Philosophy – Page 16 – William M. Briggs

If We Are What We Sexually Desire, How About These Curious People?

Gender theory in brief says we are what we sexually desire. It's not that we have desires, but that we are these desires. They are the core of our being.…

Culture Philosophy

We Don’t Know Anything

The Appeal to Authority is not a formal fallacy, but an "informal" one, a fancy way of admitting that arguments in the form of "Because I said so" are often…

Culture Philosophy Statistics

Statistics Good, Bad & Ugly

In an attempt to catch up on my 300-some emails (yes, the total has grown considerably; probably because of recent publicity), here are some articles sent in by readers that…

Culture Fun Philosophy Statistics

Stephen Hawking Thinks Too Much Of Us; More

Autumn of the Modern Ages What!? You haven't headed over to Mike Flynn's place and read his series The Autumn of the Modern Ages? Sometimes I don't understand you people…

Culture Philosophy

Latest Threat To Global Warming? In Vitro Fertilization

Stop me if you're heard this one before. An academic, educated well beyond her capabilities, having a lot of free time on her hands, and frightened past the point of…

Culture Philosophy

Government To Issue Baby Licenses

Regular readers will recall that I am a (self-appointed) bioethicist, a post I take on not because I need the work, but because the professionals are making such a hash…

Culture Philosophy

Gibbon (And O’Brian) On Too Many Lawyers

This is Gibbon, quoted in Patrick O'Brian's The Reverse of the Medal by the character Dr Stephen Maturin, who then speaks: '"It is dangerous to entrust the conduct of nations…

Book review Culture Philosophy

Making Gay Okay Reviewed. Part I, The Acts

Making Gay Okay: How Rationalizing Homosexual Behavior Is Changing Everything, by Robert R. Reilly (Ignatius Press: sample chapter). It's common in medicine to track men who have (or who simulate)…

hudbwu on On The Form Of Species: ‘Dance To The Tune Of Life’ by Denis Noble ReviewedDecember 17, 2025
Funny, many decades ago I wondered why do males exist. As in, why waste 50% of a species' total biomass…
hudbwu on How To Tell How Much Of “IQ” Is Inherited & How Much Is EnvironmentDecember 17, 2025
Okay, so the data tells us that if one twin is stupid... er, I mean, if one twin scores low…
Briggs on On The Form Of Species: ‘Dance To The Tune Of Life’ by Denis Noble ReviewedDecember 17, 2025
Rhetocrates, Quite right.
Rhetocrates on On The Form Of Species: ‘Dance To The Tune Of Life’ by Denis Noble ReviewedDecember 16, 2025
I haven't finished the whole thing, but I'd like to flag one thing that may cause confusion to readers, though…
John Pate on On The Form Of Species: ‘Dance To The Tune Of Life’ by Denis Noble ReviewedDecember 16, 2025
Referring to my previous comment, it's nature via nurture. In any complex system transferring the plans to the finished item…