HASSNERS Humanist Atheist Scientific Secularist Naturalistic Ethical Rationalist Sceptics

God vs. Science - A debate between Richard Dawkins and Francis Collins

2009-07-12T09:33:00.002+01:00

source: http://richarddawkins.net/article,4047,n,nHASSNERS.org highlightsHASSNERS.org comments: This article is dedicated to the enchanting young Christian women who asked me, at Winton Carnival 2009, whether I had read Francis Collins book (The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief) in which Collins argues that science can be compatible with religion.Dawkins describes how the

This much I know - AC Grayling, philosopher, 60, London

2009-07-08T22:52:00.000+01:00

source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/jul/05/a-c-grayling-this-much-i-know via http://richarddawkins.net/article,4017,n,n HASSNERS.org highlightsHASSNERS.org comments AC Grayling; Interview by Tim Adams The Observer, Sunday 5 July 2009 Article history Philosopher AC Grayling photographed in London, June 2009. Photograph: Karen RobinsonA human lifespan is less than a thousand

Simon Singh campaign gathers support

2009-07-03T16:27:00.004+01:00

Atheist / Theist Bus

2009-07-03T15:48:00.000+01:00

The Baloney Detection Kit (or Scientific Method Made Simple!)

2009-07-02T23:47:00.005+01:00

As Carl Sagan said "There is a lot of baloney out there". What is the Baloney Detection Kit? It's the scientific method.. or just science!Credit to Carl Sagan who originally developed the Baloney Detection Kit in his book 'The Demon Haunted World". Over 300 comments on RichardDawkins.netDownload Quicktime version: Small (640x360, 122.4 MB)Download Quicktime version: Large (1280x720, 342.9 MB)

Atheist nations are more peaceful

2009-07-02T07:06:00.004+01:00

pdf of Global Peace Index Map (lists all countries).source: http://bhascience.blogspot.com/2009/06/atheist-nations-are-more-peaceful.htmlHASSNERS.org highlightsHASSNERS.org commentsLeave your comments here: (today I counted 119) at Tom Rees blog Epiphenom. Tom says...'The 2009 Global Peace Index has just been released. It's basically a ranking of how turbulent and warlike a country is.They put it

Are faith in God and science contradictory?

2009-07-01T07:07:00.002+01:00

source: http://richarddawkins.net/article,4011,n,nHASSNERS.org highlightsHASSNERS.org commentsUnbelievable? PZ Myers and Denis Alexander on Faith and SciencePremier.org.uk Audio requires QuickTime Player 7. Download the free player here.:This file is available for download here.Ctrl-Click and 'Download Linked File' (Mac)or Rt-Click and 'Save Target As' (PC) the link above.http://scienceblogs.com/

Camp Quest - Update by Richard Dawkins

2009-06-29T07:57:00.001+01:00

UPDATE: Response from Richard Dawkins:The EditorThe Sunday TimesLondonSirThe duplicity of Lois Rogers' title, "Dawkins Sets up Kids' Camp to Groom Atheists" (Sunday Times, June 28th), is exceeded only by its Jesuitical opening line, "Give Richard Dawkins a child for a week's summer camp and he will try to give you an atheist for life." I had nothing to do with the setting up of Camp Quest, and it

What happened before the big bang? What is north of the North Pole? The questions are meaningless!

2009-06-28T11:37:00.004+01:00

source:HASSNERS.org highlightsHASSNERS.org commentsAt yesterdays Dorset Humanists stand at Winton Carnival I was asked 'What came before the big bang?' God? I said that science did not know what came before the big bang - but science was working on it! If God created the Big Bang, what came before God? Who created God?What I should have said is that that question 'What came before the big bang?'

Talks Dan Ariely on our buggy moral code

2009-06-28T06:14:00.000+01:00

source: http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_ariely_on_our_buggy_moral_code.html HASSNERS.org highlightsHASSNERS.org comments Behavioral economist Dan Ariely studies the bugs in our moral code: the hidden reasons we think it's OK to cheat or steal (sometimes). Clever studies help make his point that we're predictably irrational -- and can be influenced in ways we can't grasp. This work by

Doctors want right to talk faith

2009-06-28T05:12:00.000+01:00

source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8116497.stm HASSNERS.org highlightsHASSNERS.org comments By Nick Triggle Health reporter, BBC News Doctors are worried that religion is being seen as unhelpful Doctors are demanding that NHS staff be given a right to discuss spiritual issues with patients as well as being allowed to offer to pray for them.Medics will tell the British Medical

Caveman Logic: The Persistence of Primitive Thinking in a Modern World by Prof. Hank Davis

2009-06-28T04:45:00.000+01:00

You here it all around you. Even from committed Atheists. On hearing about the death of Michael Jackson my wife repeated 'Oh my God!' several times in a couple of sentances. She was not even aware of doing so when I questioned her about her language after.University of Guelph evolutionary psychologist Hank Davis: "I would be more optimistic about our species' chances for survival if

'Witch hunt' forces chiropractors to remove websites by Prof. Chris French

2009-06-27T09:06:00.000+01:00

source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/jun/19/chiropractic-bca-mca-singh HASSNERS.org highlightsHASSNERS.org comments 'Witch hunt' forces chiropractors to remove websites | Chris FrenchChris FrenchJun 20, 2009 09:58:21 GMT ShareA chiropractic association has strongly advised its members to remove websites and withdraw patient leaflets or risk prosecutionOn 10 June a revealing letter from

Talks Seth Godin on the tribes we lead

2009-06-24T22:58:00.000+01:00

source: http://www.ted.com/talks/seth_godin_on_the_tribes_we_lead.html HASSNERS.org highlightsHASSNERS.org comments Seth Godin argues the Internet has ended mass marketing and revived a human social unit from the distant past: tribes. Founded on shared ideas and values, tribes give ordinary people the power to lead and make big change. He urges us to do so. This work by crabsallover is

How the Moonies worldview is a memetic virus

2009-06-24T22:18:00.000+01:00

Dedicated to my friend Steve Hale who became a Moonie over 30 years ago. Diane Benscoter spent five years as a "Moonie." She shares an insider's perspective on the mind of a cult member, and proposes a new way to think about today's most troubling conflicts and extremist movements.

