Skepticism

A collection of 159 posts

brain

Ingersoll: Reason and the Brain

These are truly beautiful words from Robert G Ingersoll, as taken from the superb site which has a fine selection of his writing, curated by a friend of mine:   Reason and the Brain Nature has furnished every human being with a light more or less brilliant, more or less powerful.

death

SIN Series: Death - Physicalist cowboy reincarnation

Yup, you heard it here. This song and lyric seems rather oddly out of place in its rational, skeptical outlook!   MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHEY Where Do Cowboys Go When They Die - Reincarnation LyricsWhere do cowboys go when they die?Is there a place in the sweet bye and bye? Where

pseudoscience

Old but classic deconstruction of woo

I love this video (and all of Minchin's stuff), it's long been a favourite. Watch and savour.

Featured ATP

Medical Miracle Anecdote

This came into our mailbox here at SIN. It is a medical miracle anecdote, in the same strain as a post from the other day: I have just returned from a surgical mission trip to the Dominican Republic. Although I am an atheist my schedule was such that it was most convenient for me to travel and w

Featured ATP

The power of prayer...

I received this email today from an old friend: Hi mate, Hope you're well. I'm reading your little book of unholy questions at the moment and thought I'd share a prayer story with you. When XXXX was pregnant with YYYY and we had the 12 week scan, the physical measurements and blood factors

atheism

What do you think is the strongest argument against atheism?

This is always an interesting question because it challenges your own worldview, assuming you are an atheist. It's the classic line of questioning you get when you are in an interview: "So, Mr Pearce, what do you think your biggest weakness is?" Of course, I have no weakness...

atheism

Reminder that I need poetry submissions!

This is a reminder of a project I am working on for which I need your help: I was thinking over the weekend, as I wrote my own eulogy for the SIN Series - Death piece I did, that there is a lack of such a book. I have found

Skepticism

My partner has caught skepticism

Goodness me, Helen has become a skeptic! We were watching the Game of Thrones with the awesome attack of the White Walkers, just now. Helen: How are they attacking when they are dead? How are they still moving? Me: Um... you know it's not real? Helen: Well why

homeopathy

Homeopaths Totally Baffled By Cordial

A spokesperson for Australian Homeopathic Association has released a statement today conceding that they are “baffled” by the concept of cordial. Homeopathy, an alternative medicine practice dating back to the 18th century, operates under the principle that water holds “memory” and that a substan

Featured ATP

Germany court orders measles skeptic to pay 100,000 euros

Bad skeptics suck. The BBC reports: A German biologist who offered €100,000 (£71,350; $106,300) to anyone who could prove that measles is a virus has been ordered by a court to pay up. Stefan Lanka, who believes the illness is psychosomatic, made the pledge four years ago

extremism

US-Bangladesh blogger Avijit Roy hacked to death

Attackers in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka have hacked to death a US-Bangladeshi blogger whose writings on religion angered Islamist hardliners. Avijit Roy, an atheist who advocated secularism, was attacked as he walked back from a book fair with his wife, who was also hurt in the attack.

capitalism

Dealing with replies to my free market skepticism posts

This chap (to whom the series was directed), Scotty M, has replied to some of my points in the series on Free Market Economics. Unfortunately, he would rather rabidly bash away at You Tube than bring a civil discussion here. The most common issue that Scotty faces is his predilection for straw ma

capitalism

On the Skepticism of Free Market Economics (part 1)

Free market economics seems to be the cornerstone of both right-wing and libertarian political ideology, broadly espousing that the companies and corporations and consumers of the world arbitrate supply, price and, in some way it is hoped, moral dimensions of product manufacture and consumption. In

Featured ATP

Are religious people kinder? I'm skeptical...

I have told you before that Reasonable Doubts is my favourite podcast. Well, here is a great RD Extra podcast with Luke Galen, psychologist, looks skeptically at claims of religious people being kinder, more charitable, prosocial. So very worth a listen:

Epistemology

"True Islam" and violent extremism

I am engaged in many conversations and debates across multiple platforms on the internet. At the moment, and in general recently, I have been wrapped up in many debates with my fellow liberals. The subject has been Islam and as to whether it is in some culpable proportion responsible for the violent

Biblical Exegesis

On the Skepticism of the Resurrection (part 3)

Having looked at points 1) and 2) it is time to see if there is a more plausible explanation for the data from a naturalistic perspective than the Christian claims. Before setting out the positive case, I want to spend a little time going over some of the data from the Gospels and how they are probl

atheism

Get your skeptical needs fulfilled! Do it!

Some of the writers here at SIN have contributed to an anthology called 13 Reasons to Doubt, with chapters ranging over many aspects of skepticism. Here s the description:

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Bicycle pumps and why prayer seems to work... sometimes...

I have an analogy which I hope will illustrate why at least a lot of examples of alleged successful prayer or interventions of God take place.

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Response to Triablogue’s Jason Engwer on Nativity Accounts (Part 2)

A few days ago I responded to Jason Engwer of Triablogue as he critiqued some posts I had made, and my book, on the nativity. I responded here. This post is the second in the series. It might go on for some time as he has responded here to my first response.

Aaron Adair

Have Yourself a SINful Little Holiday Season!

Despite the fact that most scientific skeptics do not find themselves formerly associated with a religion, this time of year tends to nonetheless bring out the giving spirit in many of us. Although Tom Flynn wouldn't approve, many of us celebrate (in a secular fashion) Christmas, or Kwanza, or Festi

Featured ATP

Russell Blackford - we have the extraordinary evidence!

Check out fellow SINner Russell Blackford's talk from TAM 2013:     Just watching it now, but if it is anything like his writing it'll be cracking.

Evidential Problem of evil

Why Skeptical Theism Fails

The Problem of Evil is a powerful argument which takes its form in various ways, both the logical and evidential format. I was watching a video debate on the problem of evil and animal suffering between Michael Murry and Daniel Breyer. I really enjoyed it. I don't buy the skeptical theistic approach

atheism

Don't (Moral) Panic!!!

The world is NOT going to hell in a handcart, as I have discussed elsewhere. But people like to think it is. People are, indeed, susceptible to panicking, to over-egging the sense of danger that there is, and probably for good evolutionary reason. After all, it is better to overstate

Featured ATP

Great review for 13 Reasons To Doubt

Kaveh Mousavi over at On the Margin of Error has given a cracking review of our recent 13 Reasons To Doubt. Here is an excerpt:

podcast

More Pearced Off

I, as you may well know, contribute to the Skepticule podcast by recording a counter-apologetics segment for them, Pearced Off. My segment is always followed by an interesting discussion of ideas brought up by the 'panel' of Pauls. The facebook page can be found here for extra discussion.