Category Archives: Science

The Corporate Enemy of Truth

Posted on Monday 30 October 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Just finished Jonathan Rauch’s 2021 book The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth, which argues that the government and science have evolved analogous mechanisms to steadily close in on objective truth, with self-correcting mechanisms, and that modern political forces … Continue reading →

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How “Meaning” is just another example of the Narrative Bias

Posted on Saturday 28 October 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Three pieces from Big Think. How history is told by story-tellers, and cannot be taken literally; How philosophy advances science by asking forbidden questions; How questions about the “meaning of life” reveal the narrative bias. —— Three sciency links, all … Continue reading →

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Science and Art and Predictions and Immortality

Posted on Monday 23 October 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Carlo Rovelli on science and art; Big Think on failed predictions; Immortality as a philosophical paradox; Michio Kaku on the four types of planetary civilizations. —— NY Times, guest essay by Carlo Rovelli, 16 Oct 2023: The Secret to Unlocking … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmology, Evolution, Science | Comments Off on Science and Art and Predictions and Immortality

Homosexuality Among Mammals, and Human Families

Posted on Sunday 15 October 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Several pieces about a recent study that suggests homosexuality evolved among mammalian species to reduce conflict “intrasexual violence”; A review of a book about the nuclear family, which the reviewer suggests doesn’t take alternatives into account. – – –   … Continue reading →

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Human Extinction and Climate Change

Posted on Friday 13 October 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Émile P. Torres at Salon on the history of ideas about human extinction; The latest data on climate change is scary; September was the hottest month ever. Peter Gabriel’s “I Grieve”. – – –   The scary thing is that … Continue reading →

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Planets, Scientific Certainty and Placebos, and Peter Gabriel

Posted on Wednesday 11 October 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Phil Plait on the history of planetary discovery, since 1992; Flossing and the quest for scientific certainty; How placebos sometimes work; Peter Gabriel’s “Mercy Street”. – – – Good summary of the past thirty years’ discoveries of new planets. Phil … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Music, Science | Comments Off on Planets, Scientific Certainty and Placebos, and Peter Gabriel

MAGAs and Ukraine; Trust in Science

Posted on Tuesday 3 October 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Paul Krugman on why MAGA supports Putin rather than Ukraine; An essay on why Americans increasingly distrust science; And in tribute the late Larry Kramer, the greatest track I heard when he introduced me to the rock band U2. NY … Continue reading →

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Psychology and Ostranenie

Posted on Monday 2 October 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

What psychology is good for, and its recent accomplishments; The idea of Ostranenie, a kind of defamiliarization, which of course is one of those things science fiction does at its best. Big Think, Elizabeth Gilbert and Nick Hobson, 1 Oct … Continue reading →

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Science and Political Items

Posted on Friday 29 September 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

First, a couple science bits. Let’s start with an intriguing episode of Veritasium. Veritasium: Math Has A Fatal Flaw. Maybe not a “flaw” but an aspect beyond human intuitive understanding: how in any system of mathematics, there exist true statements … Continue reading →

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Murdoch, Azarian, Reich, and Scientists

Posted on Friday 22 September 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Items today: The retirement of Rupert Murdoch, who became wealthy by degrading American politics and appealing to many Americans’ worst instincts; Republican hypocrisy example: John Fetterman vs. Lauren Boebert; with a classic definition: “Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition, to … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Politics, Psychology, Science, Social Progress | Comments Off on Murdoch, Azarian, Reich, and Scientists