Here at the Skeptic Ink Network, we are pleased to announce that our first anthology of original work has now…
Category Skepticism
I was reading Kaveh Mousavi’s blog today and came across this short piece: Basically, if you’re not a historian, how…
From the BBC (see Jacques Rousseau’s skeptical view here): If you expose your child to Moses, Muhammad or Matthew the Apostle,…
I am having a massive debate on my facebook page at the moment with someone from the Unbelievable forum, which I have now left (tiring of the time-wasting silliness of some of the posters) about the Roman/Jewish burial practices after crucifixion with regard to Jesus’ death. Here is my latest comment on the thread:
Ok, so here is what I think. First, it is important to note that I take a sort of Bayesian approach; that being, the most plausible hypothesis should be taken to be the most likely to be true, and this involves evidence, prior probability and background knowledge.
We are working, here at SIN, to offer readers of the network a range of ways of interacting with what…
Just a reminder to check us out!
Our ebook, soon to be paperback, with 13 chapters contributed by authors here at SIN, is out on arious e-formats. It has received good reviews, if you discount the trolls, such as JoeG who used to hang out here on occasion, losing a $10,000 bet to Andy.
Oh bloody dear. The BBC: Astrology-loving MP seeks health answers in the stars A Conservative MP has spoken of his…
Check out our podcast with Tom Williamson where we talk about all sorts, and a lot about our new book, 13…
Some of the writers here at SIN have contributed to an anthology called 13 Reasons to Doubt, with chapters ranging over many aspects of skepticism. Here s the description:
Extraordinary claims and extraordinary evidence.
I, as you may well know, contribute to the Skepticule podcast by recording a counter-apologetics segment for them, Pearced Off.…
If you, like me, have been really pleased that the state of comedy and satirical news is in rude health, and if you have been comforted by the emergence of John Oliver and his research- and fact-based show (Last Week Tonight) , then you will find this a good read. I have loved John Oliver’s comedy. The writing is astute, and chimes with so much of what is going on in the liberal, secular, intellectually invigorated community.
This is an issue that plagues every single media institution. Because the BBC is THE port of call, for me at least, for news and views, whether from their excellent website, r from their news coverage, it is infuriating, from a skeptical point of view, that equal airtime is given to dissenting views which do not hold equal proportion of adherence in the relevant fields. That a creationist might receive 1 on 1 battle time with an evolutionary bioligist is misrepresenting the state of affairs, as can be seen here:
Shane Greenup has designed something which looks brilliant, and will help the internet become more intellectually robust in the future, I hope. It is a browser add-on called rbutr. Here is what he has to say about it:
Here is the press release for Caleb Lack’s new book. Caleb blogs here at SIN at Great Plains Skeptic and his book is released on my own Onus Books imprint. It is an academic book, but the ebook is very reasonably priced. Check it out!
I am more than a little skeptical about the World Cup in Brazil.
This video is cracking (John Oliver is doing such a good job in that slot):
Good news, everyone! My talk for the Illini Secular Student Alliance at UIUC back in April is now up for everyone to see. In my presentation, I talk about the 20th century origins of the ancient astronaut hypothesis (now in its modern TV form, Ancient Aliens), the sorts of claims about the past and why they don’t hold up, and into the sorts of claims related to modern UFOs and alien visitations–that is, close encounters. I also get to bring up my research and book on the Star of Bethlehem.
When the scientific method is used badly, when preconceptions are allowed to dictate analyses and conclusions, then you get bad science, and false knowledge. Untruths. In this vein, the work of Dr Caleb Lack and Dr Charles Abramson is well worth looking in to.
One of the Skeptics Groups I have talked to before is hosting another SINner, philosopher Stephen Law. Here are the…
A few weeks ago on the History Channel’s sister station, H2, the astronomy-based series The Universe went on a quest to solve an ancient mystery. Previous episodes in the previous few weeks had covered the construction and purpose of the pyramids (which was pretty good), Stonehenge, and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The first two certainly have an astronomical connection, such as the solstice alignment of Stonehenge, but explaining Sodom’s ruin via astronomical body begs the very serious question: was this simply a theological story or etiological myth? Apparently that skepticism couldn’t find its way to the heart of the show.