Friday 27 February 2009

Constructively so...

This webpage is slowly building up....
Recent 'humanist of soho' are: religion and atheist bus....
and see below for maze extract etc.

Thursday 26 February 2009

Dr Atomic

Recommend considering - ideally going along to - John Adams' Dr Atomic, at English National Opera. Some moving music - and thought provocations -....
Dr Atomic and trailer at: eno and batter my heart.

Thursday 19 February 2009

Who's relativist now?

Contrary to what is often said, humanists and atheists are not thereby relativists. Inflicting pain on someone for the sheer fun of it - against that individual's will - is wrong...full stop. For some cut and thrust, try a teeny extract from a recent BBC Radio 4: extract

Indeed, the guest religious believers seemed almost to accept moral relativism. I do my best, but my best is far from good enough - maybe even wrong.

Saturday 14 February 2009

At a slant to the universe...

Thus wrote E. M. Forster of C. P. Cavafy.

Forster was a splendid humanist - famous for his 'Only connect!'

He provided some good material for my Humanism - not least his
quip on receiving the Order of Merit, 'Had the Queen been a boy...'

Friday 13 February 2009

What's Wrong with Eating People?

Of course, the wrongness depends on the wine...

There are puzzles and paradoxes - from princesses to chasing bears to the absurdities of life - and why we should (or should not) care about Thug.

For extracts, see:

On the run and What will be will be.

Some topics at Food for Thought.

Thursday 12 February 2009

Absurdities - in Religion, Reason and Humanity

I am an atheist - so, I may be amused, disturbed, distressed even, by some elements of religion. Is it not absurd that some of those who believe in a loving God should yet seek to injure, even kill, those who believe in 'the wrong God' or no gods at all?

I am also aware, though, of the absurdities of our lives, even if non-believers. After all, incongruously, I enjoy religious choral music in chapel. After all, we all make use of words such as 'I' and 'self', yet do we have any clear concept of what a self is?

For more such thoughts, go to a short article on these absurdities: absurdities

Tuesday 10 February 2009

Can a Robot be Human?


These 33 puzzles fly us from starving Buridan's Ass, unable to choose, to Zeno's Tortoise who wins the race against the fastest runner in Athens. We also meet saints and sinners - and innocent murderers - and finally meet with an eternity that is the best that it gets.
For extracts:
Sympathy for the Devil and A Bale of Woe.