1. Two More Fleas

Comment #143889 by tmg on March 14, 2008 at 2:54 pm

Such an excellent thread. I caught on at five pages. I'll have to return. Here's my two cents.

Have the sciences explained why our universe seems to be fine-tuned to allow for the existence of life?
Well, yes. Jon_S hinted at it as well: the anthropomorphic principle.

Are physicists and biologists willing to believe in anything so long as it is not religious thought?

I'm so tired of this accusation and trying to fight against logical fallacies. Any scientist worth his or her salt will accept facts on the strength of the evidence and understand that our knowledge is provisional.

On another note. Having read the Four Horsemen's treatises and seeing John Shelby Spong on TVO recently, I'm two-thirds of the way through "Jesus for the non-religious." Does anyone know of a thread here at RDF or elsewhere?

2. Interview with Neil Shubin, author of 'Your Inner Fish'

Comment #116491 by tmg on January 26, 2008 at 3:45 pm

Here is an excerpt from the novel. I'm giving it to my second-year biology students to summarize (and possibly learn a thing or two). If I tell them the author's been on Stephen Colbert, maybe they'll pay more attention!
http://magazine.uchicago.edu/0812/features/fish_out_of_water.shtml

3. Arguments Against Evolution

Comment #82785 by tmg on October 27, 2007 at 2:57 pm

If the Sun blows up this instant, I'll be soon dead.
Where will people who claim that Life contradicts the Second Law of Thermodynamics be?
Just as dead, I predict. Apparently Earth is not a closed system.

4. MORE GOOD NEWS for US taxpayers

Comment #77780 by tmg on October 10, 2007 at 1:47 pm

Today's the day of the Ontario election and referendum on electoral reform. The Green party is the only political party with the courage to challenge the right of Catholic schools to public funds. I've been given the impression that BC and other provinces actually fund ALL faith-based schools. The trend seems to be shifting towards this mania for "respect" at any cost.
And, yes, Canada needs a foundation for reason and science. Just because we measure temperature in Celsius and distances in kilometres doesn't mean we don't have a large number of scientifically illiterate citizens.

5. Doctors Opposing Circumcision: An Appeal for Misha

Comment #33092 by tmg on April 19, 2007 at 6:37 am

I sincerely hope that the son is not forcibly circumcised. On a different note, the father is voluntarily undergoing the procedure. I wonder how he will feel a few years down the road. If he says his sexual pleasure has increased, would you use this as support for child abuse? If he says his sexual pleasure has diminished, would you rethink circumcision?
I'm not going to state my sexual preference—it may unduly influence a future relationship. But I refused to allow my baby boy to be circumcised. I did have my daughter's ears pierced before she was two, but ear piercings can heal.
As for visual preferences, I must be blind or don't look that closely, but I can't see the difference when the penis is erect. It's all in the function and sensation, get over the look.

6. The Case for Teaching The Bible

Comment #27804 by tmg on March 26, 2007 at 8:00 pm

I say "Go for it." Reading Shakespeare and other classical novels was enhanced by my familiarity with Biblical references.

I remember in public school having dictionaries with instructions like "Go to page 52. Go to page 117. Go to page 12. You are an 'ASS'." How long do you think it will take before some smart-ass kid finds the story of Onan and shows his classmates?

I have to agree with the many posts arguing that knowledge of the Bible is the first step in recognizing that it does not hold up to scrutiny.

7. The Komodo Dragon's Tale

Comment #20677 by tmg on February 5, 2007 at 4:55 pm

Re: Comment #33 (Andrew)
Turner Syndrome (45,X) are usually infertile, but there is at least one documented case of a mother and daughter, each with TS. Some TS patients may give birth after hormone replacement therapy, and sexually active TS adolescents are counselled to take contraceptives.

"Life finds a way..."

8. Atheists in Jail

Comment #20669 by tmg on February 5, 2007 at 4:20 pm

Is it ignorance? Or is it apathy?
I don't know and I don't care.


Besides it's freezing here (London, the Canadian one)