1. Genesis and the origin of the Origin of the species

Comment #239669 by Clappers on August 30, 2008 at 6:54 am

I once saw a debate (at Jewish Book Week)between Jonathan Sachs and Steven Pinker. During the questions afterwards, every answer SP gave was direct and illuminating, every answer from JS was humerous or anecdotal. "Well the sages say, or that reminds me of the story"

At book signings afterwards, one or 2 people buying the Rabbi's books, a queue of people buying SP's book

I judge people by wht they do, not what they say

2. Richard Dawkins replies to Libby Purves

Comment #228769 by Clappers on August 12, 2008 at 2:10 pm

My Times today shows 3 letters supporting the Libby Purvis view. Where's the balance???

Is it time for me to start getting the Guardian or the Independant

3. Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture 2008

Comment #224875 by Clappers on August 6, 2008 at 12:40 am

I was there, it was a great evening, Steven Pinker was brilliant. The audience was laughing at most of his presentation.

Earlier that evening I had a chance to ask Steven if he was going to apply for RD's vacant chair, but he politely declined.

The Blank Slate is my favourite non fiction book

4. Vicar supports Life of Brian ban

Comment #222414 by Clappers on July 31, 2008 at 12:21 pm

My favourite film of all time

"I'm Brian and so's my wife"
"splitters"
"Blessed are the Greek"
"thanks a lot for the gold and frankinscence but don't worry about themyrr next time"
Blessed are the big noses

I am gonna watch it again

5. Children Are Naturally Prone To Be Empathic And Moral

Comment #209890 by Clappers on July 13, 2008 at 1:26 pm

Steven Pinkers "The Blank Slate" suggests that children are socialised by their peers, not their parents. He takes this from "the Nurture Assumption" by Judith Rich-Harris.

Her main suggestion is that children turn out the way they do, 50% genetic and nearly all of the other 50% from peers that they mix with.

6. Is religion a threat to rationality and science?

Comment #167077 by Clappers on April 23, 2008 at 3:35 pm

I know Dennett only from 'Breaking the Spell', which I found a long-winded and unengaging read, and the same qualities of writing are more or less evident here. Glad to see that he's at least stopped sucking up to Muslims with talk of their 'great faith', but he's no match for a Dawk or a Hitch, in person or in print.

7. Charles Simonyi Professorship in the Public Understanding of Science

Comment #145389 by Clappers on March 17, 2008 at 2:26 pm

Hi all

I asked Steven Pinker privately about his plans, but said he didn't know he would be considered, that his partner is happy where she is, and I guess he's happy being at Harvard.

But it was a great evening

Steve

8. Charles Simonyi Professorship in the Public Understanding of Science

Comment #141883 by Clappers on March 11, 2008 at 10:15 am

Advice please

I am seeing a lecture given by Steven Pinker in London tomorrow evening, and am keen to ask Steven if he is going to apply for the post. Am I more likely to get the best result by asking him in the Q&A session afterwards (and eliciting support from the audience) or is it better to try to approach him on a personal level.

9. A match made on RichardDawkins.net?

Comment #128430 by Clappers on February 17, 2008 at 2:10 am

"This so far short year has been the best and worst in my life, I am about to lose my daughter who is in the final stages of small cell ovarian cancer, the tremendous support of my dear Veronique has given me the strength to face this disaster with a courage I would have found impossible to muster alone. It made me realise the value of love."

Yorker, to be able to write the paragraph above shows tremendous courage in a number of ways.

Acceptance of the fact that your daughter is going to die is so grown up, I cannot imagine being able to accept it, but you show me that it is possible. Perhaps you gained strength from that gentleman who's son died and "Were all going to Die..........." was read at his funeral.

I admire your bravery

10. Charles Simonyi Professorship in the Public Understanding of Science

Comment #125886 by Clappers on February 12, 2008 at 8:18 am

Anyone know Steven Pinker's email address, cause if enough people send him this link
http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/fp/wd9-018.shtml
he will get the hint that he's the man for the job

11. Charles Simonyi Professorship in the Public Understanding of Science

Comment #125420 by Clappers on February 11, 2008 at 10:40 am

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3554279466299738997

Above is Steven Pinker's interview for the job. How can it possibly be given to anyone else

12. Charles Simonyi Professorship in the Public Understanding of Science

Comment #125377 by Clappers on February 11, 2008 at 9:42 am

Neil de Grasse Tyson, he was the guy I couldn't remember

13. Charles Simonyi Professorship in the Public Understanding of Science

Comment #125359 by Clappers on February 11, 2008 at 9:26 am

My votes go to

Steven Pinker, author of How the Mind Works, The Blank Slate, The Stuff of Thought, The Language Instinct.

