Category: Science

2nd Law of Thermodynamics — an argument Creationists and ID Proponents should NOT use

ID proponents and creationists should not use the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics to support ID. Appropriate for Independence Day in the USA is my declaration of independence and disavowal of 2nd Law arguments in support of ID and creation theory. Any student of statistical mechanics and thermodynamics will likely find Granville Sewell’s argument and similar… more

Did we mention a Templeton-funded Big Questions Online, relaunched?

Upcoming “Turing Essays” are going to be written by Jack Copeland. He thinks the mind is beyond computation, but is still a machine. more

Dennett on Competence without Comprehension

[In response to Daniel Dennett's appeal to computer scientist Alan Turing as reductionist materialism's greatest champion next to Darwin:] …  at first blush one would think that because Turing had “invented” a “machine,” this might give even Dennett pause and lead him to take a second look at his claim that competence precedes comprehension. For… more

For record: A comment on the issues raised by Dr Fuller (HT: Gregory and Nullasalus), and onward concerns in the wider context of debates over design theory

I have just now commented in the recent thread on Dr Fuller’s thought, and think it useful to headline for record (especially given some continued abusive misbehaviour at Anti- Evo and linked sites that has come to my attention in recent days): ____________ >> Let me clip a few thought-sparker cites from Dr Steve Fuller:… more

Science and Religion at the Portsmouth Institute

Some months back I was invited to speak at this summer’s Portsmouth Institute, which took place last weekend (June 22-24). The title of this summer’s symposium was “Modern Science/Ancient Faith.” See here for the schedule of talks. The speakers included Michael Ruse of Florida State University (keynote), Kenneth Miller of Brown University, John Haught of… more

UD Commenter Nick Matzke in Prestigious Scientific Journal Nature Again

I believe this is already the 2nd time that Nick has graced the pages of the world’s leading science journal. See: Predicting a state shift in the biosphere, and communicating it. Looks like it is the cover story too! Nick and I have been opponents in the ID / Evolution debate for years. I’m glad… more

Caroline Crocker to give talk on bunk detection in science at American Scientific Affiliation meeting

Precisely because people today believe in science and find it important to our lives, separating the peaches from the pits is a game everyone must play. more

Quantifying happiness: The ultimate scientistic (not scientific) pursuit

“No science can be about the purely objective or the purely subjective, which are both unattainable.” more

New Rosetta Stone discovered: Translations from science journalese into English!

For example: “In my experience” = once. “In case after case” = twice. “In a series of cases” = thrice. “It is believed that” = I think. more

Petition for open access to science papers now over 25,000 signatures …

… required for White House response. more

2001′s commercial moon flights and other cool stuff that never happened

“Even in the seventies and eighties, in fact, sober sources such as National Geographic and the Smithsonian were informing children of imminent space stations and expeditions to Mars.” more

Darwinism isn’t the only “sciencey” crusade in town. There’s also food.

“But the line between advocate and policymaker was blurring on both sides of the debate.” more

From The Best Schools: Remembering Einstein

” As one might expect, there are only a few scientists still alive who were directly acquainted with him.” more

Science journalism at its worst?

Well, maybe not, but this stuff is certainly bad. more

What’s wrong with higher ed?: “Science has precisely nothing to tell us about values”

“It has nothing to do with meaning at all in fact.” more

Petition for open access to science research nears tipping point for White House response

Sign the petition, but if you are alumni of small universities – pledge extra funds for science publishing. more

Can open access journals harm scientists and scholars at small institutions?

Open access journals transfer the financial burden from the readers, who no longer pay, to the authors. more

Centenarians’ secret is optimism?

“When I started working with centenarians, I thought we’d find that they survived so long in part because they were mean and ornery,” … more

Climate scientists should ramp up the rhetoric to sway public opinion – science writer

Something is missing from this picture. Going bad didn’t make the science stars good; it just didn’t stop them from winning. more

From PhD Comics: The science news cycle

PhD makes Eyewitless News … then bloggo mondo …

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