Author Archives: Mark R. Kelly

Six Seven and Human Nature

Posted on Monday 17 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

What does “six seven” say about human nature? Brain rot, or something else? Morality: what should we wish upon people who despise us? Short pieces about cattle, single mothers, Obergefell, Trump’s lying about the economy, Christian nationalism, and Trump’s itch … Continue reading →

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Richard Dawkins, THE GOD DELUSION, post 5

Posted on Monday 17 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

(Houghton Mifflin, Oct. 2006, 406pp, including 26pp of appendix, books cited, notes, and index) (Post 1; Post 2; Post 3; Post 4) * Here are notes on the final four chapters. Glosses follow in the next post. * Ch 7, … Continue reading →

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Status on a Gloomy Day; Why Anyone Should Care

Posted on Sunday 16 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

It’s a gloomy day in the Bay Area, with one rainy storm moving through last night, another due tonight, with clouds and patches of sunlight today. We visited the Farmers Market in Montclair Village today, bought some produce, and a … Continue reading →

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Richard Dawkins, THE GOD DELUSION, post 4

Posted on Sunday 16 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

(Houghton Mifflin, Oct. 2006, 406pp, including 26pp of appendix, books cited, notes, and index) (Post 1; Post 2; post 3) Our chapter today is about morality, and where it comes from if not religion. We could begin with my standard arguments. … Continue reading →

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MAGA Doesn’t Understand What Makes America Great

Posted on Saturday 15 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Nicholas Kristof on the three fundamental ingredients of America’s greatness that Trump and MAGA are undoing. Short items about Elon Musk, D&D, and racism; Christian presumption about church and state; how easily Nick Fuentes has been endorsed by many Republicans; … Continue reading →

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Richard Dawkins, THE GOD DELUSION, post 3

Posted on Saturday 15 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

(Houghton Mifflin, Oct. 2006, 406pp, including 26pp of appendix, books cited, notes, and index) (Post 1; Post 2) One chapter for today. This is about where religion came from and what use it is. * Ch 5, The Roots of … Continue reading →

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Conservative Principles vs. Reality

Posted on Friday 14 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Paul Krugman on the decline and fall of the conservative Heritage Foundation, and how it’s always been a fraud; Heather Cox Richardson on how the ideology of MAGA is smashing against reality; Short items about Republicans destroying the safety net, … Continue reading →

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Richard Dawkins, THE GOD DELUSION, post 2

Posted on Friday 14 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

(Houghton Mifflin, Oct. 2006, 406pp, including 26pp of appendix, books cited, notes, and index) (Post 1) Here are the first four chapters (out of ten), which deal with the arguments for and against the existence of God, summarized in 3700 … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Morality, Religion | Comments Off on Richard Dawkins, THE GOD DELUSION, post 2

Richard Dawkins, THE GOD DELUSION, post 1

Posted on Friday 14 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

(Houghton Mifflin, Oct. 2006, 406pp, including 26pp of appendix, books cited, notes, and index) Of the four books published in the mid-2000s by the so-called “new atheists,” this one by Richard Dawkins was the most blunt and least conciliatory; it … Continue reading →

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Intentional Ignorance

Posted on Thursday 13 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Paul Krugman on Republican lies and misrepresentations about health care; Short items about a drop in US religiosity; Trump lying about falling gas prices; David French on how Trump keeps pardoning criminals as long as they’re loyal to him. – … Continue reading →

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