Natebot
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In this YouTube video televangelist Ray Comfort and straight man sidekick Kirk Cameron (indeed yes, the same Kirk Cameron of the 1980's Growing Pains) explain that the humble banana offers proof that God designed the universe.

While the Argument from Banana has been throughly debunked in many places (here's a hint: most every fruit in the grocery, including those tasty yellow beauties, didn't start out that way in nature), how can anyone take you serious when you start off with "Behold!"? I mean the most hilarious about the whole thing is Mr.Comfort starts with "Behold!" Behold?! Who says that? He must be trying to bring that word back.

It immediately brought to mind the over-the-top Dr. Orpheus of Venture Bros, the hilariously biting cartoon and Natebot favorite from Adult Swim (If you don't get cable, Netflix has the DVDs or you can just watch for free with Joost. I can see him saying "Behold! The Atheist Nightmare!" Here's my best imitation:




But such ridiculous declaratives are par for the course in The Venture Bros. show, as demonstrated by the exchange by Orpheus and the dismissively cynical and speed-suit wearing Dr. Venture in a collection of snippet's we'll call "Science vs. Magic":

Labels: Religion, Science

I've sent off for a genetics testing kit to be part of the Genographic research by National Geographic. I first heard of this when Dr. Spencer Wells did an interview on our local PBS affiliate.

Basically they will look for particular genetic markers, haplogroups, and be able to trace what they call "deep ancestral history." I don't expect to find anything radical concerning my ancestors but I do think its an interesting gimmick to get people interested in the real subject matter: tracing genetic migration via indigenous peoples.

Why indigenous peoples? Because they are lived in one area for a very long time and have limited interbreeding with other genetic groups. So study of my genes won't yield the same interest.

However, some are taking exception to further genetic study of indigenous tribes with supposedly nearly every federally recognized tribe is refusing to participate. There is a gamut of reasons given, one being that indigenous peoples would lose all their special rights if it is found they are related to early humans on the African continent. I think the whole business about indigenous rights is a mess.

Labels: Science

Benedict Carey has a thought provoking article in last week's NYTimes about a cognitive phenomenon known as "magical thinking" in psychology.

There he notes that while anthropologists have been seeking out remote tribes to study weird rituals and superstitions, really they only have to turn to their neighbors. Especially so in Indianapolis the next week, where fervent fans hope to out-pray their counterparts in Chicago.

This sort of thinking starts early reports Carey, but quickly reality barges in:

Children exhibit a form of magical thinking by about 18 months, when they begin to create imaginary worlds while playing. By age 3, most know the difference between fantasy and reality, though they usually still believe (with adult encouragement) in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy. By age 8, and sometimes earlier, they have mostly pruned away these beliefs, and the line between magic and reality is about as clear to them as it is for adults.

Or phrasing it another way, most adults can distinguish between magic and reality about as well as an 8 year old. Cynical much? Well yes, but it helps explain things like witch burnings or local ministers burning 14-year olds D&D books because they believe they know the mind of a jealous white-haired man who lives above the clouds (somewhere I must have missed "do not play with polyhedral dice for they are an abomination" or "suffer not your children to pretend to vanquish the forces of evil for orcs and balrogs are previous unto me.")

Carey reports that some scientist ponder that if superstitious behaviors are products of the brain and they have not been weeded out by evolutionary behavior (for example, say you believed that your god Vulcan demands you should only eat hot coals. This kind of illogical and superstitious behavior would certainly put a damper on carrying on your genetic linage) then maybe it has found a purpose to serve and does some sort of good (for example, chanting a non-sense mantra gives you confidence to ace that interview.)

I wonder though if it is instead more like vestigial organ - lingering far after its usefulness has been surpassed. More of an appendix than a thumb. Like an appendix it is harmless but on occasion can be life threatening, and removing it is far from detrimental.

Yet, Carey points out:

This emerging portrait of magical thinking helps explain why people who fashion themselves skeptics cling to odd rituals that seem to make no sense, and how apparently harmless superstition may become disabling.

So even we skeptics have our appendix. Just another reason to keep the Rationality OS well oiled and running in the background of your hardware at all times even if it is a lot slower to react than your hardwired instincts.

Labels: philosophy, Religion, Science