Comments by neander
51. Did You Know? Shift Happens - Globalization, Information Age
Comment #25714 by neander on March 14, 2007 at 7:29 pm
By the year 2100 information will be generated so fast that 13 out of every ten questions will be answered before they were thought of. The doubling of processing power will occur backwards in time, and robots will rule the earth.
52. Non-believers can be bigoted too
Comment #25659 by neander on March 14, 2007 at 3:11 pm
As an atheist I am very bigotted against STUPIDITY! Whenever I hear tripe served up as intellectual debate I think the espouser is a twit!
53. Turkey: Creationism Documentary
Comment #25658 by neander on March 14, 2007 at 3:07 pm
Disconcerting that this fundie disease is spreading! Dark ages here we come?
54. Remote sheep population resists genetic drift
Comment #25657 by neander on March 14, 2007 at 3:04 pm
...something along the lines of the sheep not being nervous 'cause thy're used to it?
Actually, not surprised to hear that natural selection would strengthen a geen pool. I was under the impression that evolutionary theory showed/supported this!
55. US Congressman Holds No God-Belief
Comment #25482 by neander on March 13, 2007 at 3:32 pm
Bravo. I just emailed my support.
Comment #25480 by neander on March 13, 2007 at 3:23 pm
What branches will we leave (leaf)?
Hopefully divorced enough from superstition to not make our mistakes.
57. In Lice, Clues to Human Origin and Attire
Comment #25477 by neander on March 13, 2007 at 3:19 pm
Great article! But, like drive1 I was fascinated by gorilla health care. OOK.
58. Understanding Genetics - Daniel Dennett Interview
Comment #25272 by neander on March 11, 2007 at 2:46 pm
"Sifters" I like it! Sums us up nicely.
59. 'Don't discuss polar bears': memo to scientists
Comment #25027 by neander on March 9, 2007 at 6:38 pm
Yet another example of Bush administration muzzling scientists. Dark ages, here we come!
60. Response to Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris
Comment #25026 by neander on March 9, 2007 at 6:35 pm
Mindless drivel!
61. Academy denies claims from job candidate
Comment #25024 by neander on March 9, 2007 at 6:31 pm
Was this in the US?
(Sarcasm from an Aussie seeing the same thing here).
62. Science, Faith, and Evolution
Comment #25023 by neander on March 9, 2007 at 6:25 pm
Egotistical? Yes.
Deluded? Yes. But..
Am I stepping out on a limb to think that I would rather deal with loonies like Dowd than loonies like Falwell? Could Dowd represent the path for narrow minded fundies to slowly look around?
63. Economics and human evolution
Comment #25020 by neander on March 9, 2007 at 6:04 pm
The viral idea for neanderthal extinct probably doesn't work due to the large overlap of the two groups. But since the neanderthals probably lived in small tibal units it cannot be discounted.
As to Vaal's comment on DNA; I was under the impression that DNA degrades over time making these analyses not so reliable, and that they were using mitochondrial DNA - I would love some links/references to validiaty. Also, mitochondrial DNA still doesn't exclude the possibility of interbreeding. My point was that a massively higher number of sapiens (better food technology leads to colonisation = Jared Diamond, nothing else) would dominate the gene pool in an interbreeding situation making neanderthal genes dissappear. I also cited examples of where this occurs today.
The concept of religious fatwa is quite plausible. Where else did cousins collide. Since it now looks like Homo florensis was still around 20,000 years ago was it too fatwa-ed?
65. Public Acceptance of Evolution
Comment #24831 by neander on March 8, 2007 at 7:10 pm
As a high school science teacher in a very fundamentalist area I have a lot of fun leading the kids to the facts. Happy to say that I've had several nasty encounters, all of which have ended in better educated kids and parents.
Good education about genetics is definately the answer!
66. Economics and human evolution
Comment #24828 by neander on March 8, 2007 at 6:51 pm
Good! Finally a sensible model. Using Occam's razor should have come up with something similar years ago. ie: Look at all example where modern groups of humans have replaced indiginous inhabitants (read Jared Diamond "Guns, Germs, and Steel"). All have done so because they had significantly better food production and trade. In some cases the indigenous gene pool has been so diluted as to be almost invisible (southern Australia). Where indigenous food production and trade were analagous to the invaders assimilation was not possible (ie India and the Brittish).
Surely this model easily demonstartes (Occam's razor) that neanderthal man could well hacve been out-evolved and assimilated. Significantly smaller population numbers (due to less food available)make this understandable. Some recent fossil finds seem to support this, as a recent fossil shows traits from both groups.
Amazing to find something like this in an economics journal!
By the way, was anyone annoyed to see "House" poo-pooing evolution the othe day. Its off my to watch list!
