151. Do subatomic particles have free will?

Comment #231953 by Lucas on August 17, 2008 at 11:05 am

Okay, well, the math and the metaphors in this article went right over my head. I don't know, but using metaphors to summarize complex mathematics never helps me. But I'll trust these guys for now, especially since it jives with my own determinism. Free will went right out the door for me a long time ago, even without all the math and physics. Seems a natural conclusion from the fact of a cause/effect, mechanical universe. Thank all of you here who know more about science than I, especially J Mac, for making this subject more intelligible.

152. Richard Dawkins Lecture at UC Berkeley

Comment #231621 by Lucas on August 16, 2008 at 5:09 pm

As science is a tool for measuring certain types of phenomena it's not much use for measuring things that fall outside its types. A pair of bathroom scales would be ideal for measuring my weight but useless for measuring the love I have for my wife. It is both true that I weigh around 80kg and that I love my wife.

It's as senseless to try and deny the supernatural on the grounds that science cannot measure it as it is for my wife to claim that I don't love her because the bathroom scales can't measure it.

153. Rushdie condemns cancellation of Muhammad novel

Comment #230855 by Lucas on August 15, 2008 at 10:52 am

I have emailed Prof. Spellberg a very polite inquiry, offering her the chance to make her case for suggesting the novel should not be published. If she responds, I will post both my initial letter and her response, in full, here.

154. Rushdie condemns cancellation of Muhammad novel

Comment #230834 by Lucas on August 15, 2008 at 9:03 am

If anyone cares enough to share their thoughts with Prof. Spellberg about the detrimental effects of her cowardly advice to Random House, please do contact her at the University of Texas Austin.

Phone:512-475-7202
dams@mail.utexas.edu

EDIT: And here is her publishing history, to give due credit. It does seem she at least sort of knows what she's talking about as far as Aisha is concerned, though I have a profound distaste for 'gender studies' and distrust anyone who has made a career out of it.

Politics, Gender, and the Islamic Past: The Legacy of `A'isha bint Abi Bakr (Columbia University Press, 1994); "Writing the Unwritten Life of the Islamic Eve: Menstruation and the Demonization of Motherhood," International Journal of Middle East Studies 28 (1996): 305-324; "Inventing Matamoras: Gender and the Forgotten Islamic Past in the United States of America," Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies 25 (2004): 148-164; "Could a Muslim Be President? An Eighteenth-Century Constitutional Debate," Eighteenth-Century Studies 39 (2006): 485-506.

155. Poll: Should the motto 'In God We Trust' be removed from U.S. currency?

Comment #230831 by Lucas on August 15, 2008 at 8:44 am

huzonfurst - Tear it down.

irate and diacanu - Please don't ever stop being so damn funny.

As far as the poll goes, it's meaning is minimal in its original context, but our ability to change it so fast implies a few interesting things. Who voted in this poll in 2005? What impact did its results have? "My God, look! Most Americans favor the slogan on the bills!" But they don't, or at least, there is no way to know without a much larger sampling and better understanding of who is voting. Quick, somebody publish an article referring to the poll as it stands now as proof that over half of America is atheist! Anyway, blah blah blah...

156. Poll: Should the motto 'In God We Trust' be removed from U.S. currency?

Comment #230467 by Lucas on August 14, 2008 at 5:36 pm

Dude, Diacanu, I laughed so hard I almost dropped my laptop reading your first post. The best part was, "...fuck the stupid hurt offended look on their fat idiot faces when I say this shit to 'em."

Yup.

157. Enemies of Reason: Available now on DVD!

Comment #230424 by Lucas on August 14, 2008 at 4:43 pm

Okay, Durant, that's an awful lot of claims you make there, but none of them, even the ones with "e.g."s and quotes provide any evidence for your claims. Examples: "oft-discredited notion that they're at war" - discredited by whom? And how often is "oft"? "makes disingenuous assertions" etc. - how is the assertion you give disingenuous? I might just say every one of your assertions is disingenuous.

Also, may I ask what your personal religious beliefs are? Just so we all know where you are coming from. It's only fair. You know who we are (or so you think.) I will give you credit for spelling and punctuation; thank you for taking the time to at least try to make sense.

