Scientific method Diagram illustrating steps in the scientific method. The scientific method is an ongoing process, which usually begins with observations about the natural world. Human beings are naturally inquisitive, so they often come up with questions about things they see or hear and often develop ideas (hypotheses) about why things are the way they are. The best hypotheses lead to predictions that can be tested in various ways, including making further observations about nature. In general, the strongest tests of hypotheses come from carefully controlled and replicated experiments that gather empirical data. Although procedures vary from one field of inquiry to another, identifiable features are frequently shared in common between them. Overview The DNA example below is a synopsis of this method Process Formulation of a question The question can refer to the explanation of a specific observation, as in "Why is the sky blue?" Hypothesis Prediction Testing Analysis DNA example Other components Replication 1.
Fallacies A fallacy is a kind of error in reasoning. The list of fallacies contains 209 names of the most common fallacies, and it provides brief explanations and examples of each of them. Fallacies should not be persuasive, but they often are. An informal fallacy is fallacious because of both its form and its content. The discussion that precedes the long alphabetical list of fallacies begins with an account of the ways in which the term "fallacy" is vague. Table of Contents 1. The first known systematic study of fallacies was due to Aristotle in his De Sophisticis Elenchis (Sophistical Refutations), an appendix to the Topics. The more frequent the error within public discussion and debate the more likely it is to have a name. The term "fallacy" is not a precise term. In describing the fallacies below, the custom is followed of not distinguishing between a reasoner using a fallacy and the reasoning itself containing the fallacy. Real arguments are often embedded within a very long discussion.
State of the Nation The first incorrect assumption I would like to address is the topic of "belief": Atheism is a belief system. Atheism is not a belief system because there isn't anything we are "believing" that could be considered a "system." Atheism doesn't join people together in a common ideology like religions do because atheists share nothing in common, except their lack of belief in 1 specific thing. In a way, people will get into a discussion of semantics of whether atheism is a "belief" or not, but really that is only because it is possible to state the any negative belief as a belief in the negative, which kinda works in english even if it doesn't exactly convey the position. Some definitions of atheism will even say something along the lines of "belief there is no god" but really the issue here, from my perspective, is that there are a number of things I believe. But the things I don't believe are infinite. Don't believe me? Do you believe that there is a pink unicorn in front of you right now?
philosophy bites Kissing Hank's Ass "Effing the ineffable since 1996" Looking over my most recent articles I notice that they tend to be pretty negative. That's not really the kind of person I am. Or at least not the kind of person I want to be. So I thought it might be nice to get away from mocking religion for a while and instead talk about one of my heroes: Adam Savage. Adam Savage is the host of "Mythbusters," a science reality show on The Discovery Channel. But "Mythbusters" isn't why Adam Savage is my hero. He discusses everything from the value of failure to the construction of a replica Maltese falcon. On top of all that, he makes no secret about being an atheist, while at the same time never being an ass about it. As it happens, I live just across the bay from the Mythbusters' home base at M5 Industries. But here's the strange thing: even though I've lived here for 8 1/2 years, I've never seen Adam Savage in person. Proof from Coolest Name Proof from Mythbusting Proof from Hot Coals Character, Crazy or Confirmed.
The 25 Most Influential Living Atheists Go back a few hundred years, and atheism was very much a minority position. Those who were atheists would have been ostracized by society and possibly even killed (as in burned at the stake, depending on how far back you go). Fast forward to the present, and atheism is far less objectionable, and in some circles even the dominant view. In the new millennium, prominent atheists abound. One website, www.celebatheists.com, is even dedicated to listing celebrity atheists. To make it on SuperScholar’s list of influential living atheists, an atheist can’t merely disbelieve in God but also must actively encourage others to disbelieve in God. Thus, to make it on our list, an atheist needs not only to be actively promoting atheism but also to do so as scholars in scholarly forums – this is, after all, SuperScholar! Many of the scholars listed here have given new life to atheism, inviting the term “neo-atheism” to describe their impact and movement. 1. More info: Wikipedia, Homepage 2. 3. 4. 5.
Apology by Plato Commentary: Quite a few comments have been posted about Apology. Download: A 58k text-only version is available for download. ApologyBy Plato Translated by Benjamin Jowett Socrates' Defense How you have felt, O men of Athens, at hearing the speeches of my accusers, I cannot tell; but I know that their persuasive words almost made me forget who I was - such was the effect of them; and yet they have hardly spoken a word of truth. Scientists Confirm that Plants Talk and Listen To Each Other, Communication Crucial for Survival When a South African botanist Lyall Watson claimed in 1973 that plants had emotions that could be recorded on a lie detector test, he was dismissed by many in the scientific community. However, new research, published in the journal Trends in Plant Science, has revealed that plants not only respond to sound, but they also communicate to each other by making "clicking" sounds. Using powerful loudspeakers, researchers at The University of Western Australia were able to hear clicking sounds coming from the roots of corn saplings. Researchers at Bristol University also found that when they suspended the young roots in water and played a continuous noise at 220Hz, a similar frequency to the plant clicks, they found that the plants grew towards the source of the sound. "Everyone knows that plants react to light, and scientists also know that plants use volatile chemicals to communicate with each other, for instance, when danger - such as a herbivore - approaches," Dr.
The Blog : Morality Without “Free Will” From the Free Press: A belief in free will touches nearly everything that human beings value. It is difficult to think about law, politics, religion, public policy, intimate relationships, morality—as well as feelings of remorse or personal achievement—without first imagining that every person is the true source of his or her thoughts and actions. In this enlightening book, Sam Harris argues that this truth about the human mind does not undermine morality or diminish the importance of social and political freedom, but it can and should change the way we think about some of the most important questions in life. In this elegant and provocative book, Sam Harris demonstrates—with great intellectual ferocity and panache—that free will is an inherently flawed and incoherent concept, even in subjective terms. Brilliant and witty—and never less than incisive—Free Will shows that Sam Harris can say more in 13,000 words than most people do in 100,000.
Saint, Peace Seeker, Hero by Turns HODAL, India — Barreling down a sizzling-hot road, in a cloud of diesel fumes and dust, Ludkan Baba is on a serious roll. He lies flat on the ground, turning himself over and over like a runaway log, limbs flailing as he bumps across potholes, splashes through mud puddles and falls deeper into a spiritual trance. Like any sadhu, or Hindu ascetic, he undertakes severe penance to liberate his soul from reincarnation's endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Stretched out in the middle of the road, rolling hour after hour, mile after mile through crowds and heavy traffic, he is making his trip to eternal bliss. But this is no ordinary holy roller. He has rolled thousands of miles in the last 19 years, turning round and round so many millions of times that just pondering the thought can make your head spin. Yet to the 55-year-old sadhu, the constant turning is refreshing. "I move during cyclones, during blazing summers and cold winters," he said. He believes God's hand propels him.