About Rationally Speaking


Rationally Speaking is a blog maintained by Prof. Massimo Pigliucci, a philosopher at the City University of New York. The blog reflects the Enlightenment figure Marquis de Condorcet's idea of what a public intellectual (yes, we know, that's such a bad word) ought to be: someone who devotes himself to "the tracking down of prejudices in the hiding places where priests, the schools, the government, and all long-established institutions had gathered and protected them." You're welcome. Please notice that the contents of this blog can be reprinted under the standard Creative Commons license.

Saturday, October 03, 2009

Massimo's picks

* The most ancient fossil intermediate between humans and other primates has been unveiled. It's spectacular, it's important. Now watch the creationists dismiss it without argument...

* Qualia Soup, a YouTube collection of really cool videos on critical thinking. A great resource for teachers.

* Stephen Colbert, in his inimitable style, takes on Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck. Oh boy.

* A delightful remix of Carl Sagan's videos, set to music (he sings!).

* What's the most significant document of the Enlightenment? Try the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom.

* Thomas Friedman on the disturbing parallels between today's political climate in the United States and Israel just before the assassination of Prime Minister Rabin.

* Did you celebrate blasphemy day this year?

* Incredible: a well done comic book (I mean, graphic novel) on the logicians' quest for a rational mathematics. It features Bertrand Russell as one of the heroes...

* A delightful compendium of failed prophecies about the end of the world.
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1 comment:

  1. Die AnywayOctober 05, 2009 1:40 PM

    Whew! Did you read the Virginia Statute? That was not easy. I almost needed a translator.
    I do appreciate that it says, in essence, that a man's religion or lack thereof should neither qualify nor disqualify him for office but I have to quibble with the very first line: "Whereas, Almighty God hath created the mind free;..."
    If the "whereas" is wrong, what is the logical stand of the rest of the document? Doesn't that make the whole thing false? Well maybe not. Just right for the wrong reason. :-)

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