Bertrand Russell, in his 1918 Mysticism and Logic and Other Essays (a free eBook), noted that a person who is inclined to believe in mysticism becomes favorable to any arguments supporting such beliefs: When the intensity of [mystic] emotional conviction subsides, a man who is in the habit of reasoning will search for logical grounds… Continue reading On Bias and Hyperbole
Category: Skepticism
A Scientific Basis for New Age Bullshit
If you’ve spent any time around New Agers, you’ve probably heard something like: You get more of whatever you think about. Bullshit, right? We have no problem taking credit for all the good in our lives (my job, my house… my hard work!); we are less inclined to consider any causal relationship between our thoughts… Continue reading A Scientific Basis for New Age Bullshit
Stars Have No Minds?
An article by Matthew Francis over at Ars Techica contains one idea so seemingly self-evident as to be boringly uncontroversial: “stars have no minds”. … Science has given us scientific method, a terrific protocol to ferret out fact from fiction when describing our physical universe. Problems arise, however, when scientists throw around statements that scientific… Continue reading Stars Have No Minds?
Carl Sagan vs. Skepticism
A great quote by Carl Sagan: “Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.” Works for God, UFOs, ghosts, etc. Seems ironic because skeptics are fans of him, yet by taking this quote to heart, skeptics would have to give up their posture that they think they know.
Blasphemy vs Heresy
Terry Jones: “Blasphemy is the undermining of a spiritual belief system. Heresy is the undermining of the bureaucracy that has grown around a spiritual belief system.”