Posts Tagged ‘Richard Dawkins’

Wed 27 Jan 2010

Lalla Ward on Douglas, the Doctor and Dawkins

Posted by chris under Reasons to be Cheerful, scifi   — No Comments

The sun rose brightly today in the Doctor Whoniverse, as Lalla Ward appeared on this morning’s BBC Radio 4 program Midweek with Libby Purves.

The honorable Lady Ward appears to discuss her current exhibit of wildlife thread paintings in London, but she also gives us nerds some deliciously dorky anecdotes. To wit: Patrick Stewart‘s admonition not to waste her time doing television (least of all science fiction!), how Douglas Adams introduced her to current hubby Richard Dawkins, and how she still enjoys “seeing old friends” when she does Doctor Who audio dramas.

You can listen to the show by following this link to the Midweek show and podcast. Get there quickly, as the Beeb has a tendency to restrict access to their shows after a short shelf life.

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Thu 30 Apr 2009

FOX: Unlikely Haven for Reason?

Posted by chris under Atheism/Skepticism, Science, TV   — [1 Comment]

Bones poster

It may sound oxymoronic — but the FOX network has become a refuge for rational thought.

I must hasten to say that I’m referring to broadcast, prime-time FOX, not its idiot troglodyte child the Fox News Channel. Clearly there’s not much safe haven for reason on those windy airwaves.

But the daddy FOX network has an impressive track record of bringing unapologetically rational characters. Tonight I tuned into “Bones” and saw the main character scoff at the pseudo-scientific aspects of psychology, and to my pleasant surprise she wasn’t punished in the final act for her disbelief.

FOX also gives us Brian Griffin each week on “Family Guy” — Brian is a strident atheist; in one episode he even used Richard Dawkins’ “The God Delusion” to pick up a like-minded chick.

And of course, the best of the lot is House, M.D., who is my cuppa tea. Dr. House is actively hostile to religion, superstition and unclear thinking. His irritation with fuzzy thought makes him a hard pill to swallow for others, but the writers never steer him toward some warm and phony redemption… he can’t have his brilliance without his pain and anger.

The only show on the prime-time lineup that toys with science-phobia is “Fringe”, which I enjoy quite a bit. But it does have an undercurrent of “science can do unspeakable things” which is kind of a 1950′s approach to sci-fi.

But all in all, kudos to Rupert Murdoch for letting rationality occupy a tiny corner of his media empire.

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Thu 15 May 2003

Book Review: Unweaving the Rainbow

Posted by chris under Book Reviews, Science   — No Comments

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0618056734.01._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

Unweaving the Rainbow: Science, Delusion and the Appetite for Wonder

  • Author: Richard Dawkins
  • Year: 2000
  • Publisher: Mariner Books
  • ISBN: 0618056734

Unweaving the Rainbow takes it title from Keats, who used the phrase to criticize Newton’s dissection of visible light. Keats worried that science robs the world of wonder.

Dawkins eloquently puts Keats’ fears to rest. He argues, sensibly, that science increases the sense of wonder, rather than the other way around. How can you help but be awed by images from the Hubble, or from the mind-bending ideas of quantum physics?

After making a plea for artist to embrace technology, Dawkins turns to an argument against “bad poetic science”: by this he means the use of inapt extended metaphors to explain or formulate grand scientific ideas. To illustrate this, he veers into a long attack on Stephen Jay Gould and his hypotheses about the Cambrian fossil records. Yes, it gets a little obscure, but his point is well taken. Scientific metaphor and poetry should be built from facts, as opposed to metaphor and poetry building science. One must wonder about this grudge Dawkins seems to hold against Gould, though….

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Tue 25 Feb 2003

Book Review: Rocks of Ages

Posted by chris under Book Reviews, Religion, Science   — No Comments

Rock of Ages book jacket

Rocks of Ages : Science and Religion in the Fullness of Life

In this book, Stephen Jay Gould attempts to ameliorate the rift between science and religion by advocating the idea of “Non-overlapping magisteria”, or “NOMA.” In a nutshell, he argues that science need never conflict with religion, as each addresses a unique area of inquiry: science reviews the facts, religion reviews the less tangible longings of the “spirit” or “soul” (he uses these ideas somewhat secularly).

Now, I love SJG and his writings, but I just have to disagree with this approach. I agree with Richard Dawkins: religion regularly makes scientific claims, and therefore should be challenged by science, not “left alone” by it. Religion liberally “overlaps” with science, or attempts to.

There is only one body of “knowledge,” that which can be confirmed by reasonable analysis. Religion is not entitled to its own domain of logic, where it can reach conclusions based on miracles and faith rather than observable fact.

To sum up, I think SJG is valiantly trying to be diplomatic with the bible thumpers. Frankly, I don’t think they’re worthy of that much deference. They believe something stupid and dangerous.

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