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Tag Archives: global warming
The Values of Science
Aidan has responded to my Nihilism post with another thoughtful comment, which I recommend everyone read. Obviously I read a fair amount, and some pretty good stuff, but this is right up there. If the true quality of a blog were reflected in the quality of the responses I am being truly flattered. (And, of [...]
Posted in topical Also tagged Al Gore, climate science, ethics, General Relativity, philosophy, QED, Quantum Gravitation, Standard Theory, Theory of Everything Leave a comment
Obama and Expectations
I finished the previous post on the rather optimistic thought that Obama’s aspiration to be a president of the United States, to connect with conservatives as well as liberals, is what the times call for. This is worth looking at more closely.
Firstly, there is this from Yglesias on that prize.
But in semi-defense of the Nobel [...]
Posted in topical Also tagged ethics, idealism, Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Obama, philosophy, politics, rationalism, realism, Tibetan autonomy Leave a comment
The Growth Illusion
Although I have gone to some effort to try and get folks to address the wider picture of the Levitt & Dubner attack on efforts to curb carbon emissions, I have only just received the first comment on it or any of the follow-up posts. Thanks to NelC for engaging–it is supposed to be the [...]
Posted in topical Also tagged climate change, conservatism, Enlightenment, ethics, liberalism, Marilynne Robinson, Michael Sandel, modernity, philosophy, rationalism, religion, Romanticism, Rousseau, Rowan Williams, secularism, virtue ethics 2 Comments
A Note to Concerned Bloggers
[I am emailing this around to various bloggers who took part in the recent discussion of the Global Cooling chapter of Superfreakonomics.]
Y’all,
I haven’t had the opportunity to read Superfreakonomics yet, but from what I have seen of it, at least the last 60% of the book is devoted to taking down the notion that we [...]
Posted in correspondence Also tagged altruism, Chicago School, climate science, ethics, Freakonomics Leave a comment
Being Freakonomical with the Heart
[ (i) This is a tribute to, and perhaps fulfilment of, Daniel Davies's post Being Freakonomical With The Truth. (ii) I see that I made a major error in last night's post: Michael Sandel doesn't belong to an academic philosophy department, but is of course in the Harvard Department of Government, with a manifest passion [...]
Posted in topical Also tagged altruism, Chicago School, climate science, ethics, Freakonomics, geo-engineering, Michael Sandel, philosophy Leave a comment
Irrationality in Science
It seems I will never cease to be astonished at the sheer irrationality of so many scientific discussions, often being carried out by such brilliant minds. It is pleasing to see someone making an honest effort to understand and think about science philosophically and test the limits of conventional thinking.
John Horgan and George Johnson
Posted in 1 philosophy Also tagged climate change, intelligent design, irrationalism, Michael Behe, peer review, philosophy, science Leave a comment
The Dalai Lama on Obama