-- E.O. Wilson

16. Christopher Hitchens - God Is Not Great

Comment #54969 by Salvatore on July 9, 2007 at 1:54 pm

Hitchens denies us a parting joke! :(

17. At a Theater Near You ...

Comment #53962 by Salvatore on July 4, 2007 at 12:50 pm

A good point, Moebius.

There is sometimes the tendency to describe the motivations of terrorists as empty-headedly as G.W. Bush's "They hate us because we are free."

The economic and social troubles in islamic counties -- and hence the dissatisfaction with the secular, "western" way among the youth-- though, is probably also a factor.

Also, the imperialism of the west isn't seen as just economic and political, but also social: no good muslim wants their country flooded with booze and pornography.

And one must admit, there are a lot of U.S. warships floating around in the Persian Gulf, and, I imagine, a lot of U.S. soldiers mulling around in certain quarters of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. It must be easy to build resentment...

18. Science of the Soul? 'I Think, Therefore I Am' Is Losing Force

Comment #53331 by Salvatore on June 30, 2007 at 9:04 pm

Adding to many excellent philosophical comments above, I think it's an argument made by Daniel Dennett that the problem with the cogito argument isn't the ergo part, but the I part. In other words, there is something that is thinking, but it may not be an I in the way we naively suspect…

19. Science of the Soul? 'I Think, Therefore I Am' Is Losing Force

Comment #53330 by Salvatore on June 30, 2007 at 8:55 pm

Dirtpiggy (#53063),

"If you're losing your soul and you know it, then you've still got a soul left to lose."

I seem to remember it differently.

("But you don't really remember, do you Bukowski? Because you were drunk weren't you, Bukowski?")

I'm suspecting your version is from the movie. I'm thinking of a quote from a short story. (Am I right?) …Now, do I really have to spend my Saturday night poring through my Bukowski books in search of a stinking quote?

20. Lecture on Neo-Darwinism

Comment #52923 by Salvatore on June 28, 2007 at 2:22 pm

My T-shirt:

I am clear evidence against the existence of teleology in evolution

21. Science of the Soul? 'I Think, Therefore I Am' Is Losing Force

Comment #52661 by Salvatore on June 27, 2007 at 4:43 pm

If you got no soul and know it, you still got soul.

–– Charles Bukowski (approximate quote)

22. In the know

Comment #50225 by Salvatore on June 15, 2007 at 8:44 pm

Wow.

This wasn't actually in the Guardian per se, was it?

23. The Future Forum Presents: Christopher Hitchens and Marvin Olasky

Comment #50045 by Salvatore on June 14, 2007 at 5:14 pm

"Christ's birth to a virgin and resurrection and all that -- that's not so weird."
-- Marvin Olasky

24. Baptists Warned About Islam, Atheism

Comment #49638 by Salvatore on June 12, 2007 at 4:57 pm

Sauronlord,

I get less worried hearing christian groups talk like that than hearing george bush and condoleezza rice talk like that!

25. The New Atheists

Comment #49634 by Salvatore on June 12, 2007 at 4:38 pm

STLstrike3,

RD in TGD gives some figures, but I can't tell if it's the same source. (index "National Academy of Science")

These are the citations he gives. (I typed them so there might be spelling errors):

E.J. Larson and L.Witham. Leading scientists still reject god. Nature 394, 1998, 313.

http://www.leaderu.com/ftissues/ft9610/reeves.html

Reeves, T.C. 1996. The empty church: the suicide of liberal Christianity. Simon & Schuster. NY.

You can try those. (I didn't look at them.)

26. Americans believe in both evolution, creationism: poll

Comment #48967 by Salvatore on June 9, 2007 at 6:41 pm

Here it be. (Sorry, I can't get it formatted reasonably.)
--------------------------------------------------
Results are based on telephone interviews with –1,007—National Adults, aged 18+, conducted June 1-3, 2007. For results based on the total sample of National Adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the margin of sampling error is ±3 percentage points.

23. We'd like to ask about your views on two different explanations for the origin and development of life on earth. Do you think?

A. Evolution, that is, the idea that human beings developed over millions of years from less advanced forms of life

Definitely true Probably true Probably false Definitely false No opinion
18 35 16 28 3

B. Creationism, that is, the idea that God created human beings pretty much in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years

Definitely true Probably true Probably false Definitely false No opinion
39 27 16 15 3

24. How familiar would you say you are with each of the following explanations about the origin and development of life on earth?

