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PZ Myers is a biologist and associate professor at the University of Minnesota, Morris.
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More articles by PZ Myers can be found on Freethoughtblogs at the new Pharyngula!
In which a vast body of human phenomena is explained
Category: Humor • Religion
Posted on: October 21, 2009 9:06 AM, by PZ Myers
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Comments
Posted by: The Science Pundit
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October 21, 2009 9:13 AM
Superstition through laziness: makes perfect sense!
Posted by: iasasai
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October 21, 2009 9:22 AM
Yes it does. In fact, it seems a perfect summary for how superstitious thought was arrived at in the first place.
Posted by: sorceror171
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October 21, 2009 9:23 AM
"To surrender to ignorance and call it God has always been premature, and it remains premature today." - Isaac Asimov
Posted by: tom | October 21, 2009 9:24 AM
Apropoos of this, there is a long thread about Ghosts following a "post" by Noted Paranormal Expert Dan Aykroyd on Huffington Post. It is notable for the well educated commenters who nevertheless are telling endless ghost stories and castigating the few skeptics for being closed minded. It is an interesting exercise in almost religion-free superstition. The skeptics need some assistance.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dan-aykroyd/about-ghosts_b_327453.html
Posted by: Zeno
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October 21, 2009 9:25 AM
Supernaturalism is convenient!
Posted by: Nerd of Redhead, OM
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October 21, 2009 9:34 AM
I can fix the guys problem by beseeching my (imaginary) god for only 6 goats, and the cost of a plumber. And since the plumber will fix the problem while the guy is attending the burnt offering, it will seem miraculous...
Posted by: Richard Eis
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October 21, 2009 9:47 AM
Let's not forget that since most people don't know plumbing, they couldn't possibly imagine how a burst water pipe could just happen. But ghosts have been on tv.
Posted by: Carlie of the lacy, gently wafting adjectives
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October 21, 2009 9:49 AM
Let's not forget that since most people don't know plumbing, they couldn't possibly imagine how a burst water pipe could just happen.
IT CAN HAPPEN.
(she says, while waiting at home for the insurance estimator)
Posted by: lordshipmayhem
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October 21, 2009 10:03 AM
It can happen, indeed (sorry to hear of your problem, Carlie).
One British architect who shall remain nameless, trained in India and eventually emigrated to Canada.
One of his first clients in Canada was a little municipal-type airport who wanted a new pilots' lounge.
He designed said pilots' lounge as a separate structure, connected to the main building via an enclosed, uninsulated, unheated walkway, through which ceiling he ran the water piping.
Ponder on that a minute. Uninsulated. Unheated. In Canada. Unlike India, it gets kinda cold in most parts of Canada come November.
The contractor needed about a tenth of a second before opining, vigorously and loudly, that this was an incredibly stupid approach, and only built it after getting in writing the architect's agreement to relieve said contractor of all liability should a certain event happen.
It should have been no surprise to anyone when, during the first cold snap, the water in the pipes froze and burst the pipes, creating a Niagara Falls-style winter wonderland in the pilots' lounge.
Posted by: Richard Eis
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October 21, 2009 10:11 AM
-IT CAN HAPPEN.-
That can't possibly have been coincidence. That YOU just happened to have a burst pipe.
I mean what are the chances that a member of an incredibly large forum has had to deal with a water incident at some time in about the last day or so that needed a plumber...
...or was a plumber doing a job just like this today, or knew a plumber who had once seen a ghost.
or....
oh and commiserations for your floor Carlie :(
Posted by: Glen Davidson
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October 21, 2009 11:00 AM
What's curious is that few would do this with respect to their house, while it's perfectly acceptable as an "answer" to the meaning and purpose of their lives.
To be fair, facing up to existential problems and fixing a life is typically much harder than fixing the plumbing.
And there are certain benefits from religion, like socialization. So as a short-term solution that allows the uncomfortable questions about one's eventual end to be forgotten is readily taken by a good many people.
