Sunday School

[Reg the Fronkey Farmer]

Following up on last weeks’ article, let’s take a more detailed look at the top ten countries with the least religious freedom.

It seems a Christian group that runs a rehab program actually runs a slave camp.

This “former atheist” argument is so stupid that I can only laugh at it. Boy Scouts organizations insisting children must believe in a god in order to develop properly is also stupid and insulting to many. But that’s Christian piety for you.

The Museum of the Bible is a safe space for Christian Nationalists.

Five reasons FEMA should not rebuild churches.

Like the old woman who lived in a shoe, Catholic priests have fathered so many children they don’t know what to do. I don’t think Catholic priests in Germany would have a problem paying child support.

It doesn’t take a stable genius to wonder why the Norwegians are not coming over the hill. People are also coming to understand the negative impact of anti-Muslim rhetoric is “un-American”.

This weeks’ Woo: Thirsty work, this. Better off having a coffee instead.

Climate Change: China understands the benefits of “green shift”.

On keeping our hierarchy of needs consistently simple and why society needs a more scientific understanding of human values.

Division is not a bad thing said the contrarian during the debate and crying “free exchange of ideas” misses the point of protest. Much of the debate on Freedom of Expression is down to the flight from Reason.

Just how fast is the Universe expanding? Just how do dimensions affect reality?

Why is M-Theory the leading candidate for a Theory of Everything?

Collision with Reality: Psychology and victim-hood culture.

Have we reached peak Pharma?

Some photographs taken last week.

We pause to remember…John Young.

While you are waiting for the kettle to boil…..

Coffee Break Video: Why does the Universe exist? Talent is universal but the opportunity to reach your full potential is not.

[Reg the Fronkey Farmer]

Have a great week everyone!!

If only more Christians took a vow of silence.

– me.

[Strega]

Thanks, Reg!

[Simon Paynton]

“why society needs a more scientific understanding of human values.”

– I agree it is necessary to spell out in concrete terms what values actually mean, and consist of.  “Equality” is a complex idea, because it has a number of different meanings, and overlaps with “fairness” in some ways.  I think they should be studied together, as all of a piece.  Equality can mean, for example: 1) everyone gets the same opportunity; 2) everyone somehow achieves the same outcome (which seems bogus on the face of it).  Fairness can mean, 1) people are rewarded according to effort (i.e. merit); 2) people are rewarded all the same; 3) people are rewarded according to what they need.  Perhaps there are other meanings.

I don’t see that the group of values involved in gender inequality relates to the same value(s) as in predatory sexual behaviour.  Of course, the two often happen at the same time.

“my research takes an empirical approach to addressing this issue, looking instead at what people actually think and do.  In this way we can infer the presence of values from people’s judgements and behaviours.”

– I agree that this is a good way to do it, but there has to be conceptual abstraction involved too.

“As we have seen, recycling is an easy and obvious fit for protecting the environment, whereas becoming a vegan might be thought of as a more obvious fit for other values, such as health or the treatment of animals.  Its role in environmentalism gets blurred.

This kind of blurring comes from a disconnect between the abstract meaning of values and the varied ways in which people apply them.”

– I think this just means there is a need to analyse more carefully what values are involved in a situation, and by necessity, the people who do this kind of thing need to publicise it more (both the abstractors and the practical applicators).

Overall, I think values (as goals) are related to virtues (as policies for achieving one’s goals).  So, value is also related to meaning (as, the way something is relevant to our goals), and emotion (detecting the way something is relevant to our goals – i.e. what we either value or don’t want).

[Old Account]

Thanks Reg for a thoughtful and varied list.  Your Sunday School list is the biggest thing that attracted me to AZ.  I will be reading your links all week.

What I read so far – that whole Bible Museum thing gives me the creeps.  Having spent a lifetime as a nonmember of “in” groups, I dont like thinking in “us/them” categories.  But “they” kind of scare me.

The link to slave camp rehab program reminded me of the book “Slavery by Another Name” which describes enslavement of black men in the US Southeast.  Arrested on bogus charges, they were farmed out to industries such as mining and iron and steel manufacturing.  US Steel corp was one.

[Reg the Fronkey Farmer]

When I read about how to life “the simple life” as in the “hierarchy of needs” link above, I always find a long list of philosophers are cited. In this case the author says Socrates would not be an environmentalist. I disagree. Socrates, as he strode around the city, in his raggedy robes and upon looking at some new shops is credited with saying “Oh look at all that new stuff that I will never need to purchase”. Even modern day philosophers like Seasick Steve might agree 🙂

[Reg the Fronkey Farmer]

Thanks Daniel. Yes, the “slave camp” story is a strange one. I am surprised it is not more well known. The free speech articles are well worth reading. I think this talk on Free Speech by Hitchens is very good.

If there are any areas of the Sciences or any other field you think worth including please let me know.

[Old Account]

Woo water.  Wow.  I want to bottle woo air.  I can open canning jars in Pacific NW forest, wave them around, then close and seal the lids.  Sell for $6 a jar.  Maybe ocean side water, too.  Both would have beneficial bacteria, phytochemocals, and the ocean air would provide holistic seashore aromatherapy.

[Old Account]

Reg, I think you are doing a great job with your selections.  I would like to suggest an idea for a group if I can figure out the messaging etc.

[Author]

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