Simon Singh, The Big Bang etc.

Carolyn Porco * is currently the leader of the Cassini Science Imaging Team and a lead imaging scientist on the New Horizons Pluto/Kuiper Belt mission.

And who's that guy that had a go at Richard for not explaining about the understanding of science, Richard explained that he wasn't the worst, he would make a great candidate

14. Response to Theodore Dalrymple

Comment #87895 by Clappers on November 13, 2007 at 2:28 pm

Yesterday I had the pleasure to go to the Gladstone Club at which interesting speakers are invited to give a talk, followed by questions and a Pizza.

Theodore Dalrymple gave a talk on why we are wrong about the addictiveness of heroin, based on his time as a prison doctor.

I went intending to challenge his echange with Sam Harris

In the forward to the paperback version of the God Delusion, RD speaks about "I am an atheist but", which is neatly encapsulated in the saying
"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful".

Spending a meal sitting next to him was illuminating, and I have some thoughts which I would like some feedback on. At our Bright meetings I am struck by how much we all agree with each other, but after several years we seem to be struggling to arrange regular meetings. I like being with like minded people, but where is our community spirit, we seem to not need each other's company on a regular basis. Perhaps our scientific minds put us more towards the autistic rather than empathetic end of the spectrum.

I have mentioned before that some of us seem unable to see things from the other persons point of view. I have pointed out the absurdity of religious belief to many people, Rabbi's at weddings, Jehovas Witnesses (I invite them in), Muslim neighbours, friends, but guess what, none of them have said thank you for pointing out the error of my ways, I can see that I have been wrong all these years. It's not what you say that matters, it's what the other fellow understands.

Dan Dennett has pointed out that most people have belief in belief, are part of communities that will not allow it's members to change their belief. The Islamic meme has the most effective way of keeping up it's membership (the threat of being killed)

So where do we go from here, I don't know, but I am interested to hear your thoughts

Please don't give me a list of all the horrible things done in the name of religion, I have read all of the recent atheism books twice each.

I know we are right, we are just ineffective, so what can we do to change people's views?

15. Bill Moyers interviews Jonathan Miller

Comment #87362 by Clappers on November 12, 2007 at 1:25 am

Brief History of Disbelief is a great series. Jonathan's relaxed style, his obvious knowledge of the work of all of his interviewees is incredible. How does anyone speak in prose like that, I didn't hear him say er at all.

I wish he would write a book on the subject

16. AAI 07 DVDs by RDFRS are Now Available!

Comment #87095 by Clappers on November 11, 2007 at 7:41 am

"I think that the problem that atheists have not yet realised about their position is that their own system of morals is based on Christian morality and does not just come out of thin air neither does it fit the survival of the fittest theory nor the selfish gene arguments. If you take that to its logical extreme, then we are all out for what we can get for ourselves, which is no doubt what was happening centuries ago. We live in times where Christian legacy is still influencing our behaviour and our thinking about morals. But there are signs of this being eroded away. "

From Krisking.

Couple of thoughts

Don't think the Chief Rabbi would be referring to Christian legacy.

Referring to Selfish Gene arguments suggests that you have read the title, not the book. Just to repeat the point that has been made many times before it's the Genes that are selfish, not necessarily the People.

17. Response to Theodore Dalrymple

Comment #85277 by Clappers on November 5, 2007 at 11:59 am

On a previous post I mentioned that I am seeing Theodore Dalrymple next Monday evening at a Gladstone club meeting, where I plan on challenging him. Anyone interested in coming to the National Liberal Club, Whitehall, Monday 12th Nov, starts at 7pm.

This is supposed to be the agenda:
"Comparing observations from 14 years as a
psychiatrist in an English inner-city hospital with his experiences in
Afghanistan, Africa and Eastern Europe Dr. Dalrymple raises the appalling
proposition that prospects for those at the bottom are worst here."