158. Judge says UC can deny class credit to Christian school students

Comment #230091 by Lucas on August 14, 2008 at 8:49 am

Jack and J Mac - Yeah, there's an awful lot of New Age mystical bullshit in California. Read "Religion and Public Life in the Pacific Region: Fluid Identities" edited by Wade Clark Roof of UCSB for further details. The great thing about old hippies that believe in karma and alien spirits and talking trees and all that is that they tend to have a good sense of humor about it, and if you smoke enough weed with them, you actually have a chance of convincing them that what they're talking about is just stupid. They don't take much offense, and they sure don't care whether you agree with them or not.

159. Judge says UC can deny class credit to Christian school students

Comment #229154 by Lucas on August 13, 2008 at 6:59 am

From Black Wolf's comment #29:

You will be challenged to use what you learn for the glory of God and the good of creation, not for selfish or destructive ends.

160. How Our Culture Keeps Students Out of Science

Comment #226809 by Lucas on August 8, 2008 at 5:57 pm

There are many intelligent adults that no longer have the time for proper schooling or can't afford it while supporting a family. Not everyone knows what they want to do/be when they are 17-18.

Yup, exactly.

EDIT: Don't know why this looks so weird.

161. The best way to undermine the jihadists is to trigger a rebellion of Muslim women - and establish energy independence

Comment #226031 by Lucas on August 7, 2008 at 4:13 pm

Wow, had a lot of shit to say about this, apparently too much. Got logged out while I was typing. Fuck it.

162. Congresswoman Slams Religious Right's Assault on Science's 'Edgier' Side

Comment #225750 by Lucas on August 7, 2008 at 10:49 am

Very cool. Go Rep. DeGette!

163. How Our Culture Keeps Students Out of Science

Comment #225743 by Lucas on August 7, 2008 at 10:31 am

Wow. Good article. I don't think I've ever read one on this site that I agreed with more. I'm not sure what the solutions are, but Wood correctly states the problem. Every day the feeling grows in me that I was shafted on science and math education somewhere between 7th and 11th grade, thus leading me to become one of those many high-IQ baristas with college degrees. Ironically, now that I have an MA, even coffee shops won't hire me because I'm TOO educated, and my knowledge is so specialized that there are no jobs I can get with it outside of academia. I am far from alone in this. I really should have been a scientist. If I could switch to neuroscience or astrophysics at the age of 30 and after 7 years of college (and many thousands in student loan debts), I would, but it's too late. I have to wonder if I am one of those wasted potential scientists.

EDIT: Honestly, if the government would pay for it, I would scrap everything I've done and start all over as a freshman physics major.

164. Dawkin 'bout a revolution

Comment #225736 by Lucas on August 7, 2008 at 10:08 am

Most of you are being far too cynical. Almost every post here confirms the cat-herding metaphor, and it's a self-defeating way of thinking. The bus thing is a good idea; not perfect, but good. Support it. Nitpicking is fine from your couch or desk behind your computer, but I'm getting a little disheartened with the amount of argument and flack people catch on this site anytime somebody tries to actually DO something in the REAL world as opposed to repeatedly making tired cracks about believers.

165. Brainwashed by a parasite

Comment #225424 by Lucas on August 6, 2008 at 2:55 pm

Eshto - Haven't played it, but I'd like to. Funny you said what you did, because as I was reading the article I had this sudden vision of using parasites to kill mosquitos in Africa to stop malaria, only to then have them infect all the people and turn them into brainless zombies. So, yeah.

And let none of us forget the historical role of fungi in the promotion of religious visions, from ancient Greece to today. That's what I love 'em for.

166. Catholics To Pope: Lift Birth Control Ban

Comment #220434 by Lucas on July 28, 2008 at 12:35 pm

eh-theist - Yes, but believers dying of AIDS, and having children infected with AIDS, doesn't help the Church much, so the logic you correctly explain no longer works. They just can't face up to it because changing the official doctrine tends to lessen people's faith in the absolute authority of the church. Thus they are shooting themselves in the foot. I say let them. Adapt or die.

