Philosophy – Page 121 – William M. Briggs

What Organic Boors, Swedish Pronouns, And The Exorcist Have In Common

Not much, except to demonstrate that the natural state of modernity is something closely resembling mass lunacy. To explain. Swedish Pronouns Via Sam Schulman â€(Twitter: @Sam_Schulman) we infer that 1984…

Culture Philosophy

Dutch Doctors’ Strange New House Calls

Dr Overlijden of Levenseindekliniek A new contest is in order, if it doesn't already exist. Each year we should recognize and award the person or group who invents the best…

Philosophy Statistics

The Probability Of Nonsense In Science: Complexity & Verification

This is a work in progress, and today is a busy day. This is just for fun and for you to play with. The more complex the field of study,…

Philosophy

The Implications Of Moral Insignificance

In her piece "In Praise of Insignificance" in Scientific American, Jennifer Ouellette says, If one embraces an atheist worldview, it necessarily requires embracing, even celebrating, one's insignificance. It's a tall…

Philosophy

All Forecasts, Predictions, & Prophecies Are Contingent

Yesterday I made the point that Jim Hansen's latest threat of doom was a conditional one. I also said that there was nothing wrong with this. And there isn't. Nothing…

Culture Philosophy

What The North Carolina Gay Marriage Vote Means To You If You Were Against It

North Carolina voted 61 to 39 to amend its constitution to read that marriage is solely a union between a man and a woman. This was, as far as democratic…

Philosophy

Heartland Institute Accomplishes Act To Self Once Thought Physically Impossible

At the risk of losing the argument before it begins, let me ask you two questions. Number One: What do Adolph Hitler, Mao Tse-tung, serial killer and eater Jeffrey Dahmer,…

Culture Philosophy Statistics

The Dire And Depressing Implications Of Science As Scientism: Two Introductions

A long introduction... Scientism is the fallacy that all that is known and all that can be known, can only be known through scientific methods: that which is testable is…

NLR on Richard Dawkins, The Big Muscles Fallacy & AI PachinkoMay 7, 2026
It appears that Dawkins does not have a well thought out philosophy of consciousness and so he has psyched himself…
Johnno on How Experts Use “Calamities” to Find Official Victims & Gain PowerMay 6, 2026
Hence we descriptively say in plural... a "calamity of victims." Or a "catastrophe of Expurts." Or an "academy of failures."…
Brian (bulaoren) on How Experts Use “Calamities” to Find Official Victims & Gain PowerMay 6, 2026
So, three circumlocutors walk into a bar...
Cary D Cotterman on How Experts Use “Calamities” to Find Official Victims & Gain PowerMay 6, 2026
When an academic paper has "intersectional," "decolonial," "disabilities," "intersect," "social," "structural," "injustices," and "diverse" in one sentence, you know you've…
Bill Hankel on How Experts Use “Calamities” to Find Official Victims & Gain PowerMay 6, 2026
I decided to accept your challenge, knowing with near certainty that your intuition was correct. I invested 15-20 seconds total…