An irregular exploration of the struggle between the power of rational discourse and the scientific method on one hand, and the forces of superstition and dogma on the other.
James Hrynyshyn is a freelance science journalist based in western North Carolina, where he tries to put degrees in marine biology and journalism to good use.
The Demon-Haunted World:
Science as a Candle
in the Dark,
by Carl Sagan
(A
review)
The Doubter's Companion:
by John Ralston Saul (Excerpts)
Skeptic Magazine: www.skeptic.com
Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal: www.csicop.org
A poem by Yehuda Amichai:
The
Place
Where We Are Right
The Meaning of the
Island of Doubt
By doubting we come to inquiry; and through inquiry we perceive truth.
--- Peter Abelard
Undisguised clarity is easily mistaken for arrogance.
-- Richard Dawkins
As for evolution, it happened. Deal with it.
-- Michael Shermer.
July 31, 2007
Category: climate
"I find it almost inconceivable that "business as usual" climate change will not result in a rise in sea level measured in metres within a century. Am I the only scientist who thinks so?" -- James Hansen
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 7:49 AM • 18 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
July 30, 2007
Category: politics
Not so long ago, scientists, engineers and astronauts were heroes. Now they'd fodder for the tabloids.
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 11:24 AM • 8 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
July 27, 2007
Category: pseudo-science
A new study that shows people who say radio waves from cell phone towers are making them sick are exhibiting a purely pyschosomatic reaction won't be the last nail required to seal this particular coffin of pseudo-science. But as a...
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 11:15 AM • 5 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: misc
The Guardian wins the prize for best headline for its coverage of the tipsy astronauts: "Drunk astronauts go from Right Stuff to the hard stuff." While we're on the subject, though, how about this, even less amusing, story: "Three die...
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 11:02 AM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
July 26, 2007
Category: biology
While there may be no really good reason to clone, is a compelling reason to ban the technique?
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 10:14 AM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
July 25, 2007
Category: philosophy
Steven Pinker of The Blank Slate fame, weighs in on the nature and temptation of "dangerous ideas" in the latest must-read for visitors to the Island. Not too surprisingly, he likes them. Among the questions we should not be afraid...
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 1:41 PM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: ecology
Among the most common questions that follow my presentations of Al Gore's climate change slide show is "What about vegetarianism?" I usually respond that eating less meat will probably be a consequence of climate change, due to the enormous water...
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 8:05 AM • 7 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
July 24, 2007
Category: climate
A committee of the North Carolina House has come up with the state's first renewable-energy bill at long last, one that would require electrical utilities to produce 12.5% of their product from renewable sources. Which is a good thing, if...
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 1:09 PM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: climate
"The observed changes, which are larger than estimated from model simulations, may have already had significant effects on ecosystems, agriculture and human health."
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 7:45 AM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
July 23, 2007
Category: misc
Last week, the city council of Brevard, N.C, a community just over a couple of hills from here that's known for its vibrant musical culture, voted to remove the fluoride they've been adding to the public water supply for last...
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 11:26 AM • 8 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
July 22, 2007
Category: religiosity
Just in case you were wondering why so many science bloggers devote so much keystrokes to criticizing religion, the Washington Post's Rob Stein has this convenient reminder of the danger of letting faith inform public policy:...
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 9:58 AM • 5 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
July 20, 2007
Category: religiosity
I have no idea if the staff at ScienceBlogs anticipated just how popular the religion vs. atheism debate would be on these pages, but it would seem we're not the only home of passionate and often thoughtful argument over the...
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 9:58 AM • 2 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
July 19, 2007
Category: ecology
Leading fisheries expert Daniel Pauly likes to say that almost all this so-called "Chilean sea bass" is fenced. But in this case, it looks like the supplier went the extra kilometre.
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 3:04 PM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: climate
Science is not about absolute certainty, it's about best guesses. The challenge for policy-makers is to know when the uncertainty has fallen sufficiently for decisions to be made.
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 9:39 AM • 13 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
July 17, 2007
"These things are fun, and fun is good"
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 11:02 AM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: climate
There's a lot that's not clear about carbon capture and storage. This would be an example of putting a fair bit of faith in an untried technology.
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 7:59 AM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
July 13, 2007
Category: Sci-culture
One question keeps rising out of the ScienceBlogosphere muck: Are PZ "Pharyngula" Myers and his ilk doing more harm than good by relentlessly and mercilessly attacking religion? Rob "Galactic Interactions" Knop apparently has had it up to here with Myers's...
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 12:58 PM • 203 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
July 12, 2007
Category: evolution
The fine folk at DefCon (shorthand for the imprecisely named Campaign to Defend the Constitution) have released a poll showing that intelligent design hasn't made much headway into the evangelic right wing. The polls also suggests that the new Creation...
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 12:57 PM • 9 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: misc
I love music as much as the next guy, just not when I'm actually out in the real world, which offers much more interesting -- and often critical -- sounds. But I had no idea just how dangerous iPods and...
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 8:36 AM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
July 11, 2007
Category: medicine
So Michael Moore the documentarian takes on CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta the medical science guy in the former's first appearance on the network in three years, arguing that the latter committed libel by claiming the filmmaker "fudged the facts" in...
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 12:25 PM • 6 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: politics
"In public health, as in a democracy, there is nothing worse than ignoring science or marginalizing the voice of science for reasons driven by changing political winds." So says former U.S. surgeon general Richard H. Carmona (2002-2006). Worth a read,...
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 8:59 AM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
July 10, 2007
Category: climate
Martin Durkin, the science documentarian responsible for the most irresponsible documentary ever made on global warming, lashes back at his critics (those who understand the science), in an op-ed for The Australian. It is perhaps the most audacious attempt to...
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 3:41 PM • 16 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: medicine
What about the consequences of planting yet another abortive seed of hope in the minds of parents desperate to find a reason for the incredible hardship that is autism?
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 8:00 AM • 35 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
July 9, 2007
Category: superstition
Since July 7, 1007, there have been dozens of days that could have brought at least as good, if not better, fortunes than this past Saturday
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 11:54 AM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: climate
All of which might, just maybe, reduce the average Dave Matthews fan's carbon footprint by 20 percent or so.
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 9:30 AM • 5 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
