The Evolution of Protein Folding: Is a Crisis Brewing for Darwin? Historically speaking, there is a distinction to bear in mind between puzzles that prove a challenge to a scientific theory and puzzles that turn into a crisis. The Michelson-Morley experiment in the late 19th century proved to be a crisis for classical physics. So… Continue reading
Month: April 2009
A good post by Massimo Pigliucci: Scott — who is an atheist — has repeatedly said that one cannot claim that science requires atheism because atheism is a philosophical position, not a scientific one. She leverages the standard distinction between philosophical and methodological naturalism: if you are a scientist you have to be a methodological… Continue reading
I’ve got bad news for Christopher HitchensIt’s long been known by booksellers and publishers that the New York Times weekly ‘list’ has never really been a very accurate tally of what indeed is selling in the U.S. I recommend every once in a while taking a look at USA Today’s more accurate listing. It’s not… Continue reading
Hitch: On the question of Turkey’s accession, I used to be able to make either case. Admitting the Turks could lead to the modernization of the country, whereas exclusion could breed resentment and instability and even a renewal of pseudo-Ataturkist military rule. On the other hand, admission would put the frontiers of Europe up against… Continue reading
Brendan O’Neill is ready to stick a spoon down his throat over Susan Boyle. Of course, everyone loves a good show tune. And everyone loves an underdog. But Boylemania has become about so much more than an underdog singing a good show tune. Rather, Ms Boyle has been turned into an SIE (Shared International Experience)… Continue reading