Monthly Archives: March 2014

The Greatest Generation

Posted on Saturday 29 March 2014 by Mark R. Kelly

In contrast to the standard cynicism about life “these days” or the future of America, there are a few with perspective on history (cf. Steven Pinker’s latest book) who take a more informed view. Here’s an unusually optimistic commentary by … Continue reading →

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Georges Delerue

Posted on Wednesday 26 March 2014 by Mark R. Kelly

Every once in a while I pull off a CD for evening’s listening by Georges Delerue, a French composer of film scores who died in 1992. He seemed to be best known for light playful scores for French films, such … Continue reading →

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Eternal Verities, Not

Posted on Tuesday 25 March 2014 by Mark R. Kelly

Fascinating piece about how evangelical attitudes about abortion have changed dramatically since the 1960s, when Biblical passages were cited to deny that fetuses had souls and therefore abortions weren’t so bad. http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2014/03/hobby_lobby_and_contraception_how_conservative_evangelicals_went_from_not.html What changed? Politics, the article explains, to the … Continue reading →

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Cosmos and Creationism

Posted on Tuesday 25 March 2014 by Mark R. Kelly

A writer at Think Progress says that Cosmos is, indirectly, giving a lot of time to creationist ideas, despite the creationist critics demanding equal time (for nonsense vs sense, apparently). http://thinkprogress.org/culture/2014/03/25/3418425/creationism-is-getting-a-lot-of-time-on-cosmos/ By discussing standard creationist arguments about the impossible perfectibility … Continue reading →

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Religion and Science, Natural or Not

Posted on Tuesday 25 March 2014 by Mark R. Kelly

Connor Wood summarizes the thesis of Robert McCauley’s book Why Religion is Natural and Science is Not. McCauley believes that maturationally natural systems get at the core difference between science and religion – religion relies on them, while science shuns … Continue reading →

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Sam Harris’ Forthcoming Waking Up

Posted on Tuesday 25 March 2014 by Mark R. Kelly

Looking forward to Sam Harris’ next book, especially since I’m skeptical of what it seems to be about. http://www.samharris.org/blog/item/the-path-between-pseudo-spirituality-and-pseudo-science I am often asked what will replace organized religion. The answer, I believe, is nothing and everything. Nothing need replace its … Continue reading →

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Lucius Shepard, RIP, and Readerly Notice

Posted on Sunday 23 March 2014 by Mark R. Kelly

I did not know Lucius Shepard, beyond seeing him across the room (at the bar) at some con, perhaps the Portland Westercon in 2001, looking back at my schedule. But as a reader of his, I have the following observation. … Continue reading →

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The Cozy Cosmos vs. Growing Up

Posted on Friday 21 March 2014 by Mark R. Kelly

Some religious folks don’t like Cosmos because they prefer a cozy universe with human beings at the very center: nice article by Adam Lee about Why Small-Minded Religious Fundamentalists Are Threatened by Wonders of Universe. For the vast majority of … Continue reading →

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Sophisticated Theology, Proofs of God, Humanism, Religious Persecution, Morality

Posted on Thursday 20 March 2014 by Mark R. Kelly

I got the book! You know, the one with the best arguments for God Jerry Coyne lists books to read before criticizing atheism (just as theists keep issuing books about the ‘best’ arguments for god which they insists atheists must … Continue reading →

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Same-sex marriage, Context, and the Pursuit of Happiness

Posted on Tuesday 18 March 2014 by Mark R. Kelly

Some comments tonight about gay marriage, prompted, as most of my posts are, by online articles and debates. For the past couple of weeks there have been back and forth articles on Slate, The Atlantic, and the New York Times, … Continue reading →

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