A. Evolution
Very familiar Some-what familiar Not too familiar Not at all familiar No opinion
41 41 12 5 1

B. Creationism
Very familiar Some-what familiar Not too familiar Not at all familiar No opinion
50 36 9 4 1

25. If a presidential candidate stated that he or she DID NOT believe in the theory of evolution, would that make you --?
Much more likely A little more likely Not make a difference A little less likely Much less likely No opinion

Registered Voters 8 7 53 14 15 3
National Adults 8 7 54 13 15 3

26. A presidential candidate's views on evolution are a legitimate indicator of whether he or she is qualified to be president?
Legitimate indicator Not really relevant No opinion
25 70 5

27. Americans believe in both evolution, creationism: poll

Comment #48964 by Salvatore on June 9, 2007 at 6:16 pm

Honestly, I'd have to see the actual questions on this one.

"Evolution," for example, doesn't entail a mechanism. And "creationism" doesn't specify that one species can't change into another. Birds could have evolved from dinosaurs with the mechanism being that god did it. Birds, then, both "evolved" and were "created."

* * *

I don't know what people believe, but, I suspect, a lot think something like my example above. If I tell you that snakes have pelvises or that your optic nerve is attached to the front of your retina, you might concede that the descriptive aspects of evolutionary theory are sensible. But accepting evolutionary relationships is logically independent from buying a specific mechanism. The mechanism, people might conjecture, might have something to do with gene mutations or selective pressures, but there might be a god wiggling his pinkie in there too.

28. Dobson and John MacArthur fantasize about the downfall of America

Comment #48667 by Salvatore on June 8, 2007 at 5:11 pm

"You know a society has been abandoned by god when it celebrates lesbian sex."

You know, about six salacious jokes popped into my mind, but I'm going to spare all y'all…

;)

29. Republican candidates range from ignorant to dishonest, part 2

Comment #48640 by Salvatore on June 8, 2007 at 4:22 pm

Well, if it makes you feel any better, current betting odds against Giuliani and Romney are something like 10:1. The other Republicans much higher against.

… Except for a recently-announced Fred Thompson, a film and television actor and U.S. senator whom voters find impressive because he drives around in an old red pickup truck. He's ranking just below Clinton and Obama.

Res ipsa loquitor.

30. A Quote Against Theocracy

Comment #48636 by Salvatore on June 8, 2007 at 4:15 pm

Okay, RabbitDynamite, but how often is a clock that loses five minutes every hour correct?

31. Scopes Two

Comment #48404 by Salvatore on June 7, 2007 at 6:42 pm

"... make them look like neaderthals."

Nah, these jokers are too lanky. Maybe like thin H. heidelbergenses...

32. Christopher Hitchens on Religion

Comment #48398 by Salvatore on June 7, 2007 at 6:02 pm

Baeoz,

Yeah, but I know a couple of pipe-hitting numbats ready to get medieval…

33. A Quote Against Theocracy

Comment #48397 by Salvatore on June 7, 2007 at 5:54 pm

I recommend C. I. Lewis instead.

34. Christopher Hitchens on Religion

Comment #48395 by Salvatore on June 7, 2007 at 5:37 pm

>> 16. Comment #48366 by eoinc on June 7, 2007 at 3:20 pm
>>
>> I know it's doing well in the bestseller list, but "billions" is taking it too far.


My new theory is that atheists make the best copyeditors... Would make a good bumper sticker...

Anyway, they just broke the paragraph incorrectly. It's faith that billions love!

Sorry, Hitch.

"You may love it. Billions do. But Hitchens calls organized faith 'violent, irrational, intolerant, allied to racism, tribalism and bigotry.' And that's just for starters."

35. Sen. Clinton: Faith got me through marital strife

Comment #48139 by Salvatore on June 6, 2007 at 6:24 pm

P.S.

There IS some progress: at least we have a John Edwards who commits ACTUAL sins, instead of a Jimmy Carter who just sinned "in his heart many times."*

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
* Sorry, you have to be American and probably over 40 to get it, but, trust me, I'm really quite witty.

36. Sen. Clinton: Faith got me through marital strife

Comment #48137 by Salvatore on June 6, 2007 at 6:17 pm

Can we file a Freedom of Information request to get a list of John Edward's daily sins?

37. Richard Dawkins and Alister McGrath

Comment #47856 by Salvatore on June 5, 2007 at 6:40 pm

BAEOZ:

Quote:>> The statment either god exists or he doesn't is no longer a proposition. God can transcend logic and both exist and not exist as he chooses. And he disappears into a puff of logic <<


BAEOZ, Did you ever read George Perec's A Void? I think you'll have to. Read to the point when someone we know disappears in a puff of logic. (If I remember correctly...)

38. Should Science Speak to Faith? A dialog between Lawrence Krauss and Richard Dawkins

Comment #47479 by Salvatore on June 4, 2007 at 4:26 pm

CJ22,

I would guess that a *majority* of Americans believe that god favors the U.S. --- The U.S. is seen as the defender and promoter of liberty, justice, equality, and such, and of course god would favor such an instrument. And there's a history of thinking that the U.S. has some god-given "manifest destiny."

