Scientific Method Evolves
June 17, 2012
The so-called "scientific method" (if there is such a thing) has undergone dramatic changes throughout history, but there is one constant that can be relied upon: the myth of scientism.
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Myth Busters: Flubs in Evolutionary Anthropology
June 10, 2012
Evolutionary psychologists and anthropologists have trouble explaining living humans, let alone past ones.
Stalin's Railroad of Death Unearthed
June 7, 2012
Stalin, who read Darwin in divinity school and turned atheist, became a ruthless dictator whose reign of terror killed multiple millions more than Hitler. One of his evil deeds is being remembered: a railroad project in Siberia that was never completed despite causing the deaths of at least 100,000 people.
How to Make Darwinism Impregnable
June 6, 2012
The way to make a concept impregnable is to use rhetorical devices to render competition out of bounds, and then nationalize the favored view. An AP story demonstrates how this is done with evolution.
Darwinian Indoctrination Still Not Working for Most Americans
June 1, 2012
Almost half the American public still believes God created man recently, despite decades of indoctrination by education and the media.
Climate Change as a Philosophy of Science Case Study
May 30, 2012
Climate Change (what used to be called Global Warming) provides a test case on whether a scientific consensus is reliable or authoritative.
Animal Sin: What Does It Imply?
May 20, 2012
Some animals commit cruel or disgusting acts humans would consider immoral. What does this mean?
Shrink Validity Is Shrinking
May 18, 2012
Should you trust the diagnosis of a psychiatrist? If it helps, individuals are free to choose. Behind the scenes, however, there are severe, deep-seated debates about whether psychiatrists understand disorders, let alone diagnose them properly.
Noah's Ark Claim Not Trustworthy
May 13, 2012
A creationist group in Hong Kong is releasing a dramatic documentary filled with fantastic claims about the discovery of Noah's Ark on Mt. Ararat. Other prominent creationists are warning of fraud and scientific malpractice.
Stem Cells Getting Healthier
May 6, 2012
Over the past decade, stem cells have been a hot news item. Here are some late breaking news stories about them.
Wernher von Braun Remembered
April 20, 2012
Wernher von Braun (1912-1977) would have turned 100 on March 23. His name is almost synonymous with "rocket scientist" to many. Father of the American space program, including the first American satellite, the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs, the moon landings and Skylab, von Braun left an indelible mark on America and the world.
Liberal Bias Detected in Science Media
January 19, 2012
Incredible as it sounds, the science news media seem to have a liberal bias. This is astonishing, considering the vast majority of science professors in academia are Democrats. The following examples illustrate this trend that came to light around 1859.
Chinks in the Scientific Method
December 29, 2011
V & V. That’s shorthand in project design for “validation and verification.” Does the scientific method provide V & V? We are all taught to think that peer review, publication and replication help science to be self-checking, so as to avoid error. Some recent articles show that ain’t necessarily so. It may sound good in theory, but in practice, the ideal doesn’t always match the real.
Philosophy on the Phringe
December 17, 2011
Some philosophy is just common sense. Some is abstruse, recondite, and technically challenging. But when employed against common sense, such as to support the belief that everything came from nothing, philosophy can get downright weird.
Good Science Requires Good Ethics
December 16, 2011
Science is conducted by humans for humans. It is not done in a vacuum. Even the lone researcher working in a basement hopes to make a discovery worth sharing. The need for ethical science shows most clearly when humans experiment on humans – with or without their consent. Two recent articles underscore the indispensability of moral grounds for science, and a third raises questions about the source of morality.