1. Does science make belief in God obsolete?

Comment #170125 by Clive on April 27, 2008 at 12:18 pm

A serious interest in what existed before the big bang must surely conclude that there is some sort of infinity.

It will certainly not be of the god variety and it's not difficult to work out why.

2. Sunday Sequence with William Crawley

Comment #168145 by Clive on April 24, 2008 at 3:14 pm

Professor McIntosh fails to see the big picture. The question of life has been superseded a long time ago with the question of how did complexity arise.

McIntosh's reply is the standard theological argument that something even bigger and more complicated than life started the whole thing off, which is short-sighted in the extreme.

In view of the ability of evolution to cause an increase in complexity, the question is largely answered. Formation of the universe is well understood and its origin no doubt shares similarities with black holes. Where then is the magic wand waving?

The entropy argument cannot be used against evolution because we are subject to the flow of energy from the sun which gives a local reversal of the general trend for everything to wind down according to the second law of thermodynamics.

This energy causes chemical bonds to be created including the making of polymers.

Now, looking at the problem from the other end: Evolution gives an increase in genetic information because better phenotypes (usually with larger genomes) tend to do better in the world.

The genomes get bigger mainly due to random mutation and are selected for by natural selection which gives a "ratcheting" effect towards greater complexity over vast time periods.

Evolution is a positive feedback loop which starts with the most modest of beginnings. Take for example the full - volume scream of a microphone placed too closely to a speaker. The origin of the squeal is minute random noise within the transistors of the amplifier that forms part of the feedback loop.

Evolution too, would have its origins in a small and simple way such as a randomly assembled polymer (with some survival ability) that could split to produce a copy of itself, perhaps with the mechanical aid of the earths' tides or thermal vents etc. This tiniest thread of heredity could grow by the simple laws of evolution to produce more complex structures and eventually life, even though we may not know its initial history.

3. Lizards Undergo Rapid Evolution After Introduction To A New Home

Comment #164667 by Clive on April 20, 2008 at 1:53 pm

Does anyone know a mechanism that prevents speciation?

No? I'll keep asking anyway, I'm so often told it can't happen.

4. Religion is 'the new social evil'

Comment #164634 by Clive on April 20, 2008 at 1:32 pm

***** END FAITH SCHOOLS!!! *****

THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT!

Faith is causing enclaves within our country and slowing integration!

Blair encouraged them and then converted to Catholicism!

IT'S MADNESS!

Check out http://skepticsannotatedbible.com
(for those who haven't already) - for a crystal-clear foundation of the problem. Need I say any more?

BTW, What the f.. is Mr Pickwick doing??
Whatever it is, it should be illegal!

5. Ancient serpent shows its leg

Comment #159750 by Clive on April 13, 2008 at 3:14 am

"Dating is flawed so you guys don't really kmow how old it is" ??

How about 120 thousand layers of pollen/mud/pollen/mud??

that would take 114 thousand years more than some would have us believe!

6. Ancient serpent shows its leg

Comment #159712 by Clive on April 12, 2008 at 11:55 pm

Don't vestigial legs appear occasionally in modern snakes?
Would this be a freak or part of the lineage?

7. Response to Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris

Comment #158487 by Clive on April 10, 2008 at 3:34 pm

This guy doesn't know Dick!

Just skirting around the issues..

What about "Where did our complexity from"
A: Something really complicated crated us?

Does he have any substance?

8. Richard Dawkins on The Big Questions

Comment #157069 by Clive on April 8, 2008 at 2:30 pm

OK I've calmed down now.

We have "evil" in the world because nature is red in tooth and claw. We are somewhat civilised and our animal tendencies are largely a thing of the past for most of us most of the time.

9. Richard Dawkins on The Big Questions

Comment #157049 by Clive on April 8, 2008 at 2:04 pm

Just remind me - is this the 21st century?

They didn't have TV cameras in the dark ages did they?

10. Beware the Believers

Comment #151583 by Clive on March 29, 2008 at 2:44 am

BEST THING SINCE LIFE OF BRIAN !!!

When's the movie coming out?

11. Bulldozers tear down giant religious teapot

Comment #138935 by Clive on March 5, 2008 at 12:52 am

OK, I've stopped laughing at Strappado's avatar now.


mmmm time for a cuppa

.. it beckons me, I have to have it, it rules my life. I worship my teapot!

12. What's the Point of the Archbishop of Canterbury?

Comment #138619 by Clive on March 4, 2008 at 4:02 pm

None! Just another misguided fool in an outdated establishment.

Let mankind leave its adolescence now please.

13. Happy Holiday

Comment #99811 by Clive on December 17, 2007 at 3:33 pm

No-L No-L .... ok just one then!

14. Robert Wright interviews Steven Pinker

Comment #121 by clive on September 22, 2006 at 2:43 pm

get "Real Alternative" - a third party (ie "anti" Real) app that let's you play Real stuff thru basic Windows Media Classic with no ads, spyware etc. And get Quicktime Alternative while you're at it :)