Monthly Archives: August 2024

Things Change, Necessarily

Posted on 4 August 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Seen in passing on Facebook today: Understand science, and you’ll understand religion. (In particular, I’d say, cognitive sciences, and human evolution.) \ Today’s topics: How Republicans accuse Democrats of being anti-family, while voting against programs to help families; How about … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Human Progress, longtermism, Religion | Comments Off on Things Change, Necessarily

Long-Term Considerations

Posted on 3 August 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

It’s a basic provisional conclusion on this blog that conservatives deal with short-term matters, corporate profits and so on, without concern for long-term effects, like climate change. They’re concerned about their children — but not enough concerned about how climate … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Human Progress | Comments Off on Long-Term Considerations

Brian Greene: UNTIL THE END OF TIME, post 1

Posted on 3 August 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

I’ve mentioned this book several times over the years (it was published in 2020), most recently here in early June, when I sat down to read it all the way through. I finished in mid-July. Subtitled: “Mind, Matter, and Our … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Cosmology, Philosophy | Comments Off on Brian Greene: UNTIL THE END OF TIME, post 1

Tribal Antics, Racism, Misogyny

Posted on 2 August 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Thought for the day. It occurs to me that — at the risk of tossing out another simplistic dichotomy — the OT is pure tribal morality, while the NT, parts of it anyway (Jesus, maybe, though not Paul), presents a … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Religion | Comments Off on Tribal Antics, Racism, Misogyny

Steven Pinker: THE BLANK SLATE, post 10

Posted on 2 August 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Finally: the last topic chapter, about The Arts, and then the final chapter. Earlier posts about this book: post 1, post 2, post 3, post 4, post 5, post 6, post 7, post 8, post 9. – – – –Ch20, … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Human Nature, Psychology, Steven Pinker | Comments Off on Steven Pinker: THE BLANK SLATE, post 10

How Name Calling, Unfortunately, Seems to Work

Posted on 1 August 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Preoccupied today with Larry matters. The estate sale finished last weekend, and went well, according to the sellers. But now the sellers of Larry’s house are charging *me* for things I kept, as if I stole things they think I’d … Continue reading →

Posted in Morality, Politics | Comments Off on How Name Calling, Unfortunately, Seems to Work

Steven Pinker: THE BLANK SLATE, post 9

Posted on 1 August 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

This time: Children. The old nature vs. nurture debate is too simplistic and binary. Given implications of our innate human nature, the (by now unsurprising) takeaway here is that parents have far less influence on their children than people have … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Children, Culture, Human Nature, Psychology, Steven Pinker | Comments Off on Steven Pinker: THE BLANK SLATE, post 9