Student assignments I’ve read this year seem to describe the conclusions of scholars as their “beliefs” about a subject much more frequently than I’ve noticed in the past. I wonder whether other professors have noticed something similar, and if so, how you respond to the use of such language. Personally, I think the appropriate language to use for what scholars offer is to speak of their conclusions. In some instances, of course, it may be that what we are presented even... Read more

Students of Gnosticism are bound to be familiar with Sethian, Valentinian, and a few other varieties of Gnosticism. But Colby Whittaker, a student at Duke University, has uncovered evidence of a neglected branch: the Seussian Gnostics. I couldn’t decide on an excerpt and didn’t want to reproduce the whole thing without permission. So you’ll just have to head over to the Duke Newt blog and read it. It is a delightful treat. I am already wondering when and how to work it... Read more

Apparently it is sometimes to be found in the vicinity of Buffalo, New York.(See the post on IO9 for the explanation). Read more

Bill Carraher has closed his well-known blog Archaeology of the Mediterranean World and begun a new one. He explains the reasons, including a discussion of the failure of those deciding on his tenure to show even the remotest interest in his blogging. All academic bloggers will probably want to read his post as we continue to reflect on blogging and the academy. Read more

Jerry Coyne has posted a response to Michael Behe’s recent article. The response is written by Jim Bull, an experimental evolutionary biologist at the University of Texas in Austin. The response manages to be appreciative of Behe’s scientific competence and yet also explain why the article is not a challenge to mainstream biology’s understanding of evolution. Read more

From Pithless Thoughts via Richard Hall. Read more

Steve Wiggins has a reflection on the quest for scientific evidence of the divine. I was particularly struck by the concluding sentence: Even if God is discovered and described in the laboratory…those standing outside will always believe, with Anselm, that there is an even bigger one somewhere out there. It is an interesting question both philosophically and theologically. If humans ever discovered proof of an entity that deserves to be called “divine” by all traditional standards of terminology, would the... Read more

Having recently mentioned the moral issues related to sentient programs and artificial intelligences, and the ways that science fiction provides opportunity to reflect on and explore such issues, I had an idea for a science fiction short story or one-off TV show on the topic. It imagines a future in which debates much like those relating to abortion in our time are taking place – but about the termination of intelligent programs. And in this future scenario, the roles are... Read more

Here’s another Romanian Christmas carol performed by Corul Madrigal: “Three Kings from the East.” Read more

Fox has reacted to speculation that its shifting of Fringe to Friday nights starting in January is a sign that the show’s death is near. Fox is suggesting that, on the contrary, this represents a freaky Fringe-style attempt at reanimation of Friday nights. Here’s the commercial (HT SF Signal): The truth is that a great many people record shows and watch them later, or watch them online, or download them via torrents, borrow them later on DVD from the library,... Read more