Glen D
http://tinyurl.com/mxaa3p
Posted by: Carlie of the lacy, gently wafting adjectives
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October 21, 2009 11:03 AM
Thanks for the condolences. :)
It was just a bathroom and hallway, but it will be interesting to navigate how much the insurance will pay for given that after the floor was pulled up it turned out there was some dry rot already in the subfloor, and the hallway hardwood is continuous with the floor in the rest of the house and it might not match right.
I mean what are the chances that a member of an incredibly large forum has had to deal with a water incident at some time in about the last day or so that needed a plumber...
AND right after that, the filler pipe to my gas tank burst as well, so I'm pretty sure now that there's a god of filler hoses and I really pissed him or her off somewhere along the way, because there is no other logical explanation.
Posted by: SEF
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October 21, 2009 11:03 AM
It can even happen more than once! On Monday, I was the one dashing around with buckets to catch water while a plumber worked at fixing the problem - but Carlie's fight against entropy sounds worse. The fail-safe mode on mine didn't lead to insurance being involved.
Posted by: AlgaeGirl
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October 21, 2009 12:12 PM
Slightly OT; but I just found this video posted on Science Friday's Twitter feed. It kinda fits, but is pretty nifty no matter the context
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGK84Poeynk
Posted by: iggy topo | October 21, 2009 1:30 PM
"Tools, effort, time and applied thought..." mentioned in a tired, formulaic comic that repeats the same panel multiple times and always repeats a slight variation on the same joke as the punchline -- oh, the irony!
"Red Meat" is the "Cathy" of alternative weeklies.
Posted by: Fred The Hun | October 21, 2009 2:39 PM
Lordshipmayhem @ 9,
Well that might have been proof enough of existence of Shiva for Francis Collins, right?
Posted by: Lana | October 21, 2009 2:39 PM
I can relate, Carlie. When our youngest went off to college I suggested we move a plumber into his room.
Posted by: Copyleft | October 21, 2009 3:04 PM
"a tired, formulaic comic that repeats the same panel multiple times and always repeats a slight variation on the same joke as the punchline -- oh, the irony!
Red Meat is the 'Cathy' of alternative weeklies."
So, what are your thoughts on Wondermark?
Posted by: nemryn | October 21, 2009 3:48 PM
Fred The Hun @ 16: Given all the ice involved, I assume you meant the Final Fantasy Shiva instead of the Hindu one, right?
Posted by: Random Mutant | October 21, 2009 4:28 PM
"a tired, formulaic comic that repeats the same panel multiple times and always repeats a slight variation on the same joke as the punchline -- oh, the irony!
Red Meat is the 'Cathy' of alternative weeklies."
Try the Red Meat Construction Set then. Definitely NSFW at http://www.monkeydyne.com/rmcs/list.phtml?limit=30&order=comics.score&sort=DESC
Posted by: ButchKitties | October 21, 2009 4:36 PM
I like today's Overcompensating: "You know what's dumb? It's when people say 'let's agree to disagree' when they're talking about *facts*."
http://www.overcompensating.com/
Posted by: DJM | October 21, 2009 6:22 PM
Isn't the Rapture supposed to happen today?
Posted by: Raptureless
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October 21, 2009 8:44 PM
Excellent!
Hits home on a number of Madison's points (but not all of course; hey, it's only a three panel comic): "More or less in all places, pride and indolence in the clergy; ignorance and servility in the laity; in both, superstition, bigotry, and persecution."
DJM @ 22: Don't hold your breath re: today.
Posted by: Charlie Foxtrot
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October 22, 2009 1:22 AM
Oh DAMMIT!
The Rapture was yesterday and I missed it!
(I'm from the future! WoooOOOooOOooo...
well, Australia... dateline... you know...)
For those of you who haven't experienced it yet, I'd like to report that the day after the Rapture was a warm, clear, sunny spring day - I recommend it!
Posted by: Richard Eis
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October 22, 2009 8:00 AM
-Lordshipmayhem @ 9,
creating a Niagara Falls-style winter wonderland in the pilots' lounge.
Well that might have been proof enough of existence of Shiva for Francis Collins, right? -
I thought frozen waterfalls were a sign of Jesus these days