Weekend Reading

I’m updating my LibraryThing catalogue one shelf at a time, so that won’t be done for a while yet. While taking a break I’ve also been doing some weekend reading.

Identity crisis Phillip Pullman and others on the problems of equating religion and identity. I’d argue that religion and identity were tightly connected in ancient times, but it would be nice to think the Enlightenment changed a few things.

Face to faith Nicholas Buxton argues that “Religion’s insight that human beings are essentially flawed gives it the edge over secularism.” Highlights, if that’s the right word, include gems like: “Faith has nothing to do with certainty: it is not a set of closed answers, but rather a series of open questions with which to engage.” So faith is represented but Buddhism and secularism by totalitarian regimes. Guess which one comes out ahead.

TAG 2005‘s webpage has been noted by Troels Myrup. I may see if I can raise a posse without committing myself to go.

Leibnizian Love worth linking to merely for the title, which I will steal if I possibly can for a section in my thesis. It’s a post about philosophical approaches to romantic relationships.

Bad Science continues to rock. What happens if a doctor gets to write an article in an alternative health issue of Time Out? There’s also an update on his MRSA adventure, reporting on his appearance in You and Yours on Radio 4. Except I’ve made a mistake there as I’m pretty certain you can’t appear on radio.

Why gymnastics should be banned at Philobiblion isn’t an issue I would usually think about. I don’t habitually watch 12 year old girls prancing around in slips. I think this puts forward a good argument that no-one really should.

Finally, the Warning Label Generator, found via Pharyngula and Amygdala looks useful, or at least I could pretend it’s useful.