Science, Magic and Religion Videos

Professor Courtenay Raia, from UCLA, lectures on science and religion as historical phenomena that have developed over time. She examines the earlier mind-set before 1700 when into science fitted elements that came eventually to be thought as magical. The course also looks at how Western cosmologies became "disenchanted." Magical tradition transformed into modern mysticisms is also analysed as well as the political implications of these movements. Includes discussion regarding science in totalitarian settings as well as "big science" during the Cold War.

Science, Magic and Religion

Carnival of the Godless #133

Welcome to the 133th edition of the Carnival of the Godless, January 17, 2010. This edition is being hosted by Null Session. Please consider adding this blog to your blogroll, and follow Nullsession on Twitter.

Let me start off by saying how excited I am to be hosting this instalment of the CotG. This is more than a self-serving attempt to drive traffic to my website, this is an opportunity to share some articles from some excellent atheist blogs!

If you wish to submit an article for the next Carnival of the Godless then just click here.

Camels With Hammers

The main foci of Camels With Hammers are contemporary ethical paradigms, normative theories, moral psychology, secularism, Nietzsche interpretation, general philosophical education for non-specialists, commentary on politics and other current affairs from philosophical perspectives. Additionally, the blog is concerned with being part of the project of creating a constructive atheism which can be a force philosophically, culturally, and, where appropriate, politically. The blog also occasionally reviews and promotes independent film and music. Occasionally more mainstream music and films are of interest—but usually that’s when Tom Petty, Batman, or Spider-Man are involved in said music or films.

— I encourage non-specialists in philosophy to use this blog as a place to try their hand at serious philosophical debate, to seek clarification of obscure philosophical terms or concepts that are stumbling block to their participation, and all around to use this blog as a place to learn philosophy. Please read more of how I view the educational potential of the blog in this post I wrote on the subject.

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Good to see an unashamedly philosophical blog. Any others out there please let me know.

"Why I Write This Blog"

I write this blog because losing my religion was the best thing that ever happened to me, and I want to share that with people. When I finally got critical thinking, and really allowed myself to challenge everything I believed and loved, and hold it all to the same standards of reason and evidence - that’s when I really came alive as a person. I was finally willing to accept the universe, however it was, and live the best life I could here and now, in reality. That’s a wonderful thing, and when you encounter something wonderful you want to share it with people.

This is not me but Common Sense Atheism speaking.

I write this blog because I because I really enjoy this stuff. I enjoy the search for truth. I enjoy finding out where I’m wrong, or where I’m ignorant, or where I’m right. And I enjoy these topics, too. The questions of God and meaning and morality are some of the biggest questions one could ask, and it’s pretty epic to make some progress in finding the answers.

Read the whole post, and the comments.