67. U.S. Mint goof creates 'Godless dollars'
Comment #24824 by neander on March 8, 2007 at 6:33 pm
Hopefully a sigh of things to come!
68. Happy 50th Birthday to PZ Myers!
Comment #24822 by neander on March 8, 2007 at 6:29 pm
Happy Birthday PZ!
69. Why Children Love Their Security Blankets
Comment #24781 by neander on March 8, 2007 at 2:04 pm
The title say it all!
70. How my eyes were opened to the barbarity of Islam
Comment #24779 by neander on March 8, 2007 at 1:58 pm
We need more loud voices of reason like Phyllis Chesler, not noisy apologists. Keep up the good work!
71. Why there are almost no genuine atheists
Comment #24638 by neander on March 7, 2007 at 7:40 pm
107 Iamb_spartacus
You need to clearly define your use of "religious" before using it to mean several different things. Atheists morals are not based on religious reasoning in any conventional or normal use of the word. If you want religious to mean "inquisitive" then use that word instead.
72. Why there are almost no genuine atheists
Comment #24495 by neander on March 6, 2007 at 11:11 pm
Stephen J makes a lot of assumptions about atheists. We use many different ethical models in our many different lives. What we try not to do is make generalizations based on lack of evidence. Here is an example you may enjoy?:
Religious peopl have no ethical values because they only do the right thing as they are scared of being punished.
73. Why there are almost no genuine atheists
Comment #24459 by neander on March 6, 2007 at 6:42 pm
This can't possibly have been written by an intelligent person. The arguemnet is poor, almost non-sensical, and tries to equate atheism with lack of morals.
How many atheists has Campos bothered to interview? I, like many other atheists, seek meaning in my life by my actions now, not in some fairyland later on. My response to my own end, and that of humanity, is that it is a process of life that SHOULD HAVE NO BEARING on how I lead my life now. In otherwords, "so what" if I'm going to die, I can still lead a full and fullfilling life. NO GOD REQUIRED!
I'm an Aussie and I hope Campos is not a typical example of an American Law professor. Aren't they meant to know how to construct logical arguments?
Comment #24417 by neander on March 6, 2007 at 2:13 pm
I am a great admirer of Ayaan for her courage at leaving her religion, her bravery at openly fighting islam, and her open atheism. However, by joining the AEI (albeit to aid her war on barbaric practices) she runs the serious risk of supporting other religious agendas. As atheists, how much support should we get from the "normal" religious?
Comment #24304 by neander on March 5, 2007 at 7:07 pm
This is also the problem in Australia. There are may new millionaires that are "coincidentally" pastors in fundamentalist chuches such as the pentecostals. reminiscent of the catholics during the middle ages. This will not stop as long as they get a tax free ride. Tell everyone until people are sick of it.
76. Darwin's God
Comment #24302 by neander on March 5, 2007 at 6:58 pm
Cheshirecat is definitely a religite, hence poor arguemnts. Yorker, sign me up for $200.
77. Darwin's God
Comment #24298 by neander on March 5, 2007 at 6:35 pm
Yorker. I support you and agree.
78. Darwin's God
Comment #24297 by neander on March 5, 2007 at 6:33 pm
Is Linda's comment true? Will Atran "renounce" atheism in old age? If so, he's probably not really an atheist now. Or is he admitting to the onset of senile dementia? My will already includes a power-of-attorney to take over my life the minute I demonstrate signs of superstition/religion.
79. Was there ever dog that praised his fleas?
Comment #24096 by neander on March 4, 2007 at 7:09 pm
Excellent, RD must have really hit a nerve. There will be those who read "The God Delusion" now simply to discover what its about.
80. Senator calls for answer on creation of universe
Comment #24095 by neander on March 4, 2007 at 7:05 pm
"The lunatics are at the gate." thus, or like it, goes the Pink Floyd lyric. But in reality, they're already in control!
Comment #24094 by neander on March 4, 2007 at 7:01 pm
Self hypnosis at its best.
"If I believe it, it must be true"
and
"lets only look at what we agree with".
82. Books on Atheism Are Raising Hackles in Unlikely Places
Comment #24093 by neander on March 4, 2007 at 6:51 pm
Yorker - WOW.
"You don't have to be an expert on fairy tales to recognise one"
I'll use that.
83. Falwell says Christians shouldn't focus on global warming
Comment #23805 by neander on March 2, 2007 at 9:01 pm
What the hells a "Christian Biology Major"? Or is it a christain doing Biology? What sort of biology is taught a a university that labels dinosaurs as 3,000 years old?
BD, all people have good and bad aspects to thier personalities. The fact that you found the good ones in JF does not excuse the horrendous hypocrasy, bigotry and pure nastyness spouted by JF on an almost daily basis.
