Category Archives: Science

Steven Pinker, THE BETTER ANGELS OF OUR NATURE, post 7

Posted on Friday 5 December 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Subtitled “Why Violence Has Declined” (Viking, Oct. 2011, xxvii + 802pp, including 106pp of notes, references, and index.) Summary: Chapter 9 concerns four ways in which humanity’s “better angels” turn people away from violence and toward cooperation and altruism. These … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Human Nature, Morality, Science, Steven Pinker | Leave a comment

Because It’s There, and Because We Can

Posted on Sunday 30 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Big Think, Ethan Siegel, 28 Nov 2025: Ask Ethan: What’s the point of exploring the Universe?, subtitled “There are so many problems, all across planet Earth, that harm and threaten humanity. Why invest in researching the Universe?” (My first comment, … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Conservative Resistance, Cosmology, Science | Leave a comment

Greene and Pinker, and “Piggy”

Posted on Tuesday 18 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

A conversation between Brian Greene and Steven Pinker, two of the current greatest scientists/writers; Heather Cox Richardson on how Trump “cares,” and his “piggy” comments; Briefly noted items about how the GOP destroys, not builds; how the Trump administration uses … Continue reading →

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Bill Gates and Climate Change

Posted on Wednesday 5 November 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

There has been much consternation over a piece published by Bill Gates last week, about climate change. NY Times, David Gelles, 28 Oct 2025: Bill Gates Says Climate Change ‘Will Not Lead to Humanity’s Demise’, subtitled “In a memo, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Psychology, Science | Comments Off on Bill Gates and Climate Change

Notes from the Reality-Based Community

Posted on Friday 31 October 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Hemant Mehta on a new wave of atheist content creators; Scientific “groupthink” is a myth, an effect of how our fundamental theories are extremely successful; Richard Dawkins can’t understand how Tom Holland and his readers believe ancient legends and myths … Continue reading →

Posted in Psychology, Religion, Science | Comments Off on Notes from the Reality-Based Community

Useful Categories

Posted on Wednesday 29 October 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Five ideas to tell when America has become a dictatorship; A Jesus and Mo cartoon that reflects my discussions of secular awe and religion; Phil Zuckerman on how social justice is secular; Short items about worries of American’s impending population … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Morality, Politics, Science | Comments Off on Useful Categories

Drizzly

Posted on Sunday 26 October 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Intro; Are religions by their nature fascist? Latest on the Republican war on science; Peanut allergies go away when infants are exposed early on; Takes on what socialism is. – – – It was drizzly all weekend. Yesterday we attended … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Religion, Science, Social Progress | Comments Off on Drizzly

They’re Already Here

Posted on Friday 24 October 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

About transcendence, and alien intelligence. More about “transcendence,” and quibbling with that essay I linked yesterday. It said this: Transcendence—basically, the human experience of a higher and deeper reality somehow hidden in our everyday existences, but giving hints of itself … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Nature, Psychology, Science | Comments Off on They’re Already Here

Transcendence, and Science Fiction

Posted on Thursday 23 October 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Writers keep puzzling about the idea of transcendence and its association with religion; I’ve proposed an answer; Local news about federal agents in Alameda, near me, and how Trump called them off today; Heather Cox Richardson about the destruction of … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Science | Comments Off on Transcendence, and Science Fiction

No Kings vs. Reality

Posted on Saturday 18 October 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Trump pardons George Santos, of course; The “No Kings” rhetoric from the Republicans, and the results today; With some thoughts about conservative thinking; Jamelle Bouie; Lunatic: MTG still obsessed about weather control; Science: how humans perceive only a tiny bit … Continue reading →

Posted in conservatives, Politics, Psychology, Science | Comments Off on No Kings vs. Reality