Spot on. Who hasn’t observed this in his own life? I’m not sure whose idea this was originally, but it certainly predates Bukowski; I’m going with Bertrand Russell. This whole concept goes back to “Socratic wisdom,” i.e., the idea that …
Category: Renewables – Science
No, We Don’t All Have a Basic Grasp of Science, But the Problem Lies Even Deeper
Actually, I never assumed that everyone, or even most people, had a basic grasp of science. What has shocked me is how many people openly reject entire scientific disciplines that fly in the teeth of their political or religious beliefs. …
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Tagged with: climate deniers
Evolution
If humans evolved from monkeys, then why do monkeys still exist? According to science communicator Forrest Valkai, aka “The Renegade Science Teacher,” this is an extremely common question, and, in response, he provides this fabulous video. It’s a great reminder …
Tagged with: evolution
The Rejection of Science Might Be Humankind’s Undoing
Many of our civilization’s greatest thinkers believe that humankind has found itself in an “evolutionary cul-de-sac,” i.e., that we’ve progressed as far as this species is capable, along road with a dead-end ahead. Normally, these folks talk about our superabundance …
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Tagged with: rejection of science
Extraterrestrials, Anybody?
An old friend is a big believer that the Earth has been visited by alien civilizations, and I’m flattered that he occasionally reaches out to me to get my perspective on articles like the one linked above. I have two …
Tagged with: extraterrestrial aircraft
Conspiracy Theories Abound
As suggested by this clever meme, American society is awash completely with untenable beliefs. Worse, this terrifying phenomenon is not limited to the uneducated; of the five best friends I had growing up, two of them, one a medical doctor …
We Can Encourage Critical Thinking, Or Not
I like the point this guy’s making. Alternatively, we can ban books that enable our kids to think critically, and remove our best and brightest teachers, resulting in the United States’ drifting down into deeper levels of ignorance and illiteracy, …
Tagged with: Critical Thinking
We Ignore Science at Our Own Expense
Before he left us, Carl Sagan bemoaned our society’s lack of interest in science. “Our mainstream newspapers have daily astrology columns, but not even weekly coverage of breakthroughs in science,” he said. Were it not for its horrific consequences, this …
A Few Words on Nicola Tesla
Nicola Tesla was an enigmatic figure who, in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, played an important role in the development of the technology that made it possible for humankind to make use of electricity. And he didn’t get …
Can We Understand Human Consciousness?
Legendary quantum physicist Erwin Schrödinger said: “Consciousness cannot be accounted for in physical terms. For consciousness is absolutely fundamental. It cannot be accounted for in terms of anything else.” Quite a statement, but is it true? Certainly, humankind has made …
Tagged with: quantum physicist Erwin Schrödinger