167. Daniel Dennett: Autobiography (Part 1)

Comment #220420 by Lucas on July 28, 2008 at 12:20 pm

Good stuff. Too bad Tufts doesn't have a graduate program. My old roommate had Dennett as an undergrad advisor; sad to say it was probably wasted on him that he had such a genius advising him. What he's doing at the Center, though, is worth it I suppose. I should really get around to his books.

168. Toward a Type 1 civilization

Comment #218645 by Lucas on July 25, 2008 at 3:03 pm

Apathy - We'll just have to educated everyone in multiple languages on the assumption that none of them will ever totally disappear. No offense to all the other countries and languages, but if everyone on the planet spoke English, Arabic, Russian, Chinese, and Spanish, they'd get along pretty well on a wide swath of the planet. Of course there are other languages that one could argue to be on the list, but folks that speak those should also be able to speak one of these five, so what would it matter? One language might eventually win out, but I'd bet we get off the planet (or blow it up) before that happens.

169. Toward a Type 1 civilization

Comment #218613 by Lucas on July 25, 2008 at 2:46 pm

JAMCAM87 - To your last two questions: no, and not really. There will be an invariable loss of some aspects of culture as time moves on no matter what, and as we mix our cultures further, new subcultures grow, some old ones are forgotten, some are remembered. And we can all do without nationality. These things are important to some degree, but not nearly to the degree they are currently held by most folks. Time moves on. Humans evolve. Our cultures evolve and morph and mix. All this will lead us to a Type 1, if we don't totally botch it in the process. We will be able to maintain a sense of social grouping and culture and self-identity through memories of our tribal and nationalistic customs, but in a less divided context in which all kinds, and all kinds of knowledge, mix freely.

That, or we're about six months away from pure Mad Max anyway, so who cares. Horde those bullets and cans of food.

170. Surgeon General Nominee Dismisses Homosexuality Paper

Comment #215201 by Lucas on July 21, 2008 at 1:28 pm

...and I respected you.

171. Surgeon General Nominee Dismisses Homosexuality Paper

Comment #215184 by Lucas on July 21, 2008 at 1:11 pm

Ha! First. Now I'll read the article.

EDIT

Okay, so the questions are, 1) what exactly does his 1991 paper say? and 2) can a scientist who has interpreted science in a religious framework to support anti-homosexual views ever be trusted to look after the public health? I suppose he could have changed his views, i.e., he may have become less homophobic over the years. Everyone can change their minds, presumably. But I still don't trust him. I think the paper, if it is as it is presented here, disqualifies him from the office of surgeon general. But a close examination of the paper itself is necessary in order to know for sure.

172. Calling World Conference on Dialogue a Symbol of Unity Among Different Traditions

Comment #213674 by Lucas on July 18, 2008 at 6:48 pm

Abdullah sounds like an arrogant prick speaking down to everyone else. Ki-moon sounds like a coward. There are plenty of platitudes to agree with in what both of them say, sure, but I warn you all now that we have the makings of maybe our biggest foe yet. Imagine all the religions ganged up together on us, while insisting they promote tolerance and peace. Does anyone trust those who can be so deluded about reality to even recognize, much less cop to it, when they are being hypocritical?

173. Bush Bureaucrats at Dept. of Health and Human Services Redefine Contraception as Abortion

Comment #213377 by Lucas on July 18, 2008 at 12:10 pm

I guess we can have the Obama religion discussion AGAIN, but... Okay, here goes. The dude, from much evidence (i.e. his own words previous to 2007 or so), seems to not be a believer. His involvement with the Chicago church, and all his recent statements about faith, are necessities in order to be elected into high office in the USA. We can all hate that all we want, but it doesn't change the situation Barack finds himself in. He made a clear choice to hide his personal lack of belief many years ago as his political ambition grew. In case anyone wants to get all whiny about his faking being religious, keep in mind all politicians fake things all the time. That is the game they play. Many of my friends are back-peddling on voting for Obama, and are either going to vote for Nader or not vote at all. I think this is fucking retarded. It's as if they expect perfection and total honesty from politicians. AGAIN, I will say that Obama can pay lip service to whomever he wants - suck up to the Scientologists for some cash for all I care - as long as what he does once he's gotten the office is more in line with my interests. In this sense, I have some faith (sorry). He is an intelligent man, and he knows the rules of the game. Play on.

