Now on ScienceBlogs: The Galaxy's Biggest Valentine
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. Mostly regarding climate change, though.
James Hrynyshyn is a freelance science journalist and communications consultant 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.
"There is no need to sally forth, for it remains true that those things
which make us human are, curiously enough, always close at hand.
Resolve, then, that on this very ground, with small flags waving, and
tiny blasts of tinny trumpets, we have met the enemy, and not only may
he be ours, he may be us."
--Walt Kelly
November 30, 2009
Category: climate
Maybe I've just been at this too long. But it seems that the ratio between banal observations and helpful analyses of the climate crisis is much larger than usual. I mean, I was offline for five days over Thanksgiving and...
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 10:40 AM • 11 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 25, 2009
Category: climate
So, is "glacial pace" a useful metaphor anymore?
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 7:52 AM • 56 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 24, 2009
Category: evolution
While Darwin's contribution to knowledge was extraordinary, it is important to remember that he was just a human being. We are all capable of greatness, and that's a wonderful message to impart to the next generation.
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 7:35 AM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 23, 2009
Category: climate
Just why tree rings no longer provide useful proxy data for temperatures is not known. There are several theories, many of which suggest that climate change itself is the problem.
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 7:21 AM • 115 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 20, 2009
Category: climate
The hacking of the data is a worthwhile story, insofar as IT security goes, but the content is just plain banal. All we learn is that scientists are humans after all.
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 2:51 PM • 200 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: climate
I promise to get back to substantive blogging shortly, but in the meantime, if you've got three minutes to tear yourself away from coverage of Sarah Palin's book: Scientifically sound? Not the words I would use, but not too far...
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 10:58 AM • 7 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 18, 2009
Category: climate
Too precious not to pass along: Canadian Tourism Federation Welcome Video from Canadian Tourism Federation on Vimeo. In case there's any doubt. There is no "Canadian Tourism Federation."...
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 9:15 AM • 10 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 12, 2009
Category: climate
Even as late as 2100 there's a still a good chance of the odd record low, even while we approach global average temperatures several degrees above pre-industrial norms.
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 10:52 AM • 10 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 10, 2009
Category: climate
In an otherwise typically error-dominated Newsweek column, George F. Will spelled "minuscule" correctly. So I don't want to read any complaints that Will gets everything wrong each time he writes about climate change. Of course, that doesn't mean we can't...
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 9:36 AM • 9 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
November 9, 2009
Category: climate
Hoggan could have titled his book "Lies and the lying liars who tell them" but Al Franken already took that one.
Posted by James Hrynyshyn at 12:22 PM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
casaubon's book 02.13.2012
denialism blog 02.13.2012
respectful insolence 02.13.2012
evolutionblog 02.12.2012
starts with a bang! 02.11.2012