18. What the New Atheists Don't See

Comment #84737 by Clappers on November 3, 2007 at 11:37 am

I am going to a lecture/ discussion by Theodore on Monday 12th Nov (it's at the Liberal Club in London, anyone want to come along?) and will find an opportunity to challenge his "atheism"

I might use some of the RD intro to the paperback version of TGD ie I am an atheist but....

Any other ideas

19. Response to My Fellow 'Atheists'

Comment #77126 by Clappers on October 8, 2007 at 1:55 pm

Let's use Brights, as opposed to Supers

Richard Dawkins first encouraged me to look at the organisation

Sam Harris has endorsed it

Dan Dennett even mentions it in his writing "us Brights"

I know some of you will say that it makes us sound smug and superior, and that Christopher Hitchins disagrees.

But we're all individuals (I'm not)

20. In honour of Dan Dennett

Comment #77045 by Clappers on October 8, 2007 at 9:32 am

Another writer I would recommend it Steven Pinker
How the Mind Works
The Blank Slate


Nooooo!

Pinker is best when he sticks to language theory, but his evolutionary psychology stuff is just emabarrassing.

"How the Mind Works", in particular, might work as a piece of speculative fiction, but as a work of popular science it is an absolute travesty. "We don't need to know how the brain works in order to figure out how the mind works"... Just what the hell are you on about, Pinker?!

21. In honour of Dan Dennett

Comment #76870 by Clappers on October 7, 2007 at 2:04 pm

If writing or research are convincing, why not accept the views?

Another writer I would recommend it Steven Pinker
How the Mind Works
The Blank Slate
are great books, and he also veers towards ultradarwinism

I have just started reading his latest "The Stuff of Thought" good so far and I am seeing his next Monday at his book launch, can't wait

22. In honour of Dan Dennett

Comment #76788 by Clappers on October 7, 2007 at 9:06 am

Of the four recent atheist books, TGD, The End of Faith, God Isn't Great and Breaking the Spell, I actually found Dan's book the best, in that it gives us a way of moving from where we are, to where humanity needs to be.

Darwins Dangerous Idea is a great book, in the last chapter, he let's his anger with dogmatism shine through.

I have been lucky enough to see him debate on 2 occasions, again very polite.

How many of us would now be dead without anaesthetic, and medical science, what a priveledge to be living now.

Good bye faith, hello critical thinking

23. Talking Action Figure Jesus

Comment #73267 by Clappers on September 24, 2007 at 3:59 pm

Note Jesus's right hand
I wonder what he could do with it?

24. Do you have to read up on leprechology before disbelieving in them?

Comment #70970 by Clappers on September 17, 2007 at 11:30 am

Much of the conversation in this subject can be answered by reading Breaking the Spell by Dan Dennett. It is more concilliatory than TGD and gives us a way of moving forward

Thoughts?

25. Good News: Both our Foundations are now Officially Recognized as Charities

Comment #70633 by Clappers on September 16, 2007 at 11:42 am

Here's a suggestion for how this charity can be useful


At a Brights meeting, a few of our group came up with the idea of a "sanctuary" where students who may be leaving their religiously based community for the first time to go to university could have some of their doubts answered. At tertiary education, there is always a muslim, christian and jewish chaplaincy to offer friendship at this vulnerable time, so what about a group to offer friendship without this religious baggage.

One of the thoughts we had is that we do owe a duty of care to explain that within some communities, questioning and having different views can leave you ostracised from your family and friends, and that this needs to be taken into account.

Perhaps this charity could offer material like "Growing up in the Universe".

Richard are you considering writing text books to help explain critical thinking, double blind studies etc. Simon Singh could be a useful collaborator.

What do you guys think?

Kind regards

26. In God we doubt

Comment #67245 by Clappers on September 3, 2007 at 12:34 am

I read the paper version and there is an interview by Bryan Appleyard, where John says that he lost his temper redaing books by militant atheists like Ricard Dawkins and Dan Dennett. Now I can understand saying militant about Christopher Hitchens or Sam Harris ( I agree with their views), but The God Delusion and even more Breaking the Spell are entirely reasonable books.

