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The “meta” itch
by Massimo PigliucciI used to have the “meta” itch, but I learned to live with it and stop scratching it. It only irritates anyway, without doing much good work. Let me explain. If you are a regular...
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What virtues, and why?
by Massimo PigliucciHere comes another post on ethics! This one is, I must admit, somewhat meta-ethical, despite my recent post about the limited value of meta-ethical discussions when it comes to...
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Massimo's Picks!
* Three new books about humans as social animals. Apparently, none of them too good. * The complexities of the relationship between immigration and cultural identity (of both the immigrants and the...
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The sciphi of gay adoption
by Massimo PigliucciGay marriage is rapidly becoming less and less controversial, at least in the Western world. Yes, the battle hasn’t been won just yet, both in Europe and in the US, but we are...
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Rationally Speaking cartoon: Sam Harris
This is in response to the latest Sam Harris, ahem, I don't even know what to call it, at this point... At any rate, I figured it wasn't really worth 2000 words. (Though, come to think of it, since a...
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Is information physical? And what does that mean?
by Massimo PigliucciI’ve been reading for a while now Jim Baggott’s Farewell to Reality: How Modern Physics Has Betrayed the Search for Scientific Truth, a fascinating tour through cutting edge...
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Sean Carroll, Edge, and falsifiability
by Massimo PigliucciCosmologist Sean Carroll is one of many who have recently answered the annual question posed by Edge.org, which this year was: What scientific idea is ready for retirement? Sean,...
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On the New Atheism & Philosophy
by Steve NeumannThere is an ongoing battle between some of the New Atheists and, well, I’m not sure what to call the rest of us; but the main point of contention has been that the New Atheists — most...
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On Coyne, Harris, and PZ (with thanks to Dennett)
by Massimo PigliucciOh dear, I pissed off the big shots among the New Atheists — again. If you are on Twitter or happen to have checked a couple of prominent NA blogs recently, you will have noticed a...
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Massimo's suggested readings for the weekend
* The fascinating mess that is contemporary fundamental physics. * Are we close to an awful Gattaca-type scenario for the future of humanity? * How to pick among experts who disagree. * CBT beats the...
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Rationally Speaking podcast: Max Tegmark and the Mathematical Universe...
Those among us who loathed high school calculus might feel some trepidation at the premise in this week's episode of Rationally Speaking. MIT Physicist Max Tegmark joins us to talk about his book "Our...
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Is Alvin Plantinga for real? Alas, it appears so
by Massimo PigliucciI keep hearing that Notre Dame philosopher and theologian Alvin Plantinga is a really smart guy, capable of powerfully subtle arguments about theism and Christianity. But every time...
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The missing shade of blue
by Massimo PigliucciThis semester I’m teaching a graduate level course on “Hume Then and Now,” which aims at exploring some of the original writings by David Hume, particularly the Enquiry Concerning...
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Massimo's weekend picks!
* The war on reason, by Paul Bloom - a piece that tries to put all the science-based skepticism about humans as reasoning creatures into a, ahem, reasonable perspective. * Regret is the perfect...
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Rationally Speaking podcast: Zach Weinersmith on His "SMBC" Webcomic
This episode features special guest Zach Weinersmith, author of "Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal," a popular webcomic about philosophy and science. Zach clarifies his position in the ongoing...
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(Psychological) Gravity’s a Bitch: On Addiction and Phillip Seymour Hoffman
by Steve NeumannYou are a comet. You were formed by material and processes in the deeps of time, hurled from your home star system out into the wider universe. You’re able to travel for long stretches...
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Massimo's weekend picks!
* Facebook now allows users to pick among 50 genders! (But why do users need to pick any??) * Very good reasons why atheists should not call religious people "mentally ill." * A...
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What does it mean for something to be metaphysically necessary?
by Massimo PigliucciAs I mentioned before, this semester I’m teaching a graduate level seminar on David Hume, and having lots of fun with it. During a recent discussion of sections 4 and 5 of the...
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Massimo's weekend picks!
* The difference between academic freedom and academic justice. (Hint: the former is far preferable...) * The philosophy of "Her" (the movie). * The mindfulness racket. * Louise Anthony talks to Gary...
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Rationally Speaking podcast: Neil deGrasse Tyson on Why He Doesn't Call...
Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson returns for this episode of Rationally Speaking, with a particular question to discuss: Should he call himself an atheist? The impetus is a recent dust-up over...
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This Isn’t the Free Will You’re Looking For
by Steve NeumannIn Star Wars: A New Hope, Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi are traveling into the most “wretched hive of scum and villainy” that is the city of Mos Eisley in order to find a smuggler...
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David Silverman and the scope of atheism
by Massimo PigliucciYou may have heard of the latest tempest in a teapot to hit the often tumultuous waters of modern atheism, this one surrounding American Atheists’ President David Silverman.Before...
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David Silverman and the scope of atheism — Postscript
by Massimo PigliucciPredictably, my recent post on some remarks made by American Atheists President David Silverman has generated a firestorm on blogs and twitter, even though I thought the opinions...
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So long, and thanks for all the fish
by Massimo PigliucciOr, as the title of the last Star Trek: The Next Generation episode wistfully announced: “All good things…”This is the last Rationally Speaking post, folks! It has been a long and...
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