Category Archives: Human Nature

False Equivalences

Posted on Wednesday 26 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Frank Bruni on people who excuse Trump’s outrageous behavior for the relatively minor sins of the previous administration, unable to tell the difference in magnitude; Briefly noted items about Mark Kelly and Benedict Arnold; NYT on Trump’s fatigue and Trump’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Human Nature, Lunacy, Politics, Psychology | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Human Nature, Religion | Comments Off on Six Seven and Human Nature

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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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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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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Jonathan Haidt, THE HAPPINESS HYPOTHESIS, post 5 (conclusion)

Posted on Tuesday 11 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Subtitled “Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom” With second subtitle “Why the Meaningful Life is Closer than You Think” (Basic Books, 2006, xiii + 297pp, including 54pp acknowledgements, notes, references, and index. Hardcover with no dust jacket.) (Post 1, Post … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Human Nature, Meaning, Morality, Philosophy, Psychology | Comments Off on Jonathan Haidt, THE HAPPINESS HYPOTHESIS, post 5 (conclusion)

Jonathan Haidt, THE HAPPINESS HYPOTHESIS, post 4

Posted on Friday 7 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Subtitled “Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom” With second subtitle “Why the Meaningful Life is Closer than You Think” (Basic Books, 2006, xiii + 297pp, including 54pp acknowledgements, notes, references, and index. Hardcover with no dust jacket.) (Post 1, Post … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Human Nature, Meaning, Morality, Psychology | Comments Off on Jonathan Haidt, THE HAPPINESS HYPOTHESIS, post 4

Jonathan Haidt, THE HAPPINESS HYPOTHESIS, post 3

Posted on Thursday 6 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Subtitled “Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom” With second subtitle “Why the Meaningful Life is Closer than You Think” (Basic Books, 2006, xiii + 297pp, including 54pp acknowledgements, notes, references, and index. Hardcover with no dust jacket.) (Post 1, Post … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Human Nature, Meaning, Morality | Comments Off on Jonathan Haidt, THE HAPPINESS HYPOTHESIS, post 3

Jonathan Haidt, THE HAPPINESS HYPOTHESIS, post 2

Posted on Wednesday 5 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Subtitled “Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom” With second subtitle “Why the Meaningful Life is Closer than You Think” (Basic Books, 2006, xiii + 297pp, including 54pp acknowledgements, notes, references, and index. Hardcover with no dust jacket.) (Post 1) Once … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Human Nature, Morality, Psychology | Comments Off on Jonathan Haidt, THE HAPPINESS HYPOTHESIS, post 2

Survival, Revelations, Falling Standards

Posted on Tuesday 4 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Samuel McKee on how our brains are wired to survive, not to find truth; Adam Gopnik from 2012 about an Elaine Pagels book on Revelations; Jonathan Chait on how falling standards of behavior in Washington; Brief items about tariffs on … Continue reading →

Posted in Evolution, Human Nature, Politics | Comments Off on Survival, Revelations, Falling Standards