Why didn't John Humphreys have the courage to include Richard Dawkins or Jonathan Millar in his hour long interviews with the 3 religious leaders.

Very disappointed

27. The importance of doubt

Comment #66429 by Clappers on August 30, 2007 at 1:52 am

"The shocking aspect of this notion is its depersonalisation, reinforced in an alarming chapter which claims that Jews, and indeed Jesus Christ, did not teach love thy neighbour as thyself and that the 10 commandments - including thou shalt not kill - applied only within the Jewish group."

Is it shocking that some people actually read the bible and find this

Numbers 21:1-3 God utterly destroyed the Canaanites at Hormah as a favor to the Jews.
Numbers 21:27-35 God abetted Moses in utterly destroying the Amorites at Heshbon - "…the men, the women, and the little ones."
Numbers 31:17-18 God commands Moses to kill all the Medianite people including children and women. To top it off he commands that the virgins be saved for later raping by Moses' soldiers.
Deuteronomy 3:3-7 God ordered Moses' army to "utterly destroy" 60 cities, killing all the women and children within!
Deuteronomy 7:12 God ordered the Israelites to kill all the people of seven nations. He even adds, "show no mercy unto them".
Deuteronomy 20:16 God orders that we kill everything that breathes in the cities that he gives us for an inheritance

28. Good luck, Dawkins!

Comment #63810 by Clappers on August 16, 2007 at 1:36 am

Here's Sue's website

http://www.susanblackmore.co.uk/

She used to study and test paranormal claims, but got fed up since once proper controls were put in place nothing ever happened.

Like Sam Harris she believes that meditation can calm the mind.

Steve

29. Scarlet Letter Campaign Update: A Victory

Comment #62323 by Clappers on August 9, 2007 at 9:25 am

"Sam Brownback is the inspiration for this grassroots campaign called, "Cry USE not RAPE". We have concluded that the acronym U.S.E. (Unplanned Sexual Event), when used regularly to replace the word "rape", will remove the stigma associated with this sometimes unpleasant situation."

The above is from the website, and I can't believe that they believe that it's the stigma rather than the assault that's the problem. Also do you think that "sometimes unpleasant situation" slightly underplays the effect (that was english irony)

Any Americans out there, please tell me that he is not going to get voted for

30. Christians disrupt Hindu Prayer at Senate Invocation

Comment #56209 by Clappers on July 14, 2007 at 1:36 pm

How about this as an atheist prayer

Let us take responsibility for our own actions, inactions, strengths
and frailties and not project them onto ghosts, spirits, stars,
portents and gods unseen.
Let us have the courage to accept that one person's faith is another
person's bloody-minded pig-headed refusal to accept the obvious.
Let us have the courage to accept that the person at the front of all
crowds, including this one, doesn't know all the answers.
Let us have the wisdom to accept that if our ancestors had fared
differently in wars our communities would be holding different
absurdities up as sacred truths, and the willingness to accept those
absurdities would be seen as the badge of social trustworthiness or
even the right to be allowed to draw breath.
Let us accept that the difference between a prophet and a madman is
not what they say but whether the crowd accepts the story and tells
their children to believe it.
Let us have the courage to accept that wanting to believe in something
with every fibre of our being does not and cannot make it true.
Truth needs no help, no believers, no bowed heads and no amens.

31. Don't Mince Words: The London Car-Bomb Plot Was Designed to Kill Women

Comment #53849 by Clappers on July 3, 2007 at 2:40 pm

"but they cannot have been among the viewers of British Channel 4's recent Undercover Mosque"

The same week that Channel 4 showed celebrity big brother, where 3 uneducated white girls showed their ignorance by making racist comments, Undercover mosque showed highly educated clerics extolling their flock to kill homosexuals, marry girls who are at least 9 years old etc.

Guess what statements were made in the house of commons by the prime minister, and what apologies were made to hurt feelings

32. Londonistan Calling

Comment #39086 by Clappers on May 10, 2007 at 12:45 am

Undercover Mosque was shown by Channel 4 the same week that Jade Goody and other uneducated girls showed their ignorance towards Shilpa Shetty in the Big Brother House. I remember british flags being burned in india and the Prime Minister making a statement in the house deploring this racism.

