1. The Atheist Apocalypse

Comment #146232 by digitalia on March 18, 2008 at 7:49 pm

the guys is wearing a freakin QUEBEC NORDIQUES shirt! hahahahah! (speaking of extinct/endtimes)

Edit: oh, and Hitchens should've been holding a Martini, or at least a cigarette.

2. The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing

Comment #144487 by digitalia on March 16, 2008 at 7:55 am

Dr. Benway:

I can't recommend the audio version of The Portable Atheist.

3. Darwin's dangerous idea

Comment #137293 by digitalia on March 2, 2008 at 3:56 pm

looks like it's time to renew my ROM membership! :)

4. My Argument With God

Comment #131642 by digitalia on February 22, 2008 at 8:48 pm

haha - I JUST read this article and then his interview on "The Hour" on CBC is replayed tonight. crazy.

5. Dumb and Dumber: Are Americans Hostile to Knowledge?

Comment #127430 by digitalia on February 15, 2008 at 9:27 am

sidfaiwu and annabanana - good points, both of you. i think there just appears to be more of a DIVIDE of intellectualism in this day and age. and shows like this just pander to the same side of us that can't seem to look away from a car accident.

and SMART = HOTNESS !!!

6. God-Man and Human-Man Team Up

Comment #121049 by digitalia on February 2, 2008 at 10:24 pm

good stuff. thumbs up.

7. Banks are helping sharia make a back-door entrance

Comment #116346 by digitalia on January 26, 2008 at 9:28 am

...however, reading the comments on this article at the Globe's site I think his real issue is the fact that unknowing MUSLIMS will be the victims here. maybe this falls under the same category as the faithful Christians who flush away millions a year in tithes to their favourite church? could be enough to turn more people off their religion once they realize how they're being taken advantage of.

8. Banks are helping sharia make a back-door entrance

Comment #116336 by digitalia on January 26, 2008 at 9:04 am

wow, cancerman, you need to take a toke of that joint in your avatar. :)

i won't speak for weel (i'm not going to assume to know what someone believes based on one post on a website) but i'm just trying to point to the more direct cause of this potential shift in financial philosophies. i don't think it's enough to point at something and says "it's bad" without attempting to understand the root causes and hard facts behind such a movement - regardless of whether this Web-exclusive comment from Globe's site is properly researched or just prematurely throwing up a caution flag.

points being:
1) Muslim population in Canada is rising faster than most other segments of the population.
2) Banks and Politicians ARE going to cater to them.

it's up to the more informed among us to look at ways such movements can be combated.

9. Banks are helping sharia make a back-door entrance

Comment #116321 by digitalia on January 26, 2008 at 8:46 am

...yeah, what weel said :) (outlined what i was trying to say better than i could)

also take that same statement, replace "banks" or "corporations" with "politicians", and "profits" with "votes" - although those last two are almost synonyms nowadays!

gotta think Bottom-Line people, not what's "good", "just" or "right". question motives not morality.

10. Banks are helping sharia make a back-door entrance

Comment #116307 by digitalia on January 26, 2008 at 8:25 am

I can see the need from the point of view of businesses and politicians in Canada where the Muslim population is the fastest growing demographic. this chunk of the population needs to be catered to, and I believe the numbers show that they do enjoy the voting side of democracy.

11. Richard Dawkins talks about The Out Campaign and Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Comment #116295 by digitalia on January 26, 2008 at 7:52 am

sweet! seen it in the stores in Toronto, need to pick it up.

here's hoping he comes to Canada for the book tour. :)

12. Monkey, Business

Comment #105312 by digitalia on December 31, 2007 at 8:35 am

Brian: that thread is CLASSIC. I'm loving the back-n-forth with Father Lorenzo and this Jordan guy. "Father" dearest is doing alot to spread the notion of crazy within the church. His best argument seems to be "Don't believe everything you read in the Da Vinci Code!" jokes...

About this book, I'd like to check it out beyond whatever the NY Post is inferring here. Shame I haven't read any Shermer yet - any suggestions where to start?

13. Could there be a Darwinian Account of Human Creativity?

Comment #104957 by digitalia on December 30, 2007 at 6:46 am

From Dr. Pat:
___________
"Creativity arguably comes in two parts:

1. Succeeding at a given task not directly related to survival.

2. The seeking out of new tasks.

So a two part solution may provide an answer."
___________

Add to that possibly 3. the "succeeder" given an elevated status for their initial discovery(s) and their new ideas, inventions and concepts being opened more eager acceptance.

Ever think that Picasso, Edison, Newton or the first spear designer/thrower were set on a certain pedestal from the fame of one creation or another, therefore giving other creations after a sort of stamp of "pre-approval"? Not sure what Darwinian model that follows, perhaps we shouldn't be looking for so many EXACT parallels between the two theories. Or am I reading the discussion to literally?

Great article and discussion though! So glad I have Dennett's last book, it definitely warrants a re-read - now that I think I figured out HOW to read him (patience is a virtue).

And I love that he gives props to John Cage!

(PS: how do you do those funky quote boxes on here??)