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Category Archives: social issues
Now We are Seven Billion! La, La, La
Despite the evident threat to the well being of our descendants some idiots keep asserting that the “Population bomb theory is a myth“. What complete nonsense! For one thing China’s “economic miracle” comes after 30 years of having a one … Continue reading
Posted in climate, economics, social issues
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Free Will and (Divine?) Foreknowledge
Various defenders of academic philosophy are offended (see, eg Jean Kazez and Daniel Fincke)by the contempt expressed by some for the idea of “Divine Foreknowledge” as a topic of serious philosophical investigation (especially when funded by the “notorious” Templeton Foundation). But while I … Continue reading
Posted in religion
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Selfish Blogger Syndrome
The Selfish Blogger. Well that could certainly be me! So I’ll stick to form and post my thoughts here rather than in Tony Bates‘s comment stream. I have not been following #Change11 except through the blogs of people I found … Continue reading
When 99% is really 0.01%
The Tyee ( Wall Street Occupiers, Don’t Forget Ballot Box) says it rather too gently. The protesters and their direct supporters are more like a 0.01% than 99%, and the other 99% of the real 99% were too stupid to do … Continue reading
Posted in economics, politics
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No Liability for Linking
Michael Geist – Supreme Court of Canada Stands Up for the Internet: No Liability for Linking. Well, duh! In one sense it’s amazing how this could ever have been an issue, but on the other hand publishing a link/reference to something … Continue reading
Posted in law, web
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Is Religion Above the Law?
What intrigues me about this is what appears to be the choice by various Supreme Court justices to use quite naive language to express questions which cannot fail to have occurred to anyone who has really considered this issue at any … Continue reading
Posted in law, religion
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Why do you believe in God?
This series from the New Statesman may (or may not) provide some of the insight I have been looking for into why intelligent decent people can adopt traditional-sounding religious positions. The answers I have been able to get from personal friends … Continue reading
Posted in religion
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Does Philosophy Matter?
Stanley Fish suggests that philosophical questions such as that of Moral Relativism vs Moral Absolutism are essentially irrelevant in practical terms. Though I might agree with Fish’s take on philosophy about many other examples, this in particular is one where … Continue reading
Philosophy News | My Philosopher Can Beat Up Your Computer Scientist
Philosophy News | My Philosopher Can Beat Up Your Computer Scientist. Philosophy’s perceived market disrespect (inferiority complex ?) is a reaction to the fact that there is no philosophy credential which predicts any useful skill any more effectively than any … Continue reading
Faith, Belief, and Unbelief
John S Wilkins of ‘Evolving Thoughts’ is exploring some definitions to facilitate a discussion of the philosophical landscape around the issues of atheism, agnosticism, theism, and so on. One point I took issue with in his first post was his statement … Continue reading
Posted in religion
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Note Sending Shivers through Canada’s Media
Rafe Mair has reproduced at Tyee the resignation note of 24 year old CTV bureau chief Kai Nagata who expresses eloquently why working for a TV “News” program is not what he wants to do.
Religions, cults and wacos
John S Wilkins’ piece on Religions, cults and wacos reproduces a couple of cartoons from Wiley Miller’s Non Sequitur which make an amusing and important point about the various levels of respect accorded to different words for superstitious belief systems. There … Continue reading
Posted in law, religion, social issues
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More Media “levy” Madness
Howard Knopf doesn’t like the idea of extending the tax (or calling it one). I didn’t like having to pay a tax, or “levy”, on the CDs I bought years ago to store photos and backup my HD, but I don’t … Continue reading
Posted in arts and culture, canada, copyright
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Time for a Change
OK today must be the start of a four year campaign to reach agreement between the NDP, Greens, and remaining Liberals to: Support an electoral reform which will provide for proportional representation – NOT based on party lists but on … Continue reading
Posted in canada
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Only Obama
Only Obama Succeeded Where Bush Failed (“Great shot sir!”) Only Obama can deal with the financial collapse caused by the right wing libertarian attitude towards proper regulation of financial institutions Only Obama could persuade us that the Lion King was … Continue reading
Posted in usa
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Goodbye CBC
As a complement to today’s federal leaders’ debate the CBC had a group of first time voters watch and comment. But while the clear majority felt that the NDP’s Jack Layton was the winner (as demonstrated by holding up pictures) … Continue reading
Creationism at the Royal Society
This would be old news but for the fact that the Royal Society’s president at the time was Martin Rees – who might now be seen by some as finally getting his reward for letting it happen. On the other … Continue reading
Retail Internet Pricing – Without Slogans
All sides in the debate on “Usage Based Billing” are off base. The issue is quite complicated and not helped by the use of simplistic slogans which often either ask for the impossible or run counter to the interests of … Continue reading
No Shades of Gray?
Sometimes I find PZMeyers over the top in his denunciations of religion (especially when he tars all with the same brush and goes on to demonize even those who merely point out that error), but this time he’s right on the … Continue reading
Posted in social issues
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Where’s the Left Wing Science Denial? Alive and Well in Vancouver I’m Afraid
Chris Mooney at Discover Magazine is optimistic, asking Where’s the Left Wing Science Denial? But in fact, although there are many reasonable voices (and even George Monbiot has belatedly changed his tune and is now quite critical of the anti-nuke crowd), the … Continue reading