What objectivity and the study of philosophy require is not an “open mind”, but an active mind - a mind able and eagerly willing to examine ideas, but to examine them critically.
~Ayn Rand


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Not unexpectedly, seeing as I am a chemist, I have written about science quite a lot. Here are some recurring themes and opinions about science I have covered over 73 entries on this blog:

• Science is, first and foremost, a method.
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I am a man who cares very much about definitions. I would argue that many disagreements arise simply because the ones in disagreement are using different definitions of the words. I have shared my wish that words were more precise, that is, that they did not have such a wide range in meanings.[1] If words have fewer meanings, there is less chance ( Read more... )

Well, that took long enough....

If any of you were around for my 1,000-entry milestone (back in November of 2006[1]), you will know that I always go back and summarize entries periodically. I do this mostly for myself, as it helps me recall what I've talked about and let's me see how my thoughts have evolved over time, etc. And if you are curious ( Read more... )

I have never had any interest in taking a Meyers-Briggs test. I don't like to be categorized, but more than that, in my past experience, every time I have ever taken any such personality test, I have come up in the middle. I have described this before as being "abnormally average".[1]But, this last week, I was convinced by my friend, J.M., to take ( Read more... )

I think that I have noticed that different people treat the demonstrative "this" differently in regards to the days of a given week - or else I am the only oddball out there. So to test this idea...,

( ...a poll )

I'm actually really excited for May 21st. I think I may even tune in to Family Radio on that day.

I can't wait to hear what Camping says at 6:00 PM.

That is all....

My third ever entry on this blog had to do (in part) with René Descartes and his famous Cogito, ergo sum.[1] I have referred back to that entry many times in discussions here about epistemology, how my belief in my own existence is (after believing in logic) the second most secure of all my beliefs.[2]While I highly respect Descartes - he's the ( Read more... )

a short(er) entry for a change...

One of my earliest entries was on a pet-peeve or "anti-favorite" of mine - the commonly taught error that we have five senses,[1] when all of us have (at least) six - the sixth being balance/spatial orientation, not an ability to see dead people.

If you have ever watched a science-fiction/fantasy movie, you have ( Read more... )

I am an excellent (written) test-taker. I am good at educated guessing. I am (or used to be at least) also really good at memorizing. I educated-guessed my way through the final exam of a biology course for which I had skipped almost all the classes to score a B. I could stay up the night (or two nights in a row) before an organic chemistry exam ( Read more... )