i liked the phrase, radical, militant tolerance...
snip
...
i disagree with harris and hitchens, especially hitchens on this one issue, but i also defend them, and not just in the sense of defending the principle of free speech, but because i also agree with them in part. somehow, the meaning of "progressive" has weakened so much that it can be equated to radical, militant tolerance of every blithering looniness someone might spout, with tactics that constitute little more than limp-wristed surrender to the excuses of bigots.
too often, the conversation between so-called 'progressives' and their opponents is one of gelatin-spined appeasers trying desperately to stave off the tyrants of the right by frantically retreating from the conflict.
"i want to chop off my daughter's clitoris," says the islamist. "oooh, that's not nice," says the 'progressive', "and your deep, rich cultural traditions make me hesitate to object."
meanwhile, the new atheist says "no. there is no ambiguity here: your children are individuals, you have no right to butcher them. and being an ignorant barbarian is no excuse."
/snip
etc...
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Showing posts with label pz myers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pz myers. Show all posts
wrong, wrong, wrong
pz myers' wrong, root and branch; wrong at every cell and molecule; wrong to the core.
'sure, everyone is laughing at harold camping now, except his followers, who are undeterred. but you're missing the real joke. look at every abrahamic religion, with their myths of prophets and favored peoples and fate. look at the crazy conservative church in your town, that preaches homophobia and anti-science and supports israel because of the armageddon prophecy. look at the liberal christian church down the street from you that has the nice vacation bible school and puts on happy plays for the older kids, and also teaches that one day you will stand before a great god and be judged. look at your family members who blithely believe in death as a mini-apocalypse, in which they will be magically translated into another realm, again to be judged.'
the entire piece, here.
'sure, everyone is laughing at harold camping now, except his followers, who are undeterred. but you're missing the real joke. look at every abrahamic religion, with their myths of prophets and favored peoples and fate. look at the crazy conservative church in your town, that preaches homophobia and anti-science and supports israel because of the armageddon prophecy. look at the liberal christian church down the street from you that has the nice vacation bible school and puts on happy plays for the older kids, and also teaches that one day you will stand before a great god and be judged. look at your family members who blithely believe in death as a mini-apocalypse, in which they will be magically translated into another realm, again to be judged.'
the entire piece, here.
pz myers: shades of gray
a very moving piece by pz myers. just read it.
i'm an extremist in this debate, i will freely confess. i hold an absolute view that no killing is ever justified, that individuals have the necessity to defend themselves against assailants, but that even that does not grant moral approval to snuffing out the life of another. don't even try to pull out a scale and toss a copy of the koran on one side and the life of a single human being on the other — the comparison is obscene. do not try to tell me that some people are 'moderates' when they tolerate or even support and applaud war and death and murder for any cause, whether it is oil, or getting even, or defending the honor of wood pulp and ink.
the bone is bleached white. the flesh is burnt black. the blood splashes scarlet. you can't render it in grays and pastels without losing sight of the truth.
i'm an extremist in this debate, i will freely confess. i hold an absolute view that no killing is ever justified, that individuals have the necessity to defend themselves against assailants, but that even that does not grant moral approval to snuffing out the life of another. don't even try to pull out a scale and toss a copy of the koran on one side and the life of a single human being on the other — the comparison is obscene. do not try to tell me that some people are 'moderates' when they tolerate or even support and applaud war and death and murder for any cause, whether it is oil, or getting even, or defending the honor of wood pulp and ink.
the bone is bleached white. the flesh is burnt black. the blood splashes scarlet. you can't render it in grays and pastels without losing sight of the truth.
the world and the universe through the eyes of non-believers
what we believe
music and lyrics by colony 5 - future:
tragedies and suffering
i hear them scream
screaming for help
the prophets preach
the end of the world
only fools believe their words
we want to love
we want to breathe
we want to be
rebuild the world
with the knowledge
we retrieve
we want to feel
we want to live
we want to see
seek the wisdom
from the future
and believe
no truth without evidence
it's easy to lie
who can seek the answers
who can see through the sky
such a great temptation
who can carry such a quest
and gain that information
we don't need no god
we don't need no god no more
we don't need a tyrant
we want to love
we want to breathe
we want to be
rebuild the world
with the knowledge
we retrieve
we want to feel
we want to live
we want to see
seek the wisdom
from the future
and believe
music and lyrics by colony 5 - future:
tragedies and suffering
i hear them scream
screaming for help
the prophets preach
the end of the world
only fools believe their words
we want to love
we want to breathe
we want to be
rebuild the world
with the knowledge
we retrieve
we want to feel
we want to live
we want to see
seek the wisdom
from the future
and believe
no truth without evidence
it's easy to lie
who can seek the answers
who can see through the sky
such a great temptation
who can carry such a quest
and gain that information
we don't need no god
we don't need no god no more
we don't need a tyrant
we want to love
we want to breathe
we want to be
rebuild the world
with the knowledge
we retrieve
we want to feel
we want to live
we want to see
seek the wisdom
from the future
and believe
what you are not allowed NOT to say anymore
says pz myers:
'sorry, fellow atheists, but if you thought you could just get away with sitting quietly and not making a noise, you're doomed. the situation is worse than simply some silly believers flying into a snit because horribly militant, aggressive, obnoxious atheists put up signs that say something offensive and vile, like "you can be good without god" — you thought if you just avoided confronting people with such criminal sentiments, you'd escape their notice and condemnation.
but soon, they'll be coming for you if you are insufficiently fervent in cheerleading for god.'
please read on...
