Archive for August, 2007
turn me upside down
The Life of the Cosmos If we restrict ourselves to proposals which are falsifiable, what kind of explanations are available to us? In the history of science there have been two kinds of explanation which generally succeeded: explanations in terms of general principles; and explanations in terms of history. We are used to believing that […]
hail storm
There was a storm today with lots and lots of hail. I was very glad I decided not to go to the lab when it looked like rain.
chemical philosophy
Gravity’s Rainbow If you want the truth – I know I presume – you must look into the technology of these matters. Even into the hearts of certain molecules – it is they after all which dictate temperatures, pressures, rates of flow, costs, profits, the shapes of towers…. “You must ask two questions. First, what […]
LGBT activist tortured by Iraqi police
The White House says that our War on Terror in Iraq is “[e]ncouraging reconciliation and human rights.” Torturing an LGBT activist doesn’t sound like encouraging human rights. The police tried to get Hani to admit he was a member of our Iraqi LGBT group, but he refused to say so, which is when the torture […]
The Bridge of San Luis Rey
In 1714, “the finest bridge in all Peru” collapses and five people plunge to their deaths. Brother Juniper, a Franciscan missionary, decides to track down their individual stories to prove that even what seem to be random misfortunes are consistent with God’s plan. That his discoveries turn out to be more complex will come as […]
the cultural divide
Me: I do not want to live with her. She has no job and her English is poor. I would like to live with X unless you have a serious problem with her. Male, Chinese roommate: I will give you my decision in the morning. My roommate would never interpret his statement as at all […]
The real compassionate conservatives
Wyoming State Rep Dan Zwonitzer is a good and brave man. An excerpt from his speech in support of same-sex marriage: It is wrong for one segment of society to restrict rights and freedoms from another segment of society. I believe many of you have had this conversation with your children. And children have […]