What, Why & How do we Know ?
One of my pet subjects is the fact that in (free democratic) systems of governance, there must be institutions that are not free and democratic, not in the sense of the popular “one man one vote” mantra. OK, so most people quickly see that total freedom for popular decision-making is a recipe for anarchy, not … Continue reading “Cor baby, that’s really free.”
The whole world in a grain of salt. Where to start ? You maybe don’t need me to point out that these are anagrams of each other? Table-Top Battle-Op Ob-Platte Potel-Bat Bel-Patto Plato-Bet But what are they ? It might help if you knew that they are the title of Chapter 8 of Douglas Hofstadter’s book “Fluid … Continue reading “Ob-Platte or the next best thing ?”
PSYBERTRON’S MANIFESTO This page retains links to the origins of this blogging project back in 2001, and is organized in three parts: Who is Psybertron? What is Psybertron’s Worldview generally? What is Psybertron’s Agenda specifically? WHO? Ian Glendinning (Psybertron)’s profile and contact details here. (2001 vintage page, with only Resume content updated.) [Personal “Thought Journey” … Continue reading “Manifesto”
Several different threads here. All mentioned before – reading Sam Harris “End of Faith” itself, a discussion thread on MoQ.Discuss with End of Faith title and several spin-off threads, and a discussion thread on Chairman Parker’s Blog. My position can be summarised quite easily. Tolerance of (misplaced) religious faith is as dangerous as extremes of … Continue reading “End of Faith in What ?”
“Expelled” is a movie in the pipeline (due for release in April at the last count) that purports not so much to “debunk” evolution (or Darwinism as they refer to it, like any good Victorian might) in favour of ID / Creationism, but to claim a mass institutional conspiracy preventing debate on alternatives, not just … Continue reading “Intelligent Design / Creationism Propaganda”
Series of two articles and letters to the editor in the NY Times, and a SlashDot thread … Dennis Overbye “Laws of Nature, Source Unknown” Paul Davies “Taking Science on Faith” (More of the same by the same authors in the latest “Edge“) Letters to the NYT Editor “Scientific Method; Evidence not Faith” SlashDot “Where Do the Laws … Continue reading “Taking Science on Faith”
I mentioned before that I’d had some dreadful air-travel experiences since moving to the US. Well I’m having one now sitting at Chicago Logan [doh! Boston I mean] posting from my Blackjack for the first time. Left Huntsville mid-afternoon Friday bound for Gatwick via Atlanta on Delta58. All like clockwork until an hour or so into the … Continue reading “shit happens”
I blogged about Eestor recently. That’s not an anomalous energy patent, but an electrical capacitance alternative to the internal combustion engine. Will it work commercially and socially ? The point is that there may be reasons for engineering scepticism, but the basic physics is not (yet) in doubt. Brian Josephson has been a regular champion … Continue reading “Anomalous Energy”