Category Archives: Religion

Haidt’s Graduation Speech

Posted on Friday 15 May 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

So I’ve read the Jonathan Haidt graduation speech, and it strikes me as perfectly anodyne, occasionally inspirational, and in no way offensive. Of course the people who objected to his giving a speech hadn’t read the speech; they only objected … Continue reading →

Posted in Psychology, Religion | Leave a comment

Cooperation Is the Key to Human Advancement

Posted on Sunday 10 May 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

A counterpoint to zero-sum thinking from Japan, and cooperation; Tennessee shows how to rig an election; Short items on Trump, the Pope, and the Bible; now RFK Jr. is worried about jello; how a Christian conspiracy theorist now admits to … Continue reading →

Posted in conservatives, Human Nature, Human Progress, Politics, Religion | Leave a comment

UFOs, Consciousness, Being Savvy

Posted on Saturday 9 May 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Adam Frank on the new UFO data; Thoughts about being savvy, and reality-literacy, and the lack of evidence for both UFOs and God; Carlo Rovelli denies there is a “hard problem” of consciousness. – – – One more about the … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy, Religion, Science | Leave a comment

Sean Carroll on Science and Religion, and Templeton

Posted on Thursday 7 May 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Sean Carroll on science and religion, and why he doesn’t take money from the Templeton Foundation; Short items on how the Trump administration cutting funding to study the hantavirus, the one now loose on that cruise ship; more blaming Satan … Continue reading →

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Is Islam the Best Alternative to Modernity?

Posted on Friday 1 May 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

What Trump’s latest attempted assassin reveals about modern American life; How right-wing influencers are now praising Islam, as an alternative to liberal modernity; – – – Trying to get a handle on the latest would-be presidential assassin. Slate, Luke Winkie, … Continue reading →

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Dead Scientists, Fine-Tuning, and the Vacuum of Space

Posted on Wednesday 29 April 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

PolitiFact on the mystery of the missing scientists; AMV on the fine-tuning argument and the limitations of academic credentials; Idiotic arguments from Facebook folks who think the Artemis mission was faked. – – – A couple follow-up items today. This … Continue reading →

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Twilight of the Gods?

Posted on Tuesday 28 April 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Pondering how to live in a era without religious assumptions; A related theme in Arthur C. Clarke’s The Songs of Distant Earth; Timothy Snyder on superpower suicide; distrust of the current administration; confused thoughts about racism from the right; And … Continue reading →

Posted in Arthur C. Clarke, Culture, Music, Politics, Religion | Comments Off on Twilight of the Gods?

Is Reality a Hoax or a Conspiracy? No.

Posted on Sunday 26 April 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Many items about the apparent assassination attempt last night at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, and how many people on social media detected signs of a staged attack; Why posting the Ten Commandments in classrooms doesn’t work, as conservatives think … Continue reading →

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An Assortment of Current Events

Posted on Saturday 25 April 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Trying to catch up on numerous items from recent days, briefly. MAGA and confederates • Firing the National Science Board • A Texas court defies the Supremes about posting the ten commandments • America’s moral code • The new Navy … Continue reading →

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Change For the Better, vs. Sunk Cost

Posted on Friday 24 April 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

John McWhorter: Don’t pronounce the T in ‘often’; How an American living abroad realizes the problems with America; Why we’re stuck with a religious calendar. – – – My favorite pet peeve. NY Times, John McWhorter, yesterday: What’s Better Left … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Culture, Religion, Science | Comments Off on Change For the Better, vs. Sunk Cost