'sorry, fellow atheists, but if you thought you could just get away with sitting quietly and not making a noise, you're doomed. the situation is worse than simply some silly believers flying into a snit because horribly militant, aggressive, obnoxious atheists put up signs that say something offensive and vile, like "you can be good without god" — you thought if you just avoided confronting people with such criminal sentiments, you'd escape their notice and condemnation.
but soon, they'll be coming for you if you are insufficiently fervent in cheerleading for god.'
please read on...
arsenophiles: life as we did not know it
well, well, well... i read and posted a link about this path to discovery in june in a shadow biosphere: life as we don't know it, about how 'dr wolfe-simon has theorised that there may be life that chose an “evolutionary pathway” to utilise arsenic'.
and here it is, at NASA:
GFAJ-1
click image to source
'dec. 2, 2010: NASA-supported researchers have discovered the first known microorganism on earth able to thrive and reproduce using the toxic chemical arsenic. the microorganism, which lives in california's mono lake, substitutes arsenic for phosphorus in the backbone of its DNA and other cellular components.
"the definition of life has just expanded," said ed weiler, NASA's associate administrator for the science mission directorate at the agency's headquarters in washington. "as we pursue our efforts to seek signs of life in the solar system, we have to think more broadly, more diversely and consider life as we do not know it."
this finding of an alternative biochemistry makeup will alter biology textbooks and expand the scope of the search for life beyond earth. the research is published in this week's edition of science express.'
-------------
carl, how i wish you were here with us today:
'when you look more generally at life on earth, you find that it is all the same kind of life. there are not many different kinds; there's only one kind.'
and
'this then raises interesting questions about whether we have any idea of the possible range of life, of what could be elsewhere.'
- carl sagan, 'the varieties of scientific experience'
along the same lines of research, a shadow biosphere.
EDIT: and here'sthe wet blanket pz myers.
and here it is, at NASA:
GFAJ-1
click image to source
'dec. 2, 2010: NASA-supported researchers have discovered the first known microorganism on earth able to thrive and reproduce using the toxic chemical arsenic. the microorganism, which lives in california's mono lake, substitutes arsenic for phosphorus in the backbone of its DNA and other cellular components.
"the definition of life has just expanded," said ed weiler, NASA's associate administrator for the science mission directorate at the agency's headquarters in washington. "as we pursue our efforts to seek signs of life in the solar system, we have to think more broadly, more diversely and consider life as we do not know it."
this finding of an alternative biochemistry makeup will alter biology textbooks and expand the scope of the search for life beyond earth. the research is published in this week's edition of science express.'
-------------
carl, how i wish you were here with us today:
'when you look more generally at life on earth, you find that it is all the same kind of life. there are not many different kinds; there's only one kind.'
and
'this then raises interesting questions about whether we have any idea of the possible range of life, of what could be elsewhere.'
- carl sagan, 'the varieties of scientific experience'
along the same lines of research, a shadow biosphere.
EDIT: and here's
pz myers on patriotism
this is by no means an american issue, as i see it in greece as well, where there is, unfortunately, no separation of church and state, where one often hears the motto, πατρίς θρησκεία οικογένεια, translating to country, religion, family.
here's pz:
'i usually complain about religion here, but today i have to add another target: patriotism. it's the same thing, opening a door to unthinking authoritarianism, and it always leads to oppression. quite contrary to the claims of fanatical christians, the heart of a thriving democracy has to be constant questioning of the operation of the government — to marry religion to our government is antithetical to its founding principles, and even to regard those founding principles as inviolate and somehow imbued with godly authority is a betrayal.
when i was growing up in the 60s and 70s, there was a common slogan thrown around by defenders of the status quo: "my country, right or wrong." even at my young age, that always seemed insane: if my country is wrong, shouldn't i want to change it?
question religion. but also question your government. it wasn't founded by gods.'
read the entire piece here.
©2010 toomanytribbles
here's pz:
'i usually complain about religion here, but today i have to add another target: patriotism. it's the same thing, opening a door to unthinking authoritarianism, and it always leads to oppression. quite contrary to the claims of fanatical christians, the heart of a thriving democracy has to be constant questioning of the operation of the government — to marry religion to our government is antithetical to its founding principles, and even to regard those founding principles as inviolate and somehow imbued with godly authority is a betrayal.
when i was growing up in the 60s and 70s, there was a common slogan thrown around by defenders of the status quo: "my country, right or wrong." even at my young age, that always seemed insane: if my country is wrong, shouldn't i want to change it?
question religion. but also question your government. it wasn't founded by gods.'
read the entire piece here.
