1. A man who believes in Darwin as fervently as he hates God

Comment #11867 by Taz Hameer on December 7, 2006 at 10:51 pm

THE FAIRY TALE CALLED "GOD"

God is a fairy tale. Like a fairy. Like a Goblin. Its an idea existing in our minds and not demonstrable by observing the nature of the universe.

Infact, upon scientific observations of the nature of the universe, we find mountains of evidences showing the improbabilty of the existence of a Supreme Consciousness (thats what God is taken to mean without getting in to religious mumbo jumbo). No one in the scientific community has demonstrated this better than Richard Dawkins.

I will define my understanding of consciousness. I consider consciousness synonymous with awareness of one's surroundings. Thats a simple but fair definition.

Awareness of one's surroundings in humans, for example, is possible only through the following pathways:

* Visual

* Auditory

* Olfactory

* Tactile

* Taste

If you damage to the visual pathway whether in the intraocular structures or on the retina, the optic nerve, optic chiasma, optic tract, lateral geniculate body, optic radiations, or broca's areas 17,18 and 19 of the occipital cortex, will result, depending on the extent and the site of damage, in to either partial or complete unilateral or bilateral blindess. If blindess is complete in both the eyes, then, the visual aspect of awareness will cease to exist.

The same for the hearing pathway. If fully damaged, the result is either conductive deafness or sensorineural deafness or both depending on the nature of the cause and the site of damage. And the auditory aspect of awareness ceases to exist.

This axiom, if I may call it, applies to the remaining aspects of awareness: the olfactory, tactile and taste pathways. Destroy each of these pathways and the respective aspects of awareness ceases to exist. Destroy the brain and awareness (consciousness) no longer exists. You no longer exist.

Though this is too simple a definition, the point is that whatever be the complexity of consciousness, it is as a result of complex processes taking place in our brains.

In other words, upon observing the universe, we see that for consciousness to exist, whether in humans or other animals, some sort of 'Central Nervous System' (in our case the brain) has to exist.

In other words, consciousness is the product of a nervous system, either simple or complex producing various complexities of consciousness among the life forms in this universe.

It doesnt exist in "quantum realm" or beyond "matter, time, and space". That is just wishful thinking, not scientific observation.

So prior to the formation some sort of 'central nervous system' there had to be only the blind watchmater in the form of the laws of physics, chemistry and natural selection to give rise to life initially and then some sort of crude version of consciousness which gradually evolved in complexity as time went by.

Remember the age of the earth is of the order of a few BILLION YEARS OLD and that is a heck of a long time, way too long and sufficient to account for the evolution of complex life and consciousness on earth.

2. A Tribute to Douglas Adams

Comment #11731 by Taz Hameer on December 7, 2006 at 12:09 am

A really emotional tribute to one of the greatest scientific thinker and comedian of all times. I am a big fan of science and scientific thinking. Though I never met Douglas Adams, I did meet him through his books. It was truly a pleasure and an honor.

3. The God Delusion in Private Eye

Comment #11721 by Taz Hameer on December 6, 2006 at 10:33 pm

Hilarious!

4. Beyond Belief 2006 Videos

Comment #11623 by Taz Hameer on December 6, 2006 at 3:58 am

The short clip of this video was hilarious and superb! Two thumbs up!