science

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Tue 1 Feb 2011

Eye of the beholder

Posted by PJ under belief, paranormal, psychic, quote of the day, science, truth
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Random quote of the day:

“It seems to me that in many cases, psychics and mediums prosper not because they’re intentionally fraudulent, but because their subjects are uncritical.  The people who visit mediums and psychics are often strongly motivated or constitutionally inclined to believe that what is being said is relevant and meaningful with regard to them or a loved one.”

—Mary Roach, Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife

Disclaimer:  The views expressed in this random quote of the day do not necessarily reflect the views of the poster, her immediate family, Siegfried and Roy, Leonard Maltin, or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. They do, however, sometimes reflect the views of the Cottingley Fairies.

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Wed 17 Nov 2010

Simmerin’ Simians

Posted by PJ under evolution, quote of the day, religion, science
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Random quote of the day:

“If we had been made directly from clay, the way it says in the Bible, and had therefore inherited no intermediate characteristics —if a god, or some principle of growth, had gone that way to work with us, he or it might have molded us into much more splendid forms.  But considering our simian descent, it has done very well.  The only people who are disappointed in us are those who still believe that clay story.  Or who—unconsciously—still let it color their thinking.”

—Clarence Day, This Simian World, 1920

Disclaimer:  The views expressed in this random quote of the day do not necessarily reflect the views of the poster, her immediate family, Siegfried and Roy, Leonard Maltin, or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. They do, however, sometimes reflect the views of the Cottingley Fairies.

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Wed 6 Oct 2010

What’s your sign?

Posted by PJ under language, quote of the day, science, words
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Random quote of the day:

“Language is only the instrument of science, and words are but the signs of ideas: I wish, however, that the instrument might be less apt to decay, and that signs might be permanent, like the things they denote.”

—Samuel Johnson, Preface to The Dictionary

Disclaimer:  The views expressed in this random quote of the day do not necessarily reflect the views of the poster, her immediate family, Siegfried and Roy, Leonard Maltin, or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. They do, however, sometimes reflect the views of the Cottingley Fairies.

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Thu 23 Sep 2010

The great silence

Posted by PJ under poetry, quote of the day, science
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Random quote of the day:

“Poetic knowledge is born in the great silence of scientific knowledge.”

—Aimé Césaire, “Poetry and Knowledge”

Disclaimer:  The views expressed in this random quote of the day do not necessarily reflect the views of the poster, her immediate family, Siegfried and Roy, Leonard Maltin, or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. They do, however, sometimes reflect the views of the Cottingley Fairies.

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Fri 10 Sep 2010

Leaping to conclusions

Posted by PJ under experience, quote of the day, science
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Random quote of the day:

“First you guess.  Don’t laugh, this is the most important step.  Then you compute the consequences.  Compare the consequences to experience.  If it disagrees with experience, the guess is wrong.  In that simple statement is the key to science.  It doesn’t matter how beautiful your guess is or how smart you are or what your name is.  If it disagrees with experience, it’s wrong.  That is all there is to it.”

—Richard Feynman, broadcast class lecture, NOVA, “The Best Mind Since Einstein,” 1993

Disclaimer:  The views expressed in this random quote of the day do not necessarily reflect the views of the poster, her immediate family, Siegfried and Roy, Leonard Maltin, or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. They do, however, sometimes reflect the views of the Cottingley Fairies.

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Sat 10 Jul 2010

Most of us here are W.E.I.R.D

Posted by PJ under culture, science
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Western. Educated. Industrialized. Rich. Democratic.

Most of the people who read my blog are not rich by American or European standards, but compared with the rest of the world, even the poorest of us are not doing bad at all. We in the West are not typical of the globe, although we often think of our culture as mainstream while the rest of the world is about “their culture.”

This is a interesting article from mindhacks.com about this attitude and how often scientists draw global conclusions about human nature based solely on studying the Western version of it. Then again, sometimes the cultural bias swings both ways…

Interesting things to think about.

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