Search Results for: how the mind works

The Myth of the Perfect Past

When life was simple and everything you were supposed to know was contained in a single book. Also: why The Lord of the Rings is so appealing to the right; media libel laws; policing; and a lagniappe about a real … Continue reading

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Philosophy, Politics | Comments Off on The Myth of the Perfect Past

Evolution Understood and Not Understood

I mentioned those John Brockman anthologies of science essays back on Feb 4th. They’re associated with the website Edge.org, one of those fascinating websites I’ve noticed over the years but have not followed regularly (others are Big Think, Quanta, Aero, … Continue reading

Posted in Evolution, Science | Comments Off on Evolution Understood and Not Understood

More About the 747

For decades the Boeing 747 was the largest passenger airliner in the world, and it debuted (in 1968) just a few years before I had occasion to take a plane flight anywhere, or pay attention to different kinds of planes. … Continue reading

Posted in Personal history, Technology | Comments Off on More About the 747

Varieties of Fantasy, and Book Notes

Today’s three topics: A conservative’s take on a fantasy novel; A Le Guin fantasy novel; And insights into books by Heinlein and Brockman.

Posted in Book Notes, Culture, Religion | Comments Off on Varieties of Fantasy, and Book Notes

Recent Book Lists

Three items for today: a list of “influential” science fiction works, a list of nonfiction books that changed minds, and Elon Musk’s books he thinks everyone should read.

Posted in Book Notes | Comments Off on Recent Book Lists

Things That Are Not True, and Immorality

Catching up on interesting items from the past few days, about the Christian right’s embrace of a “lying libertine,” how faith healers who kill their children get away with it in some states, how Republicans who lose elections react to … Continue reading

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Morality, Science | Comments Off on Things That Are Not True, and Immorality

Michael Shermer: THE MORAL ARC

Subtitled: How Science and Reason Lead Humanity toward Truth, Justice, and Freedom (Henry Holt, January 2015, 541pp, including 55pp of notes, 30pp of bibliography, and 15pp of acknowledgments and index) This is Michael Shermer’s magnus opus, perhaps, culminating a running … Continue reading

Posted in Book Notes, Morality, Science | Comments Off on Michael Shermer: THE MORAL ARC

More About Stories v. Reality

Yet another item about that anthology of historical essays. Plus items about pandemics, bestseller lists, wokeness in the military, the attraction of conspiracy theories, and violence on TV.

Posted in Book Notes, Conservative Resistance, Narrative | Comments Off on More About Stories v. Reality

Good News of 2022; What Success at College Means

NY Times, Nicholas Kristof, 31 Dec 2022: Cheer Up! The World Is Better Off Than You Think.

Posted in Culture, Education | Comments Off on Good News of 2022; What Success at College Means

Another Science in 2022 list; A Reading about the Medea Hypothesis

Smithsonian Magazine, Carlyn Kranking and Joe Spring, 28 Dec 2022: The Ten Most Significant Science Stories of 2022, subtitled “From Omicron’s spread to a revelation made using ancient DNA, these were the biggest moments of the past year”

Posted in Cosmology, Science | Comments Off on Another Science in 2022 list; A Reading about the Medea Hypothesis