EDIT: As far as McCain, I doubt it takes more than a week or so in a Vietnamese prison camp to realize there is no God to come save you.

174. Researchers Discover Remnant of an Ancient 'RNA World'

Comment #213325 by Lucas on July 18, 2008 at 11:41 am

Over my head. But nonetheless, GO SCIENTISTS!! I can see this sort of research colliding with our Mars ice findings in the next ten or twenty years. Hmm...

175. Ten Commandments' of race and genetics issued

Comment #213319 by Lucas on July 18, 2008 at 11:36 am

Seems like cheap, high school student council-level decision making to me. All their points are either painfully obvious or annoyingly PC. I could do without the religious allusions as well. My responses to this article ranged from, "Duh!" to "No!" to "That's just stupid" to "Why am I still reading this? Oh, it's short."

176. The Return of Religion

Comment #212056 by Lucas on July 16, 2008 at 2:23 pm

"Scruton was educated at Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe (1954-1961) and Jesus College, Cambridge (1962-1969). He received a B.A. in Moral Sciences in 1965, M.A. in 1967, and a Ph.D. in philosophy, with a thesis on aesthetics, in 1972."

'Nuff said. From Wikipedia.

177. France rejects Muslim woman over radical practice of Islam

Comment #210600 by Lucas on July 14, 2008 at 10:05 pm

gilous007 - I think your definition of government is kinda wonky. We have three branches of government here in the USA; legislative, judicial, and executive. The Supreme Court is a part of the government; it decides the finer meanings of the laws made by the legislative and enforced by the executive. Caveat: this is just the grade school explanation, I'm not saying that's how it works in reality.

178. Lourdes fears priestly scandal will make profits dry up

Comment #210597 by Lucas on July 14, 2008 at 9:51 pm

I'm sorry, why are we all suddenly so compassionate toward the rubes? When people believe in silliness, we ridicule them. Then, when some enterprising folk fleece the rubes, we feel bad for them and condemn the fleecers? Naw. Rubes get no sympathy, despite that fact that tricking them into giving you something valuable for something worthless is pretty sleazy. But by that logic, most of consumer culture is pretty sleazy. Miracle Grow with make your lawn healthier! This car has new tires! McDonald's salads are good for you! SUVs are a good investment! A bachelor's degree will get you a good job! C'mon. Everybody's a huckster.

179. Church Cancels Teen Gun Giveaway

Comment #210589 by Lucas on July 14, 2008 at 9:17 pm

I would happily endure 21 hours of preaching and teaching for a free assault rifle. It's not that I love Jesus, of course, but rather that I do love guns. Would they be cool with that?

180. Dalai Lama defends Islam as peaceful religion

Comment #210583 by Lucas on July 14, 2008 at 8:56 pm

The Dalai Lama may subscribe to religious superstitions of a sort, but let's not alienate potential allies. Quite generally, I think the man's heart is in the right place, despite visions of reincarnation. Again I submit to everyone here the idea that while indeed benevolent and malevolent religious beliefs are equally incorrect as descriptions of reality, some are more malignant than others. In fact, didn't Dennett say, or at least imply, basically this in that little video recently posted? The virulent strains should be our concern. Of course, it doesn't help to have some of the less problematic meme pushers apologize for the violent ones. But he is right to say that there are some non-threatening believers in Allah. I absolutely do not say, nor should any of us, that you CANNOT believe in Islam; believe what you will, just don't spread the destructive forms.

181. Periodic Table of Videos

Comment #210578 by Lucas on July 14, 2008 at 8:37 pm

Awesome, Toad. Thank you so much.

I do have to admit, adamantium would be my favorite element if it was found to exist. SNIKT!! I only go for nitrogen because of Sangamon's Principle.

182. Periodic Table of Videos

Comment #210418 by Lucas on July 14, 2008 at 1:47 pm

Can anyone provide a link to a larger image of the cover of the book in post 7? Or maybe point me toward a list where these symbols are matched with their elements? Are these commonly used or is it just to look cool?

