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.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Massimo's Picks

by Massimo Pigliucci
* Bible written by multiple authors, study says. But study authors' still maintain it could have been god...
* Okay people, Nonsense on Stilts has now passed the 9,500 copies sold. Let's make an effort and go over 10,000, yes?
* Why experimental philosophy is the first but most certainly not the latter.
* A philosopher's take on ways to silence free speech in the self-professed best democracy in the world...
* Rationally Speaking's Lena Groeger on how environmentalists can reach a broader public.
* New Rationally Speaking podcast: Holden Karnofsky on evidence-based philanthropy.
* I'll be at DragonCon in Atlanta, September 2-5!
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6 comments:

  1. LaurenceJuly 10, 2011 2:39 PM

    I was pretty sad that I wasn't going to be able to make it to Dragon*Con this year, and now I'm even more sad that I won't be there now that I know that you're going to be there.

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  2. Baron PJuly 10, 2011 4:50 PM

    Nice article there about what some have called pseudo psychosophy.

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  3. GadflyJuly 10, 2011 10:57 PM

    The use of computers for analyzing biblical authorship isn't new. Already a number of years ago, the actual and the alleged letters by Paul were similarly crunched. The "Pastoral" letters of I/I Timothy and Titus fell well outside the "authentic" canon.

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  4. gralmJuly 11, 2011 3:10 PM

    Massimo:

    Are you going to be at TAM this year? I did not see your name in the speakers list.

    If you are not coming, it is too bad since last year your and Phil Plait's speeches were most interesting and important in my opinion.

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  5. UnknownJuly 11, 2011 3:39 PM

    Grisha, thanks for the kind words. No, I won't be at TAM this year. As a matter of fact, I rarely go to conferences... Still, I'll be at DragonCon!

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  6. ccbowersJuly 11, 2011 8:34 PM

    Although it is a related problem, I have to disagree that manipulation of the 'language' of discourse is equal to the silencing of free speech. They are really very different but perhaps related things. I'm surprised people haven't really railed against the manipulations of language by describing it as the dishonest manipulation it is (it is occasionally done but not consistently or strongly). Perhaps people are just numb to the rhetoric of politics, but this is a serious issue that needs to be in the public's consciousness.

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