Category Archives: Science

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

And How Science Fiction Is Both a Symptom and a Solution

Posted on Monday 13 October 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Further thoughts on how science fiction informs current social ills; Republican doublethink about “No Kings” rallies; Columbus Day, and Trump’s veneration of Columbus vs the realities of history; Heather Cox Richardson’s perspective on Columbus, and the origin of Columbus Day. … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Human Nature, Human Progress, Philosophy, Psychology, Science, science fiction | Comments Off on And How Science Fiction Is Both a Symptom and a Solution

More on why what’s going on is going on

Posted on Friday 3 October 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Paul Krugman on the decline of American democracy, since Nixon; Francis Fukuyama blames social media and the internet as the prime cause, over eight others, for the global populist wave; Adam Frank on why young men are losing faith in … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Politics, Psychology, Science | Comments Off on More on why what’s going on is going on

How to Understand How the World Actually Works

Posted on Friday 26 September 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

How pediatricians deal with Trump’s advice; How the shooters aren’t necessarily right-wing or left-wing, but simply internet trolls (and anyway, Trump is lying); While there are right-wingers vowing to take out “progressive leftism”; Headlines about Trump’s corruption, Hegseth’s warrior culture … Continue reading →

Posted in conservatives, Lunacy, Politics, Religion, Science | Comments Off on How to Understand How the World Actually Works

Most Beliefs Aren’t About What’s Real, They’re About Conforming to Tribal Mythology

Posted on Monday 22 September 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Three more core principles today, illustrated by an essay by a “former creationist” and how she found “following the science” clashed with her culture — and how this conflict is born of ancient biology; How universities would like to teach … Continue reading →

Posted in Evolution, Psychology, Religion, Science | Comments Off on Most Beliefs Aren’t About What’s Real, They’re About Conforming to Tribal Mythology

Jerry A. Coyne: FAITH VS. FACT, post 5 and last

Posted on Monday 15 September 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Subtitled “Why Science and Religion are Incompatible” (Viking, May 2015, xxii + 311pp, including 46pp of acknowledgements, notes, references,and index) (Earlier: post 1; post 2; post 3; post 4) Comments first this time: The final chapter of this book asks, … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Religion, Science | Comments Off on Jerry A. Coyne: FAITH VS. FACT, post 5 and last

Jerry A. Coyne: FAITH VS. FACT, post 4

Posted on Saturday 13 September 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Subtitled “Why Science and Religion are Incompatible” (Viking, May 2015, xxii + 311pp, including 46pp of acknowledgements, notes, references,and index) (Earlier: post 1; post 2; post 3) Summary: Chapter 4: Faith Strikes Back Faith sometimes claims that it can deduce … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Religion, Science | Comments Off on Jerry A. Coyne: FAITH VS. FACT, post 4

Jerry A. Coyne: FAITH VS. FACT, post 3

Posted on Thursday 11 September 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Subtitled “Why Science and Religion are Incompatible” (Viking, May 2015, xxii + 311pp, including 46pp of acknowledgements, notes, references,and index) (Earlier: post 1; post 2) Summary: Chapter 3: Why Accommodationism Fails This chapter explains why you can’t have your religion … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Religion, Science | Comments Off on Jerry A. Coyne: FAITH VS. FACT, post 3

Jerry A. Coyne: FAITH VS. FACT, post 2

Posted on Wednesday 10 September 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Subtitled “Why Science and Religion are Incompatible” (Viking, May 2015, xxii + 311pp, including 46pp of acknowledgements, notes, references,and index) (Earlier: post 1) Summary: Chapter 2: What’s Incompatible? This chapter considers science, religion, their incompatibility, and their conflicts of method, … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Religion, Science | Comments Off on Jerry A. Coyne: FAITH VS. FACT, post 2