183. France rejects Muslim woman over radical practice of Islam

Comment #210414 by Lucas on July 14, 2008 at 1:40 pm

I Iove French girls. Please send more. And Pierre Woodman has made a fantastic contribution to international culture. Also, thank you for everything west of the Mississippi and for the significant economic boost derived from the sale of billions of french fries every day.

All joking aside, this is a hard decision. I don't mean "hard" like difficult to decide, but "hard" as in hard-hearted and because of the fact that there are likely to be dire consequences. The French government deserves credit for standing up for its principles and having the courage to make such a decision; I sincerely hope there is no racism lurking in the shadows of this decision, though that would be almost impossible to determine. I sympathize with this woman considerably, but governments must look far ahead to determine the best course for social cohesion and security. Other than that, Matt7895 said it all very well and very succinctly.

184. Periodic Table of Videos

Comment #210400 by Lucas on July 14, 2008 at 1:07 pm

Extremely, extremely cool. Shall we start a vote for favorite element? Count one for nitrogen.

185. Thousands Flock to Revival in Search of Miracles

Comment #208844 by Lucas on July 11, 2008 at 9:49 am

I don't believe his life story. There are surely shreds of truth in there, but given that he makes his living as a professional liar, I'm suspicious of his little conversion story. Can anyone verify his story without recourse to his autobiography?

186. Sir John M. Templeton, Philanthropist, Dies at 95

Comment #206367 by Lucas on July 8, 2008 at 10:06 am

Hope Heaven is all you hoped for, Johnny boy.

There are many people who's deaths would make me smile; some would even make me dance. This one doesn't move me much, really, but I'll admit a sigh of relief.

187. The Boundaries of Belief

Comment #205144 by Lucas on July 6, 2008 at 4:46 pm

Anybody want to guess the difference in money and time spent between Pew and Sam's deal? Hilarious that Sam was able to get as large a sample and even more useful results, minus millions of dollars.

188. Evangelical Christians sign up to a 'Church within a Church'

Comment #203386 by Lucas on July 2, 2008 at 7:16 pm

At one point, the comic Transmetropolitan by Warren Ellis and Darick Robertson shows a "religion convention" very much like what you describe, scottishgeologist, but even crazier.

Schism is always good, for them AND for us. The religion evolves; polarizing, then settling, and what's left is a finer and more modern version of the religion (which we may or may not like) and overall less of them. Their power diminishes as it is divided, and whatever is left is easier for us to deal with, because it is either less offensive, and thus relatively harmless, or more offensive, and then we can take action.

189. Obama Wants to Expand Role of Religious Groups

Comment #203383 by Lucas on July 2, 2008 at 6:59 pm

newandrew - Well said.

gummidge - I doubt there is any plot to do this, but I do think that what you describe might be the end result anyway. So maybe there is a bright side to his backpeddling.

Incidentally, after showing a recent clip of Obama saying the exact same thing as a clip of Bush from a couple years ago, Jon Stewart simply threw his arms up and screamed, "NOOOOOOOOOO!" I think that about sums it up. No heroes here folks, just politicians. But we have to push him hard, because I'm sure he'll be the next president.

190. Former state science director sues over intelligent design e-mail

Comment #203380 by Lucas on July 2, 2008 at 6:40 pm

This is a big case. We need to get behind this one with all we've got. Winning will change the whole debate, maybe even ending it.

191. Non-voters: It's all in God's hands

Comment #200359 by Lucas on June 27, 2008 at 11:51 am

The results are part of the nationally representative Baylor Religion Survey, 2005.

"It can be reasoned that if one believes God determines worldly affairs, then there is little reason for individuals to participate in civic events," study leader Robyn Driskell and her colleagues write in the June issue of the journal Social Science Quarterly.

192. Stop distorting young minds!

Comment #200357 by Lucas on June 27, 2008 at 11:44 am

Comment #7 - My god there is another me! And it sounds like my personal cartoon channel!

Comment #2 - I am man. Yes, I am.

193. The Latest Wedge Document

Comment #200351 by Lucas on June 27, 2008 at 11:33 am

Discipline - That article was great. What's weird is that it's a joke, but it's exactly what's being done with ID. There is no exaggeration, just parallel. I propose, as other's have on this site before, that every time we get any kind of ID argument we just say, "Gravity," and leave it at that.

