There were news reports indicating that an Oklahoma affiliate did this in March, when there was brief mention of human evolution.   Some claimed it was an accident.   There are now rumors (I don't have an internet link for this) that they did this again last night in Louisiana.   Can any Louisiana viewers confirm or…

According to some big names in linguistics and evolutionary biology (Hauser, Lewontin, Chomsky, etc.) not very much.   Two things to talk about here: 1.  The claims of the article, which I find very well argued for, but not (at least to me) very surprising. 2. Is it surprising to anyone that Mark Hauser is collaborating…

Should be working again!  Thanks for everyone's patience while we've been having problems with Typepad.

In a comment to the previous post on the Fermi Paradox, David Wallace wrote this terrific exposition of it.  I agree with almost everything he says, so I will save my own quibbles for a comment.  David writes: Just to clarify the force of the Fermi paradox (which is intended to rest on quantitative factors,…

Mark, 'tis 'Talk Liketh Shakespeare Day!' Then come, good fellows, and let us dream of dragons and finless fish, take but a moment and speak of clip-winged griffins and a ramping cat. The youth of England are on fire, and though men may sleep, some have knives with edges. Such words as his delight the…

Astronomers have found the first  Earth-sized planet located in the habitable zone of a star — the right distance away to host liquid water and possibly life.  Story here.  The system is only about 500 light years away.   This of course raises the issue of the Fermi paradox:  if there is even a tiny chance of intelligent…

PhilPapers will be moving to a partial subscription model.   Access to their resources from computers on campuses of institutions will be limited unless the institution pays for a subscription.   The features that go behind the paywall will be phased in over time.     Access to individuals from home will remain free. Details…

A story in the Britsh press about archaeological investigations in Rome that suggest the city is about 150 years oldler than its legendary foundation in 753 BCE reminds me of the apparent characteristic quality of early Rome, its openness to refugees, vagrants, and everyone in search of a new home.  At least this is the…

I wanted to write a post in response to Moontime Warrior's blog post (here) which begins with the following: Last term, I confided in a professor that I was struggling with anxiety attacks and depression. She seemed understanding. A few weeks after the class ended, I learned that she had brought the issue up at an informal departmental…

There are a number of, er, hairy stories over at the Daily Mousse worth checking out today.