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One man's struggle against impermanence
John Wilkins is an eternal student, who thinks philosophy of biology is at least as interesting as politics or sport and twice as important. He has a PhD from the University of Melbourne and worked at the University of Queensland, in Australia, before taking up a research fellowship at the University of Sydney. After a varied career, involving factories, gardening, civil service, publishing, graphics, public relations but not, unfortunately for the CV, driving a truck, John finally completed his thesis on species concepts in 2004, which he has worked into two books.
This blog is designed evolved to host any random thoughts that happen to be passing through my forebrain at a given moment. So there will be errors...
I also have an Australia-focussed blog: The Drought Resistant Philosopher
The previous instantiation of this blog is accessible here.
July 31, 2007
Category: General Science
Some guy named Chris Mooney got reviewed for his latest book Storm World in the LA Times. You'd think from the reviewer's comments that he did a good job. I've heard the name before... now where? Hmmm.... leave that...
Posted by John S. Wilkins at 8:43 AM • •
Category: Politics
Sorry to bother you all with internal Australian politics, but this has to be discussed. Now the minister for immigration is saying that the Australian Federal Police intercepted a chat room conversation in which Haneef was told to leave...
Posted by John S. Wilkins at 5:28 AM • 21 Comments •
July 30, 2007
Category: Humor
Your results:You are Malcolm Reynolds (Captain) Malcolm Reynolds (Captain) 80% Dr. Simon Tam (Ship Medic) 70% Kaylee Frye (Ship Mechanic) 65% Jayne Cobb (Mercenary) 60% Zoe Washburne (Second-in-command) 55% Derrial Book (Shepherd) 55% River (Stowaway) 50% Wash (Ship Pilot) 40%...
Posted by John S. Wilkins at 10:41 AM • 5 Comments •
Category: Administrative
So the ISHPSSB Conference is done, and here I sit in the University of Exeter Library getting some internetting done for the first time in a week. Great conference. I got to meet Scibling John Lynch and his colleagues...
Posted by John S. Wilkins at 6:49 AM • 3 Comments •
July 27, 2007
Category: Politics
A short note - it looks like Haneef has been cleared of all charges and the political pressure on his arrest and detention has been criticised by civil rights lawyers. Good news, but I really hope further action is...
Posted by John S. Wilkins at 7:31 AM • 13 Comments •
July 25, 2007
Category: Administrative
So, I finally have access to the internet. For the past few days I've been either in London, on planes, trains or in Exeter, where I am now for the ISHPSSB biennial conference of philosophers and historians (and some...
Posted by John S. Wilkins at 11:14 AM • 7 Comments •
July 20, 2007
Category: Politics
In yet further evidence that due process is a bulwark against the arrogance and incompetence, not to say potential police statery, of intelligence agencies, it turns out that the core piece of evidence against Dr Haneef, the Indian doctor...
Posted by John S. Wilkins at 3:08 AM • 11 Comments •
July 19, 2007
Category: Administrative
So I'm off to the Mother Country on Saturday my time. Anyone in London who wants to meet for dinner on Sunday or Monday nights, drop me an email before I fly off......
Posted by John S. Wilkins at 12:59 AM • 28 Comments •
July 18, 2007
Category: Evolution
In recent years it has becoming increasingly obvious that there is a considerable amount of lateral, or cross phylogenetic, transfer of genetic material. In bacteria, this happens by several mechanisms, such as uptake of gene fragments from cells that...
Posted by John S. Wilkins at 10:54 PM • 8 Comments •
Category: Politics
An Indian doctor working in Queensland, where I live, whose cousin was involved in the failed bombing plot in the UK, was detained apparently because he lent his prepaid SIM card to the cousin. He was held without charge...
Posted by John S. Wilkins at 6:06 AM • 12 Comments •
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respectful insolence 02.13.2012
evolutionblog 02.12.2012
starts with a bang! 02.11.2012
