Stephen Law

This is going to be brilliant. Book your tickets now. I am presenting. Book here: https://humanism.org.uk/civi/?page=CiviCRM&q=civicrm/event/info&page=CiviCRM&id=118&snippet=2 Science in the Media: Dodgy Science Reporting, Ghostbusting, and Doctor Who Hear about the science of Doctor Who from a scientist who is also a consultant to Doctor Who's scriptwriters, find out about the credibility (scientifically and otherwise) of ghosthunting TV programme from a former ghosthunter now turned ghostbuster, and discover just how much bullshit science reporting there really is in our national press. 12th December 2015 Conway Hall 25 Red Lion Square London WC1R 4RL Nearest tube: Holborn 10.30 Registration 11.00-12.00 Meet The Real Ghostbusters Hayley Stevens Welcome to the weird world of modern ghost hunting. A world inspired by reality paranormal TV shows where only the brave dare tread... but what is it that goes bump in the ...

Just heard the Archers by accident and was struck by the class stereotypes. It really is: 'The rich man in his castle, the poor man at his gate, HE made them high and lowly, and ordered their estate.' ('All Things Bright and Beautiful' - a hymn of poisonous lies from beginning to end). Of course, many middle classes now suppose it's not God that's responsible for the entrenched social hierarchy but Darwinian social selection selecting for intelligence: 'Middle class children have better genes' says former OFSTED head Chris Woodhead. What's the biggest obstacle to entering the prestigious middle class professions: sex, race, or class? Who would find it hardest to climb that greasy pole, a black middle class male, a white middle class female, a white working class male? I would guess class is the biggest obstacle. And unjustly so. Class-ism: the bigotry that's still largely unrecognised. If the The Archers were to pander to and entr...

SCIENTISM: here's the final paragraph of the chapter I just finished which will appear in Massimo Pigliucci and Maarten Boudry's forthcoming tome Science Unlimited . I have provided three illustrations of how the charge of scientism is made in a baseless and indeed irrelevant way against some critics of religious and/or supernatural beliefs. It is not difficult to find many more. In the hands of some - including many theologians - the charge of 'scientism!' has become a lazy, knee-jerk form of dismissal, much like the charge of ‘communism!’ used to be. It constitutes a form of rubbishing, allowing - in the minds of those making the charge - for criticisms to be casually brushed aside. No doubt some things really are beyond the ability of science, and perhaps even reason, to decide. But there's plenty that does lie within the remit of the scientific method, including many religious, supernatural, New Age, and other claims. However, because the mantra...

This is great. Life as journey is 'a dreadful hoax' … Thanks to Blakeley Nixon.