©2010 toomanytribbles
silly
pz myer's holiday post ends thusly:
'...this is how you should think about the holiday today. selfless sacrifice for the greater good is a social virtue, and it's nice that christianity has imbedded the idea in its heart. but what's revolting is that they've taken this simple idea and spindled it up into a sick, twisted, confusing botch of a story that guts it of its power if you use your brain and think about it. is a holiday for the mindless, with a grim horror at its center.'
it's a good one.
'...this is how you should think about the holiday today. selfless sacrifice for the greater good is a social virtue, and it's nice that christianity has imbedded the idea in its heart. but what's revolting is that they've taken this simple idea and spindled it up into a sick, twisted, confusing botch of a story that guts it of its power if you use your brain and think about it. is a holiday for the mindless, with a grim horror at its center.'
it's a good one.
creed
like it? click it!
"
i believe in time,
matter, and energy,
which make up the whole of the world.
i believe in reason, evidence and the human mind,
the only tools we have;
they are the product of natural forces
in a majestic but impersonal universe,
grander and richer than we can imagine,
a source of endless opportunities for discovery.
i believe in the power of doubt;
i do not seek out reassurances,
but embrace the question,
and strive to challenge my own beliefs.
i accept human mortality.
we have but one life,
brief and full of struggle,
leavened with love and community,
learning and exploration,
beauty and the creation of
new life, new art, and new ideas.
i rejoice in this life that i have,
and in the grandeur of a world that preceded me,
and an earth that will abide without me.
"
- pz myers
have a wonderful weekend.
the poetry of reality
yay! another wonderful video from melody sheep and the symphony of science!
lyrics:
[michael shermer]
science is the best tool ever devised
for understanding how the world works
[jacob bronowski]
science is a very human form of knowledge
we are always at the brink of the known
[carl sagan]
science is a collaborative enterprise
spanning the generations
we remember those who prepared the way
seeing for them also
[neil degrasse tyson]
if you're scientifically literate,
the world looks very different to you
and that understanding empowers you
refrain:
[richard dawkins]
there's real poetry in the real world
science is the poetry of reality
[sagan]
we can do science
and with it, we can improve our lives
[jill tarter]
the story of humans is the story of ideas
that shine light into dark corners
[lawrence krauss]
scientists love mysteries
they love not knowing
[richard feynman]
i don't feel frightened by not knowing things
i think it's much more interesting
[brian greene]
there's a larger universal reality
of which we are all apart
[stephen hawking]
the further we probe into the universe
the more remarkable are the discoveries we make
[carolyn porco]
the quest for the truth, in and of itself,
is a story that's filled with insights
(refrain)
[greene]
from our lonely point in the cosmos
we have through the power of thought
been able to peer back to a brief moment
after the beginning of the universe
[pz meyers]
i think that science changes the way your mind works
to think a little more deeply about things
[dawkins]
science replaces private predjudice
with publicly verifiable evidence
(refrain)
lyrics:
[michael shermer]
science is the best tool ever devised
for understanding how the world works
[jacob bronowski]
science is a very human form of knowledge
we are always at the brink of the known
[carl sagan]
science is a collaborative enterprise
spanning the generations
we remember those who prepared the way
seeing for them also
[neil degrasse tyson]
if you're scientifically literate,
the world looks very different to you
and that understanding empowers you
refrain:
[richard dawkins]
there's real poetry in the real world
science is the poetry of reality
[sagan]
we can do science
and with it, we can improve our lives
[jill tarter]
the story of humans is the story of ideas
that shine light into dark corners
[lawrence krauss]
scientists love mysteries
they love not knowing
[richard feynman]
i don't feel frightened by not knowing things
i think it's much more interesting
[brian greene]
there's a larger universal reality
of which we are all apart
[stephen hawking]
the further we probe into the universe
the more remarkable are the discoveries we make
[carolyn porco]
the quest for the truth, in and of itself,
is a story that's filled with insights
(refrain)
[greene]
from our lonely point in the cosmos
we have through the power of thought
been able to peer back to a brief moment
after the beginning of the universe
[pz meyers]
i think that science changes the way your mind works
to think a little more deeply about things
[dawkins]
science replaces private predjudice
with publicly verifiable evidence
(refrain)
pz myers: we need to call ourselves atheists
from the video description:
'pz myers shares his views and experiences as an advocate of atheism. pz states that it is important to actively engage in civil discourse with those who fundamentally disagree with you. (Includes input from sam harris).'
if you don't know pz myers, you're living under a rock.
find out about him at his most-famous and my much-loved blog, pharyngula.
the theory of chimpanzee mind
people are preparing to bury dorothy the chimpanzee while her friends are gathered behind the fence.
click pic to source
pz myers wonders what they're thinking, and so do i.
click pic to source
pz myers wonders what they're thinking, and so do i.
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