Culture – Page 30 – William M. Briggs

Are Humans As Violent As In The Good Old Days?

If we had records of massacres as we have meteorological records, don't you think we might discover their internal laws, after several centuries of observation? --- Joseph de Maistre. There…

Culture Philosophy

Conversation With A Progressive: The British Riots

Nigel Shocking, just shocking these riots. Wouldn't you agree? David No. I'd say rather that they were expected. Nigel Too right they were. These youth were disaffected. Nothing but products…

Culture Philosophy

Air Force Forced To Drops Ethics From Nuclear Weapons Ethics Training

The Center for Inquiry, that group of ex-CSICOP members turned rogue skeptics, has condemned---condemned!---the United States Air Force for teaching Just War theory in its Nuclear War Ethics course. This…

Culture Philosophy Statistics

David Stove, PMS Admakers Apologize For PMS Apology Ad, San Franciscan Criminals, More

David Stove David Stove has a posthumous essay, put out in book form: Whatâ€™s Wrong With Benevolence: Happiness, Private Property, and the Limits of Enlightenment. There is a review at…

Culture Philosophy

New York Passes Gay Marriage: What Are The Consequences?

Jason and David meet to discuss the new gay marriage law. Jason: "It finally happened! New York passed gay marriage. Now gay couples are the same as straight couples!" David:…

Culture Philosophy

Rights, Rights, And More Rights—But No Responsibilities

Busy day. So here, just for fun, and woefully incomplete, are a list of "rights" recently discovered. Remember: there can be no rights without responsibilities. If you invoke a right,…

Culture Philosophy

There’s More Than One Way To Skin A Dead Companion Animal

There are enough details in the New York Observer report that we can piece together what happened. The scene: the monthly meeting of the New York Skeptics at a Kips…

Culture Philosophy Statistics

Freeman Dyson, NPR, TSA X-rays, Northwestern University’s Bachelor Party

The Lady Tasting Tea continues tomorrow. Freeman Dyson Speaks From our man-on-the-spot WS comes this link to an interview with Freeman Dyson regarding his work "In Praise of Heretics." That…

Brian (bulaoren) on Top 10 Reasons AI Will Never Become Superintelligence: It Won’t Destroy Nor Save UsOctober 5, 2026
Perhaps "Artificial Intelligence" is like an Artificial sex-doll; not the real thing, but close enough to get the job done.
Cary Cotterman on Top 10 Reasons AI Will Never Become Superintelligence: It Won’t Destroy Nor Save UsOctober 5, 2026
This is the first time I've come across anybody mentioning the obvious oh-eff-eff solution. Anything that requires electricity is completely…
Rich on Top 10 Reasons AI Will Never Become Superintelligence: It Won’t Destroy Nor Save UsOctober 5, 2026
We've all done this: On an old-fashioned calculator type "07734". Turn it upside-down. Friends say, "Ooh look! It says 'hello'".…
NLR on Top 10 Reasons AI Will Never Become Superintelligence: It Won’t Destroy Nor Save UsOctober 5, 2026
If machines were said to be conscious, it would come about not because the notion of consciousness was expanded, but…
shawn marshall on Top 10 Reasons AI Will Never Become Superintelligence: It Won’t Destroy Nor Save UsOctober 5, 2026
a prominent exorcist talks about demons using cell phones = it is generally accepted by exorcists that demons can effect…