Database Application Specialist, Independent Scholar, Student of Language
O’Reilly hosted Richard Dawkins, who’s on a book tour promoting a science primer called “The Magic of Reality.” All the nearby bookstores have closed down, so I haven’t seen the book yet, but I’m aware that each chapter apparently opens … Continue reading →
O’Reilly, in the process of hawking his new book, Killing Lincoln, set up a facile straw man argument about current US politics. On one side are Americans who believe we need radical change in this country, that we are not … Continue reading →
Shelby Steele’s recent article on American Exceptionalism snared me into a long thread on Facebook that wandered off to an entirely different point about religiosity and creationism. It’s probably my fault. The link is here, though I can’t be sure … Continue reading →
Bill Keller, managing editor of the New York Times, took a stand for sanity in an article concerning the importance of asking the current crop of GOP presidential candidates about their professed faith. I do want to know if a … Continue reading →
Reading about the retirement of Steve Jobs as CEO of Apple, I learned that he gained a great deal of inspiration and insight from a physicist named Carver Mead. I’m sorry to say I had never heard of Mead before … Continue reading →
Indulging my curiosity about the question “Why didn’t the democrats pass a budget in 2010,” I came across this wide-ranging Bill O’Reilly interview of Charles Rangel at Mediaite. O’Reilly further secures his scientific bona fides with the line “God controls … Continue reading →
In response to a request by TheTakeAway.org soliciting ideas to fix the economy, I wrote this… Before we can make an intelligent decision as a civic-minded online public, we need better mechanisms for deliberation and debate. Assigning an editor to … Continue reading →
Laura Ingraham, substituting for Bill O’Reilly, opened her “Back of the Book” segment with this… Two deadly terror attacks in Norway, in what appears to be once again the work of Muslim extremists… In the meantime, in New York City, … Continue reading →
This exchange between O’Reilly and Glen Beck indicates their self awareness of how their pursuit of ratings takes priority over journalistic and analytical conventions. The key part of the exchange starts around 3:40. It’s worth noting the O’Reilly made a … Continue reading →
Thoughtful and cogent stuff from Scott Atran, as usual. (At Huffington Post) I wonder what he has to say about William James’ reflections on the “Moral Equivalent of War.” As I recall, the upshot of that famous article gets at … Continue reading →