1. Evolutionary Design

Comment #70824 by amesolaire on September 17, 2007 at 2:51 am

beeline: I'm not sure I understand your objection. I thought he explained it quite clearly.

In computer assisted evolutionary design the machine provides the possible variations (state space), while the engineer, by picking out what his experience is telling him is appropriate, provides selective pressure, guiding the process.

In biological evolution, since nature is all-encompassing, it plays both the role of state space generator and selective pressure agent.

Am I missing something?

2. Poll: Which religion do you associate with?

Comment #64832 by amesolaire on August 22, 2007 at 2:44 am

Pollers shouldn't have to take all atheists aside and brief them beforehand

3. Poll: Which religion do you associate with?

Comment #64823 by amesolaire on August 22, 2007 at 1:53 am

I wouldn't read too much into it. Of course, I'd love to see the breakdown by responder's location, since Larry King Live runs on CNN International too. However, christians are so weakly represented, and hindus and muslims have almost no participation that I'd assume this result is much more an indication of audience bias than the global exodus from religion we're hoping for.

If we count agnostics, the percentage of non-religious people at this moment is even higher - 74%.

And yes, I find it terribly frustrating to see yet again atheism counted as a religion! Religion atheism is not. They could have certainly phrased the question more accurately.

4. Richard Dawkins Explains 'The God Delusion'

Comment #28585 by amesolaire on March 30, 2007 at 1:38 am

@15. Comment #28547 by Rtambree

Very good questions, although #6 is one that he's been asked on numerous occasions. His answer is as #18 Yorker suggested. For instance here:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7693473384477811817
(start at around 7:40)