Addressing Motivations of Islamist Terrorism. Apologist or Denial?

Our hearts go out to those caught up in the Paris and Beirut atrocities of the past week. At the beginning of the year we were all “Je Suis Charlie” and now 70% of my Facebook contacts have adopted the tricolor avatar of “Vive Paris”. [See also Isabel Hardman.] Charlie Hebdo was specifically – no … Continue reading “Addressing Motivations of Islamist Terrorism. Apologist or Denial?”

Islamism Meets Girl Power

Tremendously powerful piece from Katrin Bennhold in the NYT. (Hat tip to tweet from Samira Shackle.) Already tweeted a few comments – but a must read, with messages worth taking seriously, however misguided the full reasoning. “In this world counterculture is conservative, religion is punk rock, headscarves are liberation and beards are sexy.” “They spoke of … Continue reading “Islamism Meets Girl Power”

Data For When The Dust Settles Later

The immediate data: Actual 2015 Result in Full. Comparing D’Hondt PR with FPTP in 2015 Voting. (ER Tweet) (Proportionality) Electoral Reform  and A Constitutional Convention (<<< This) Unlock Democracy and Joint Electoral Reform Petition (naff link, may need to search each org for fresh link) 2015Constitutionalists [Community Union] [Paul Mason’s Blog] [Adam Bienkov’s Blog] [Left Foot Forward] [Alan Johnson] [Spiked Brendan … Continue reading “Data For When The Dust Settles Later”

Male & Female Brain Differences, Again @DrAliceRoberts

Drs Alice Roberts and Michael Mosely on BBC2 Horizon today 29th September. Just rough personal notes here, whilst watching: Vive la différence, I usually say 😉 Hmmm. Nothing is “hard” wired. Some stuff is pre-wired, genetically and in foetal development, neurally and hormonally, and a great deal is infant developed by stereotypical “encouragement”, and a lot more is … Continue reading “Male & Female Brain Differences, Again @DrAliceRoberts”

Laddish Disservice to Science @ProfLisaJardine @SueNelson @alicebell @tiffanyjenkins

Interestingly, just seconds after the previous post on the disservice done to science by the conflation of science and technology, Lisa Jardine also tweeted a link to this Sue Nelson piece on “BBC lads’ science” in the Telegraph. And, only hours after Jim AlKhalili had tweeted to “boast” (tongue in cheek) about acquisition of  his iPhone5 … Continue reading “Laddish Disservice to Science @ProfLisaJardine @SueNelson @alicebell @tiffanyjenkins”

The Information Ontology Metaphysics

[Work in Progress – Draft will be edited without notification.] [Feedback appreciated on the “See / Refs” – where more are needed? Meantime all those indicated will be elaborated and worked into the text. And obviously on the intelligibility of the text so far. Drafting arose out of the “Three Essays” post, particularly “Algorithms for Humans” and … Continue reading “The Information Ontology Metaphysics”

Sexual Dimorphism

Capturing this neat summary, NOT for the decade long Sex vs Gender blip of 21st C insanity, but for the millennia old fact that men and women do have archetypically different brains & minds as well as biological bodies. “Vive la Difference” as I keep referring to it. Facts are not normative, everything and anything … Continue reading “Sexual Dimorphism”

Information Ontology of Mind and Body

[Work in Progress – Draft will be edited without notification.] [Feedback appreciated on the “See / Refs” – where more are needed? Meantime all those indicated will be elaborated and worked into the text. And obviously on the intelligibility of the text so far. Drafting arose out of the “Three Essays” post, particularly “Algorithms for … Continue reading “Information Ontology of Mind and Body”