Criticism Is Critical

Please criticize my ideas, so that I might have better ideas, and I promise to criticize your’s.

Backwards Thinking

Neil Carter dismantles the fine tuning argument for intelegent design so succinctly. He even cites Douglas Adams’ intelligent puddle parable, which was the straw that broke the camel’s back for me, as it so clearly illustrates the backwards thinking I was stuck in for most of my adolescence and young adult life.

Hearing him speak to this point was like hearing my favorite song at the concert, only to find the band is playing every song from my favorite album from start to finish. I think this was the best thing I read all year.

Bill Nye Undeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creation

Pre orders of Bill Nye’s new book¹ dropped last night. I made it to chapter 5 before I forced myself to put it down and go to sleep.

I seem to have a thing for books on evolution. I’ve read quite a few. I also know quite a few people who don’t accept evolution, and I’ve been yearning for a book I could recommend that is easy-to-understand and written by someone a little less harsh on religion than the experts tend to be.

So far, Bill Nye is very harsh on the bad ideas of young earth creationism, but frequently makes it clear that he does deeply care for the people (especially children) who take these bad ideas seriously. He takes multiple opportunities to remind us that many deeply religious people do accept evolution.

People do take offense when you harshly criticize their deeply held beliefs. However, denying the single unifying tenant of biology and the vast amounts of supporting evidence from every scientific field of study based on dogma is pretty brazen. Harsh criticism is certainly warranted. This could be the book.

1. Links in the body of this post are Amazon affilliate links. Proceeds made from purchases made by following them will help support this website. â†©

Freedom

Reddit user NoSkyGuy on why US freedom is not quite up to par with other free countries.

American’s [sic] often confuse their practice of religion and freedom to own guns as real freedom. Neither has anything to do with freedom; participating in a country that as [sic] an active press (the US doesn’t) with a functioning democracy (because of money the US doesn’t), with a [sic] educated populous who can debate issues properly (the US doesn’t due to media control and a 3rd rate education system), with health care for all (this is getting repetitive), so that people are fit to work and participate in society, with safe streets (naw), etc. you start to have freedom. I wish America would stop believing its propaganda and get to work.

I think I loved this comment more than the post itself. Bummer about the grammar, though.

Richard Wade zings the pope on an epic scale

Francis, it was not the bones of 800 dogs and cats that were discovered dumped into a septic tank at an Irish Catholic home for unwed mothers.

Your empire’s record of the value of children as people worthy of compassion and respect has no credibility at all, so in regards to children, your opinion on how and why life should be lived has no credibility at all.

Damn.

Critical Thought Gem

I liked this little gem from Hemant Mehta regarding Montana’s leading Senate candidate, Steve Daines’ support of teaching the “controversy.”

There’s no critical thinking involved when your only options are “All the evidence points here” and “POOF! JESUS IS MAGIC!”

Mike Huckabee Beats Around The Westboro Baptist Bush

Zinnia Jones compares Mike Huckabee’s response to Friday’s tragedy to that of the Westboro Baptist Church. As usual, she makes a compelling case.