My suspicion is that many people just didn't want to admit this belief to the interviewers.

39. Groundbreaking Research Has Scientists Talking With Apes

Comment #46244 by Salvatore on May 30, 2007 at 4:38 pm

I don't get it. I talk with apes all the time.

------
"antogyny"

40. Teachers rebel over atheism promotion

Comment #44996 by Salvatore on May 25, 2007 at 6:30 pm

Maddon', can't kids learn about astronomy and archery without being indoctrinated about "famous freethinkers" OR religious gibberish?!

41. Evolution Opponent Is in Line for Schools Post

Comment #43186 by Salvatore on May 20, 2007 at 5:14 pm

Cheers for the marsupial avatars!

42. Goodness without Godliness

Comment #43184 by Salvatore on May 20, 2007 at 5:10 pm

On Logicel's Secularity website (Comment #18) (and somewhat relevant to the subsequent discussion), you can identify yourself as a pagan, buddhist, or even a non-theist unitarian, but you do have to check a box to deny "belief in the existence of any god."

Intriguing.

43. Goodness without Godliness

Comment #43183 by Salvatore on May 20, 2007 at 5:04 pm

NTS, (comment #30)

As is commonly done on this site, I have to defer to George Carlin (Parental Advisory):

Why should prostitution be illegal?

Selling is legal.
Fucking is legal.
Why isn't selling fucking legal?

You know, why should it be illegal to sell something that's perfectly legal to give away.

44. Lou Dobbs w/ Hitchens on Al Sharpton's Bigoted Remark

Comment #40051 by Salvatore on May 12, 2007 at 8:31 pm

In reference to Romney's, um, literary preferences, he said he doesn't subscribe to scientology, just that he liked the novel Battlefield Earth.

"I'm not in favor of his religion by any means," Mr. Romney, a Mormon, said. "But he wrote a book called 'Battlefield Earth' that was a very fun science-fiction book." Asked about his favorite book, Mr. Romney cited the Bible.

Res ipsa loquitor, on that, brother.

45. Lou Dobbs w/ Hitchens on Al Sharpton's Bigoted Remark

Comment #39707 by Salvatore on May 11, 2007 at 4:47 pm

Until it becomes its own article:

Christopher Hitchens on On Point on National Public Radio:

http://realserver.bu.edu:8080/ramgen/w/b/wbur/onpoint/2007/05/op_0511b.rm

mms://realserver.bu.edu:554/w/b/wbur/onpoint/2007/05/op_0511b.wma

P.S. Last night I had a dream that I went to buy Hitchens' God is not Great, but when I got home and starting reading it, I realized it was the wrong book: one he had written about Martin Heidegger. What can it mean?

46. Interview with Christopher Hitchens

Comment #38599 by Salvatore on May 8, 2007 at 5:50 pm

Bhima (in asking that Hitchens refrain from "discussing his political standing", #8)–– In fairness to Hitchens, he's been doing the political thing a lot longer than the anti-god thing. Maybe his anti-theological views are casting the specter of foolishness on his solid pro-war views? Politics is his thing: there will always be another Bill Clinton full of prevarications to write about, but where are you going to find additional religions that are in to genital mutilation?

In reference to the question about Hitchens justification for the war in Iraq (#15): I'm not real familiar with his arguments, but they don't seem to be much about international terrorism. Something more along the lines of Iraq as a dangerous nation, possessing dangerous weapons, whose internal and external conflicts threatened to destabilize the region.

Not to mention, we need to have a war with *someone*. Terrorists are too disperse to justify the kind of war TV viewers demand!

47. Christopher Hitchens and Al Sharpton: A Debate God Is Not Great

Comment #38582 by Salvatore on May 8, 2007 at 5:11 pm

Contrariwise to some comments, I have to say Reverend Al was holding his own. He had to sit back while his Bible got trashed, but he kept Hitchens on the ropes with his repetitive demand that Hitchens address religion *itself*, without reference to history or scripture. Hitchens definitely loses debating points for not hitting that one squarely.

I wouldn't be surprised if some in the audience would rank Reverend Al as the debate winner.

I give the Reverend a kudos. After all, who would volunteer to go up against Hitchens live? And I *loved* his calling his opponent "brother Hitchens."

48. Two idiots get a forum

Comment #36597 by Salvatore on May 1, 2007 at 5:30 pm

Oddly, Ali G used the banana as evidence FOR evolution.

When Kent Hovind confirms that he believes humans (in Ali G's words) "ain't come down from monkeys", Ali G confronts him with the insurmountable refutation: "Has you ever eaten a banana?"

Perhaps there is a cosmic significance to this fruit that we've all been missing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eB5VXJXxnNU
beginning at 2:19