However, these educated clerics extolling their faithful to " crucifixion of unbelievers, for homosexuals to be thrown off mountaintops, for disobedient and "deficient" women to be beaten into submission, and for Jewish and Indian property and life to be destroyed. "You have to bomb the Indian businesses, and as for the Jews, you kill them physically,"

This produced no denunciation from any politician

33. Peanut Butter, The Atheist's Nightmare!

Comment #27845 by Clappers on March 27, 2007 at 3:24 am

Looking at the banana clip I can think of something else that will fit perfectly into the hand:-)

34. Lewis Wolpert and William Lane Craig on Religion

Comment #24212 by Clappers on March 5, 2007 at 10:11 am

I was at the debate at Central Hall amongst the 5% of atheists. Lewis Wolpert asked what miracles there have been in the last 2,000 years. William Lane Craig replied that he had found God, not much of a miracle.

35. Send The God Delusion to your MP

Comment #24143 by Clappers on March 5, 2007 at 2:34 am

This is a good idea but people who want to get fit often say things like "I've joined a gym". No you don't get fit by joining a gym, you get fit by using a gym.

So sending this book to every MP is only useful if they actually read and understand it

36. In Loving Memory of William Luke Ashton: July 10th 1989 - Dec 25th 2006

Comment #22297 by Clappers on February 14, 2007 at 1:06 am

Very moving
I remember Richard explaining that the Eulogy, favourite music, poetry, all of the personal things are the most meaningfull parts of the ceremony.

From a Jewish background I can still rattle off the prayers off by heart, in hebrew, without knowing or caring what the words mean. On the other hand the custom of "Shiva" is very useful, this is where for a week, people are asked to come to see those in mourning and talk through the good times, the sad times, the funny times.

We should be able to take the best and most appropriate customs for funeral ceremonies, I personally would like everyone to sing "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" at my funeral.

37. My critics are wrong to call me dogmatic

Comment #21943 by Clappers on February 12, 2007 at 12:48 am

Richard Dawkins was quoted in an acceptance speech at the Academy Awards last night. Maybe the general public will start to take interest in real science

38. Do stop behaving as if you are God, Professor Dawkins

Comment #21570 by Clappers on February 10, 2007 at 12:33 am

I saw McGrath having a debate last year with Dan Dennett. Alistair McGrath is obviously practiced in his arguments, and managed to avoid answering every question that Dan posed. I am reminded that we should not mistake eloquence for truth.

I have previosly seen Steven Pinker and the Chief Rabbi debating with similar results. To questions that were asked, Pinker was direct and illuminating, Rabbi was humerous or anecdotal

39. Ancient boy's skeleton sparks evolution debate

Comment #21566 by Clappers on February 10, 2007 at 12:18 am

"He says each biblical day was equivalent to 1,000 Earth years."

Since a day is defined as the time it takes for the earth to revolve in relation to the sun, do you think it might have been a little hot for those parts facing the sun.

40. Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Comment #19975 by Clappers on January 31, 2007 at 12:52 am

Good article in Times2 today including an interview with Ayaan Hirsi Ali, but I can't find a weblink to it.

41. The Mystery of Consciousness

Comment #18605 by Clappers on January 22, 2007 at 2:38 am

Love Steven Pinkers writing

"The Stuff of Thought" comes out at the end of the year. If you get a chance to see Steven at a lecture, take it.

He is one of the 3 wise men, along with Dan Dennett and Richard dawkins.

42. Interview with Richard Dawkins

Comment #18355 by Clappers on January 20, 2007 at 2:54 am

Some resaerch you all may have missed is "The Nurture Assumption" by Judith Rich Harris. It has influenced "The Blank Slate" by Steven Pinker.

In it Judith has shown that children turn out the way they do with the following influences

50% genetic (what happens at that moment of conception, if your kids are nice, it's because you are nice, not that you have brought them up nice))
50% peer group pressure

This controversial view has been proven with twin studies, identical twins reared apart are much more alike than you could imagine. Also adopted children brought up in the same household are not at all alike. Who do your children sound like, you or their friends?

I bring this up because although Richard is correct about the gullibility of children, the community has more influence than their parents (of course if their parents abuse them this will have an influence)

Difficult to distill a book/ theory in a few sentences, but read the book.

Rgrds