An article in Nature earlier this year showed what many of us have also encountered in the classroom: reading violent Scripture makes violence seem acceptable to the reader. At least, in my experience, it makes readers who would in any other context deplore actions, instead approve and justify them because they are found in Scripture. I have not seen evidence that such people actually become more prone to violence. But they do at the very least learn the art of... Read more

PROVOST AND VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS Butler University, one of the nation’s leading master’s comprehensive universities, invites applications and nominations for the position of Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.A vibrant university, Butler offers students, faculty, staff and the broader community an array of stimulating intellectual opportunities and inspiring cultural activities. Butler is committed to providing personalized liberal and professional education to 3,900 undergraduate and 500 graduate students in five colleges (Liberal Arts & Sciences, Pharmacy & Health... Read more

The work of Francisco J. Ayala in both biology and theology is gaining significant attention around the blogosphere. William Dembski has offered a critical review of Ayala’s book Darwin’s Gift: To Science and Religion (which I also reviewed on my blog a while back). The Panda’s Thumb blog also has an entry on the book. Of course, neither Ayala’s work in biology nor his engagement with theology is new to the web or in general. Anyone who might simply read... Read more

I’ll bet that many young-earth creationists and proponents of intelligent design are kicking themselves for having been beaten to the punch by Dan Brown and having their own argument used against Christianity. If there is one feature that young-earth creationism and intelligent design have in common, it is that they must both posit a conspiracy to indoctrinate people and cover up the truth. That is the only way to explain why not only most people but most scientists in relevant... Read more

In response to a comment I left on William Dembski’s Uncommon Descent blog, someone made an allusion to the Biblical language of having a millstone around one’s neck. The reference, of course, is to Mark 9:42/Luke 17:2/Matthew 18:6, where it says “whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” Presumably... Read more

There is much more to be said about the new series Bionic Woman (which should, perhaps, be called “Bionic Women” in the plural, since it features two main characters who are bionically enhanced females). In the scene where Jamie and Will have sex, at one point she says “That’s not me”. We needn’t speculate as to what he was touching at that point. The deeper issue is whether replacing limbs, eyes, and other organs makes us “less us”. The classic,... Read more

I just finished watching the season premier of the new TV series on NBC, Bionic Woman. The title of this blog entry reflects the updating of the value of the original six million dollar woman to reflect inflation – plus me adding my “two cents” worth. We’ve had various series that treat machine intelligences and people with seemingly miraculously enhanced abilities, even if the explanation is pseudo-technological (such as Heroes and The 4400). This is the first major series since... Read more

In an earlier post I mentioned the intriguing interpretation of the phrase “Let us make humanity in our image” in Genesis 1:26 as God addressing the animals and saying, in effect, “Let’s collaborate and make something that is in the image of both the animal and God.” I got hold of a copy of Friedman’s Commentary on the Torah, to which Indulis Paics had attributed the interpretation, and failed to find it there. So until I hear otherwise, I will... Read more

I’m currently engaged in a discussion at the Uncommon Descent blog, on the subject of Intelligent Design and its status as science. I’ve decided to share one of my comments here, in the hope that it will stimulate further discussion of what I feel are important issues. The only other observation I will make is that the responses to my comments have been roughly parallel to those I experienced after posting on the Richard Dawkins forum. Internet forums are mere... Read more