TAKE ACTION before 24 July 2009! Teach Evolution in Primary School!

2009-06-22T21:39:00.002+01:00

source: British Humanist Association e-bulletin, 22 June 2009What is the issue?In January 2008 the Government commissioned a review looking at both the organisation and content of the National Curriculum taught in primary schools in England. The review was lead by Sir Jim Rose. His final report was published on 30 April 2009.The changes that have been proposed by the Rose Review have now been put

Norway - the most Atheist country in the world

2009-06-20T05:56:00.001+01:00

source: http://richarddawkins.net/article,3967,n,nHASSNERS.org highlightsHASSNERS.org commentsNorwegians go to hell?by russellsteapot.comThanks to Jane for the link.http://russellsteapot.com/images/comics/2007/Image089.jpg This work by crabsallover is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales License.

Magic & Cognitive Bias

2009-06-18T10:50:00.000+01:00

source: http://richarddawkins.net/article,3954,n,n HASSNERS.org highlightsHASSNERS.org comments wo related articlesby Daniel Finkelstein - The Times OnlineThanks to Oliver for the links. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/daniel_finkelstein/article6028030.ece Thoughts for the week: the magic of Paul Daniels Am I dumb, or just a sucker for magic? Science has come up with an

Are the 'New Atheists' avoiding the 'real arguments'?

2009-06-16T07:13:00.002+01:00

source: http://richarddawkins.net/article,1816,Are-the-New-Atheists-avoiding-the-real-arguments,Edmund-Standing-ButterfliesAndWheelscom via Stephen LawHASSNERS.org highlightsHASSNERS.org comments: I am reminded of what AC Grayling said at the Darwin, Humanism & Science 6 June 2009 conference: 'that the story of Christianity could be told in 10 minutes.' Here Edmund Standing does that job here:

First Twitter experiment probes belief in the paranormal

2009-06-16T06:07:00.001+01:00

source: Magazine issue 2712.HASSNERS.org highlightsHASSNERS.org commentsTHE US government has spent millions of dollars trying to find out if "psychic spies" could identify a distant location with mind power alone. Now one psychologist has used nothing more than an iPhone and the social messaging service Twitter to test the idea. The results fail to show any support for the paranormal.Richard

THE EVIL GOD CHALLENGE by Stephen Law

2009-06-12T09:13:00.000+01:00

source: http://lawpapers.blogspot.com/2009/06/evil-god-challenge-forthcoming-in.html HASSNERS.org highlightsHASSNERS.org comments FRIDAY, 5 JUNE 2009THE EVIL GOD CHALLENGE - forthcoming in Religious StudiesTHE EVIL GOD CHALLENGE Stephen Law NB Note COPYRIGHT RESTS WITH CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS. This is forthcoming in Religious Studies. Abstract This paper develops a challenge to theism.

HASSNERS - I Think logo

2009-06-11T15:09:00.002+01:00

source: Darwin Transmuation Notebook 1837HASSNERS.org highlightsHASSNERS.org New logoThe notebooks reveal in detail Darwin's research and gradual illumination of the species question- where do new species come from? The famous sketch is from Notebook B and depicts the branching system of descent with modification which Darwin realized could explain the relationship between different species in

Support Simon Singh by Richard Dawkins

2009-06-04T22:15:00.006+01:00

source: http://www.senseaboutscience.org.uk/index.php/site/project/333/ via http://richarddawkins.net/article,3925,n,nHASSNERS.org highlightsHASSNERS.org comments: Sign the statement of support http://www.senseaboutscience.org.uk/index.php/site/about/326by Simon Singh - BCA v Singh The Story So Far, 3 June 2009.Follow Jack of Kent’s blogBar chart showing a Comparative Study of Costs in Defamation

Thousands raped in Ireland's Christian Brothers schools

2009-06-03T01:13:00.004+01:00

source: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/thousands-raped-in-irelands-christian-brothers-schools-14308329.html via Sandrey D who also recommends The Power and the Glory: Inside the Dark Heart of John Paul II's Vatican (Paperback) by David A. Yallop (Author) & Brothers denied abuse days before report & Wikipedia: - They are sometimes confused with the Brothers of the Christian

Royal Society Book Prize

2009-06-02T01:26:00.002+01:00

source: http://royalsociety.org/bookspage.asp?id=8563 via http://richarddawkins.net/article,3911,n,nHASSNERS.org highlightsHASSNERS.org comments2009 PrizeThe 2009 Royal Society Prize for Science Books celebrate the best of 2008's new popular science writing for a general (adult) readership. The winner will be awarded £10,000. The authors of each shortlisted book will receive £1000.The Royal