84. The Dawkins Confusion: Naturalism ad absurdum
Comment #23799 by neander on March 2, 2007 at 8:28 pm
"Dawkins seems to have chosen God as his sworn enemy. (Let's hope for Dawkins' sake God doesn't return the compliment.)"
Funny how god hasn't responded. Its almost as if it were just a fairy story!
85. Bishops must not sit in reformed House of Lords
Comment #23798 by neander on March 2, 2007 at 8:19 pm
What a great proposition. If it works in removing religious control thenBritain has the potential to be a really free nation.
86. Religion in Conflict: Are 'Evangelical Atheists' Too Outspoken?
Comment #23794 by neander on March 2, 2007 at 7:52 pm
What a great article. Funny how it presents a far more ethical (moral?) view than any I have seen from religious leaders.
87. Native American populations share gene signature
Comment #23283 by neander on February 27, 2007 at 1:53 pm
Aussie, you need to read "Guns, Germs, and Steel" by Jarred Diamond for a full and coherent understanding of why/where cities came from.
This is a great article, and good science.
88. The joy of changing your mind
Comment #23282 by neander on February 27, 2007 at 1:40 pm
Sancus is correct. Actively trying to change their minds doesn't work. However, leaving the evidence for those who doubt, and playing a public postive role model are very effective. As a publicly "out" atheist I am often approached to explain my position. Much more attention is taken when people are asking, rather than when you are telling!
89. Faith
Comment #23278 by neander on February 27, 2007 at 1:29 pm
Militant atheists indeed! This is great. It SHOWS theists to be liars, and desperate! Surely they can only be this stupid if they know, deep down, that they are wrong. It is reminiscent of the rabid anti-gay rantings of closet homosexuals desperate not to let anyone find out their secret. As a teacher I have taken this article for use in class, it can only damage the theists argument!
90. Pope speaks out against 'designer babies'
Comment #23208 by neander on February 26, 2007 at 7:46 pm
The pope should limit his comments to those on which he is qualified to speak: none.
Comment #23207 by neander on February 26, 2007 at 7:41 pm
Perhaps we can remove the amygdala from politicians?
Fear seems to be a powerful driving emotion. Good education is the answer.
Comment #22735 by neander on February 21, 2007 at 5:06 pm
There's hope yet!
93. Is America Too Damn Religious?
Comment #22595 by neander on February 19, 2007 at 6:48 pm
Yes, way over the top. The problem with 70% of the panel agreeing is the "Kinsey" factor. I.e. only interested or relatively intelligent people attended thus skewing the result.
I have a deep suspicion that a standard poll would produce different figures.
As an aside I was once told that the inscription on the 1$ note indicated what was really worshipped!
94. Memo: Stop teaching evolution
Comment #22525 by neander on February 19, 2007 at 1:33 pm
gimlibengloin may not have completely understood RD. "Gods" have no evidence whatsoever, however, extraterrestrial life is possible howeverimprobable because we can already see that life does evolve from nothing (us).
As to US flatearthers/creationists, should we let them have their way then the country will collapse.
95. God, sex, drugs and politics
Comment #22518 by neander on February 19, 2007 at 1:19 pm
There are two good things here. One is that the vaccine may get to do its job, the second is that the loonies are going to be more visible attacking one of their own!
On the down side, the just-as-loony-as-fundamentalists anti immunisation lobby will start its outrageous, ignorant, and improperly researched campaign.
96. My critics are wrong to call me dogmatic
Comment #22378 by neander on February 15, 2007 at 7:51 pm
Spot on!
97. In praise of Darwin this Sunday ... in hundreds of churches!
Comment #22209 by neander on February 13, 2007 at 1:18 pm
"visibly angry" ? How can they watch TV with their eyes shut? RD seemed calm and measured to my eyes. Maybe "upset at the atrocities of religion" would have been more correct.
Comment #22208 by neander on February 13, 2007 at 1:13 pm
This does the one thing theists find so hard ... imagine.
99. The God Delusion
Comment #21730 by neander on February 10, 2007 at 7:57 pm
My daughter is an expert on Santa Claus. Her arguements in favour seem far more rational and evidence based than any in the so called theological debates. Lets not forget that theists are desperately using ANY rationalisations they can find to stop themselves facing their own delusions.To have to admit to yourself that your were foolish .... to hard for most.
100. Does Richard Dawkins exist?
Comment #21723 by neander on February 10, 2007 at 7:29 pm
Parts of it may be funny, others tend to be a bit personal. However, the religious CAN NOT put themselves under this sort of satire. Lets not forget that ANYTHING that can't tolerate "taking the piss" runs a real chance of winding up as dogma. Not funny - probably. But RD and atheists can easily handle scrutiny!
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The Selfish Gene
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Unweaving the Rainbow
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