Search Results for: how the mind works

Lee McIntyre, ON DISINFORMATION

Subtitled: “How to Fight For Truth and Protect Democracy.” The MIT Press, 2023. I’m behind on writing up my recent reading here on this blog, so let me resume with this very short little book, small in size and just … Continue reading

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Conservative Epistemology

The core belief that explains extremism on the right; Peter Wehner on how Republicans have chosen nihilism; My wondering what the deep explanation is for what’s happened on the right; Short items about GOP tax cheats, Trump’s latest outrageous lies, … Continue reading

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Beliefs and Reality

On this Halloween there are Christian forces out there warning against demons, since they apparently believe demons are real. For their definitions of “believe” and “real.” Which are not the same definitions that reality-based people use. My understanding of this … Continue reading

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How “Meaning” is just another example of the Narrative Bias

Three pieces from Big Think. How history is told by story-tellers, and cannot be taken literally; How philosophy advances science by asking forbidden questions; How questions about the “meaning of life” reveal the narrative bias. —— Three sciency links, all … Continue reading

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The Twilight Zone of Religion and Conservative Politics

Adam Lee counters Christian claims that “new atheism” has collapsed; it hasn’t Greta Christina patiently explains the vacuousness of “Pascal’s Wager” Religious presumption and “our religion” Republicans look to Jesus Republicans can break promises if God tells them to Short … Continue reading

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Planets, Scientific Certainty and Placebos, and Peter Gabriel

Phil Plait on the history of planetary discovery, since 1992; Flossing and the quest for scientific certainty; How placebos sometimes work; Peter Gabriel’s “Mercy Street”. – – – Good summary of the past thirty years’ discoveries of new planets. Phil … Continue reading

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Numerous Items From Recent Weeks

How the worldwide migration crisis is about civil wars and climate change, but also about the internet and smartphones; How the Luddites were not what we think, and why it might be appropriate to be one now; About the new … Continue reading

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Psychology and Ostranenie

What psychology is good for, and its recent accomplishments; The idea of Ostranenie, a kind of defamiliarization, which of course is one of those things science fiction does at its best. Big Think, Elizabeth Gilbert and Nick Hobson, 1 Oct … Continue reading

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How Politics and Religion Are All About Human Psychology, Chapter 5,271,009

How dumb fascists can be dangerous, re: the Biden impeachment hearing; About The Shepherd of Hermas, an obscure Christian text, once popular, now forgotten; Why Trump wants Gen. Milley to be killed, and Trump’s belief in his superior genes; David … Continue reading

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Rapture, Autism, Economics, Authoritarianism

The predicted Rapture that did not (of course) come true; How some Christians believe autism is demonic, and (of course) why they’re wrong; Paul Krugman on why Republicans cling to “right-wing economics”; Heather Cox Richardson, excerpting her new book, on … Continue reading

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