Vecingetorix - I'm a Columbia grad who grew up in urban Indiana (there is such a thing) and has lived in Oregon, Arizona, New York, Turkey, and Malawi: and you are right. There are negative attitudes and assumptions between urbanites and ruralites, Easterners and Westerners, coastal folks and midwesterners, southerners and just about everybody. Much of this is small minded bullshit, meant only to boost the ego of those uncomfortable with living anywhere but where they are from. I personally find no place to be overall superior or inferior to any other, but each has its own qualities, good and bad. However, there is a distribution of qualities that does correspond to geography, and that plays a part as well. Does that help?

194. The Latest Wedge Document

Comment #199806 by Lucas on June 26, 2008 at 11:29 am

Is there another me? I didn't send this link. I do, occasionally, but none of them have ever been posted. Last one was June 10th.

EDIT: I do like this bit ever-so-much, though. "I don't see hordes of scientists beating down church doors to teach rationalism to parishioners in their pews. In a fair world, supernaturalists would similarly refrain from foisting their beliefs on kids in science classes."

195. Creationist critics get their comeuppance

Comment #199802 by Lucas on June 26, 2008 at 11:23 am

Exquisite. How many times do they have to be shot down like this before they just shut up?

196. Spanish parliament to extend rights to apes

Comment #199783 by Lucas on June 26, 2008 at 11:01 am

Excellent. Break down that wall. For too long we have lived with the homicidal hubris that we are somehow intrinsically more valuable than other forms of life. Without God, without a soul, all of that breaks down, and rather than losing our sacred status and becoming profane, all the rest of the glorious life on this planet becomes as sacred as we are, thus destroying the distinction entirely. To enshrine that in law is more than I could have ever hoped for.

197. Band T-shirt draws charge

Comment #199352 by Lucas on June 25, 2008 at 2:55 pm

This reminds me of that time in middle school when my buddy almost got sent home for wearing the Metallica t-shirt that says "METAL UP YOUR ASS!" with the knife coming out of the toilet. We negotiated, and put a piece of masking tape over the word "ass." Then we took a sharpie and wrote "ASS" on the piece of tape.

My pops told me long ago to avoid the C word unless it's totally necessary, though I understand it has gained a new meaning in England. I really find it hard to say, in fact. I find it weird that this isn't an obscenity issue, but a religious one. Can I just have a shirt that says "cunt" all by itself?

198. World Youth Day condom protest against Pope

Comment #198658 by Lucas on June 24, 2008 at 10:50 am

The Raelians may be a little wacky, but they are relatively harmless, and in this case, they are being positively helpful. As we've all discussed before, you don't have to agree with someone on everything to accept their help on the important things. Clones, space gods, ex-race car driver prophets or not, the followers of Rael have the right attitude about condoms, so I welcome their help in challenging those who do not.

199. Award-winning comedian George Carlin dies

Comment #198209 by Lucas on June 23, 2008 at 11:25 am

"The whole problem with this idea of obscenity and indecency, and all of these things - bad language and whatever - it's all caused by one basic thing, and that is: religious superstition," Carlin told the AP in a 2004 interview. "There's an idea that the human body is somehow evil and bad and there are parts of it that are especially evil and bad, and we should be ashamed. Fear, guilt and shame are built into the attitude toward sex and the body. ... It's reflected in these prohibitions and these taboos that we have."

Love ya, George. Many thanks old man.

200. Teen's death blamed on faith healing

Comment #196671 by Lucas on June 20, 2008 at 10:16 am

comment 41 - Hobbit, you're thinking about this backwards, from the unintended end result to the decision to make a law. The law about 14-yr-olds determining their own best medical interests was intended to protect children from parents who either refuse treatment or insist on medicating their children unnecessarily. It was a good idea. It's being twisted in this instance. It is only because the child was brainwashed that he made such a poor choice, and we have yet to figure out how to legislate against parents teaching their children bullshit. Unfortunately, the flip side of a having laws based on the freedom to determine one's own fate is that such freedom is not beneficial to anyone in the hands of idiots, especially to themselves.