Monthly Archives: December 2015

On the Wizard of Oz

Posted on December 31, 2015 by a1skeptic

Back in 2005, the University of Chicago economist Steven Levitt and New York Times journalist Stephen J. Dubner published a book called “Freakonomics.” The book has been described as attempt to meld together pop culture with economics. By 2009 it … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Politics, Religion | Tagged , | 2 Comments

On Cognitive Biases

Posted on December 30, 2015 by a1skeptic

Cognitive biases have fascinated me for a long time. Like cognitive dissonance. Eliot Aronson and Carol Tavris, in their brilliant book, “Mistakes Were Made (But not by Me),” demonstrate how cognitive biases can work in the context of a child … Continue reading →

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Philosophical Arguments about God

Posted on December 29, 2015 by a1skeptic

There are a number of philosophical arguments that have been made on behalf of the existence of God, and many of these arguments are, if nothing less, intellectually interesting. Some of them are even ostensibly persuasive. And I am, indeed, … Continue reading →

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On the Self-Help Movement

Posted on December 28, 2015 by a1skeptic

Closely related to New Age religions and New Thought religions are the self-help and human potential movements. None of these terms have, of course, precise definitions. The beginning of “self-help” has at times been traced all the way back to … Continue reading →

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On New Age Thinking

Posted on December 27, 2015 by a1skeptic

It’s not just Christians who engage in wishful thinking, in belief in an afterlife and the soul and that the children from Newtown are all in heaven. It’s also the hordes of people who now define themselves as “spiritual but … Continue reading →

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Why I am Not a Christian

Posted on December 26, 2015 by a1skeptic

Bertrand Russell wrote his famous essay, Why I am not a Christian, back in 1927 as part of a talk give to the National Secular Society in Great Britain. It was subsequently published as a pamphlet. I read it in … Continue reading →

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On the Historical Jesus

Posted on December 25, 2015 by a1skeptic

If we can agree that the Bible should not be taken literally, then the question arises, how should it be taken? And if you are among the multitudes who call yourself a Christian, what does that mean? What does it … Continue reading →

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On Biblical Literalism

Posted on December 24, 2015 by a1skeptic

Have you ever noticed that there has never been a massacre between atheists and agnostics. And no pantheist has ever gunned down a pandeist because of a theological dispute. That kind of behavior is reserved for people of religious passions, … Continue reading →

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Introduction to the Blog

Posted on December 23, 2015 by a1skeptic

State of Affairs One has to be careful when one says that our political situation now is worse now than it’s ever been, because some historian will drag out analogies with the founding fathers or how nasty our politics were … Continue reading →

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Will Trump’s kids look back in embarrassment at this?

Posted on December 16, 2015 by a1skeptic

Back on November 20, 2015, Barbara Walters interviewed Donald Trump’s four children on one of her 20/20 specials. The kids are Donald Jr., Ivanka,[1] Eric and Tiffany. Three of them are in the business with the Donald; the fourth is … Continue reading →

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