Recently, answering questions about the future of scientific research in Canada and the ongoing transformation of the National Research Council from a basic science research organization into a facilitator of “commercially relevant” private-sector research, Science Minister Gary Goodyear said the following: On publishing, scientists—and frankly, professors at university—will tell you
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Dead Wild Roses: Countering the Modal Ontological Argument
Philosophy is has been described as the root of all bullshite, and it is a fact that BS can baffle brains. The religiously orientated, faced with an ever increasing secular reality, can and will grasp at all straws in order to make their ooga-booga based reality seem reasonable and not
Continue readingDeath By Trolley: Help Me Better Understand The Big Bang Theory
My understanding of the Big Bang Theory (BBT) is that approximately 13.77 billion years ago a certain singularity came into existence “with a bang”. It was incredibly – infinitely? – dense and small, and it exploded into existence. The explosion was the beginning of the expansion. The Big Bang (BB)
Continue readingThe Ranting Canadian: There’s an over-used, often-modified, bullshit slogan…
There’s an over-used, often-modified, bullshit slogan along the lines of “If you are not a socialist at the age of 20 you have no heart; if you are still a socialist at the age of 40 you have no brain.” This pearl of supposed wisdom gets a lot of people’s
Continue readingDeath By Trolley: Philosophy in the Flesh: The Embodied Mind and its Challenge to Western Thought
I am currently reading Philosophy in the Flesh: The embodied mind and its challenge to Western thought. Authored by Cognitive Scientists George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, this book asks 1) What do major lines of Western philosophical thought assume about the mind? 2) What has cognitive science learned about the
Continue readingDeath By Trolley: Don’t We All Hear Voices? A Mindfulness-Informed View of Schizophrenia and the “Normal” Mind
The hallmark of schizophrenia is perceiving things that are not there. Auditory hallucinations, including “hearing voices”, is particularly common. What if this clinically distinguishing feature of schizophrenia differs from the cognitively distinguishing feature? What if, cognitively speaking, what distinguishes schizophrenia is not the presence of voices, but rather how one
Continue readingDeath By Trolley: Most misunderstood idea of all time – Nominations?
Every year, Edge.Org asks prominent thinkers a big picture question on thought and knowledge. In 2005, they asked What do you believe is true even though you cannot prove it? In 2006 it was What is your dangerous idea? In 2008, the big question was What have you changed your
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: Mens sana in corpore sano: a sound mind in a healthy body
Mens sana in corpore sano: a sound mind in a healthy body – a very good motto that is. The saying comes from the Roman Juvenal, and it applies as much today as it did two thousand years ago, of course. I’ve alternated, myself, between being a certified bon vivant,
Continue readingDead Wild Roses: Philosophy – The Evolutionary Argument Refuted
Discussing the refutation of Alvin Plantinga’s ‘Evolutionary Argument Against Naturalism’ based on truth as a conventional semantic property. A bit of mouthful, but very interesting stuff for your brain to chew on. Filed under: Education Tagged: Philosophy
Continue reading350 or bust: Saturday At The Movies
We met Henri a few weeks ago. Here’s the first video in which he explores his angst:
Continue readingpragmaticcanadian: Getting more out of job creators
Probably the best and most successful way to get more out of the job creators, is to convince them that they can make more money.
Continue readingthe woodshed: All you need to know…
It is said that all the philosophy one needs to live right can be found in a single source. Traditionalists choose the Koran or the Bible or the Talmud. Others rely on books ranging from Lord of the Rings to Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas to Atlas Shrugged. More
Continue readingThe Scott Ross: Make Us Do The Right Thing
“I agree with you, I want to do it, now make me do it.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1932, in a statement to labour leaders who had advocated for bold policies. Leaders often explain that their failure to enact the right policies is because public support is either lacking or
Continue readingknitnut.net: Spam and philosophy
This morning, while I was out for a walk, my computer was sending spam to everybody I’ve ever corresponded with. I’m sorry if my computer spammed you. I thought Macs were above that sort of thing. I’ve been sending email for 23 years now, and this is a first for
Continue readingmark a rayner | scribblings, squibs & sundry monkey joys: Kurt Vonnegut’s Only Rule
via Tumblr.
Continue readingThings Are Good: How do We Define Life?
Most of the news that gets covered here is related to new discoveries and good events happening around the world, but sometimes we need to take a step back from those discoveries and think deeper about what it all means. Recently NASA launched its most ambitious mission to Mars and
Continue readingDead Wild Roses: Philosophical Reflection – Wouldn’t that be nice in North America?
The lack of reflection in North American society reflects in our policies and economic choices. Countries that have experienced the ripsaw of neo-liberal capitalism (essentially the unbalanced “free-market” reforms that we impose on other countries to savage their people and exploit their resources) are contemplating life after the free marketers
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