As we said in one of our morning sections, when we read arguments about global warming, they will not be neutral. They're not supposed to be. They are judgements, conclusions reached after studying thefacts. As critical thinkers, we'relearning not only to make sound judgements and to offer sound judgement; we're also learning todetect sound judgements when we see them.
Below you'll find lots of positions and lots of links. You can't judge the soundness of these conclusions without checking out the links. Take you time. Comment more than once. Don't limit yourself just to these. Butread. You can't reach a conclusion without information.
On climate change, it's the Republicans versus reality
The Wonk Room at Think Progress has been taking a look at Republican Senate candidates on the issue of climate change, and it should come as no surprise that when it comes to Republicans and science, never the twain shall meet.
I introduced myself to a good many of you back in August on a pre-semester blog. Some, but not all. It seems like a good time to update that introduction. Here it is.
Okay — you found us. Good. Before you leave this blogsite, please use the comment section to register your presence. A simple “Hi” will do, although you’re free to say or ask — please ask — anything.
As I said earlier, sorry to miss you at preorientation. I look forward to meeting you all in a couple of weeks.
First, a brief biography, since you might have questions about who I am, especially since you had to sign that odd disclaimer, which we’ll be talking about later.
Education — let’s go backwards.
I’ve been teaching English at Erskine since the fall semester of 1976, right after I finished up my PhD at USC (Carolina, not California).
In the spring of 1973, I began my PhD program at Carolina.
In the fall of 1972 I was at Fort Sill, OK, learning how to shoot cannons.
From the fall of ’70 through the spring of ‘72, I worked on my Masters degree at USC.
From the fall of ’68 through the spring of ’70 I attended Wofford College. Graduated 1970.
From the fall of ’66 through the summer of ’68 I attended the US Air Force Academy in Colorado. I transferred after the summer of ‘68.
In 1966 I graduated from Spartanburg High School in Spartanburg SC. (Dorman, for any of you from that school, was built while I was at SHS.
Starburst: The remains of a supernova, as captured in a composite image by three NASA telescopes.
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The Biggest Bang Theory
A new type of supernova is forcing astronomers to rethink the lives of the biggest stars
When our sun comes to itsending in five billion years or so, it will fade into a quiescent white dwarf. Bigger stars go out with a bang—those with more than 10 times the mass of our sun col- lapse with enough vigor to spark a supernova, one of the most energetic events in the universe. For decades astronomers have suspected the existence of a type of stellar explosion that is big- ger still—a “pair-instability” supernova, with 100 times more energy than an ordinary supernova. In the past year two teams of astronomers have finally found it, redrawing in a stroke the limit of how big things can be in this universe of ours.
We have the benefit of 3000 years of civilization and its discoveries beyond what the authors of the Old Testament had. As you know since studying the last chapter, we even have different facts.
But don't look at that time as a time of ignorance -- it wasn't. For example, their understanding of the universe -- that is, the inferences they made from their observations -- were perfectly sound and logical, and they presented a satisfactory understanding at the time. We know more because we've had more time to observe and we've made instruments -- like the Hubble telescope and the scanning electron microscope -- to improve and extend our ability to make those observations.
Here is the picture of the universe of Genesis -- the understanding of the structure of the cosmos of the time. Given the tools available, this is a perfectly reasonable example of critical thinking.
Every Friday, "Science and the Sacred" features an essay from a guest voice in the science and religion dialogue. This week's guest entry was written by Denis O. Lamoureux, author of the books Evolutionary Creationand I Love Jesus and I Accept Evolution.
Shinobi Mystic claimed that evolution was a fact, a claim which we discussed. As usual -- and as it should -- the discussion raised questions. Here's a short video about the theory of evolution that may answer some of those questions -- and will, I hope, raise more. If it does raise questions, be sure to put them in the comments. Don't forget, you don't always have to have something to say in the comments -- you can always have something to ask.
Our solar origin video said that the collapse of the interstellar molecular cloud of gas and dust that became our solar system could have been initiated by a supernova. Evidence?
Supernova Shrapnel Found in Meteorite
This false-color image of Kepler's supernova remnant combines data taken in X-rays (Chandra X-ray Observatory), visible light (Hubble Space Telescope) and infrared radiation (Spitzer Space Telescope). University of Chicago cosmochemist Nicolas Dauphas and his colleagues have been analyzing meteorites for the microscopic remnants of a supernova that exploded approximately 4.5 billion years ago. (Credit: NASA/ESA/R. Sankrit and W. Blair (Johns Hopkins University))
ScienceDaily (Sep. 14, 2010) — Scientists have identified the microscopic shrapnel of a nearby star that exploded just before or during the birth of the solar system 4.5 billion years ago.
Faint traces of the supernova, found in a meteorite, account for the mysterious variations in the chemical fingerprint of chromium found from one planet and meteorite to another. University of Chicago cosmochemist Nicolas Dauphas and eight co-authors report their finding in the late Sept. 10, 2010 issue of the Astrophysical Journal.
Here's an essay in which the writer gives an analysis of what he perceives as a lack of critical thinking. In "Fact Free Living," he argues that a sizable portion of the US population is not living in reality. Read closely, see what you think, offer your 2¢ worth. Read carefully. Remember, your first reading is to make sure you understand what he is saying -- which includes looking up the words (or in some cases, clicking his links). Only then can you read critically, examining his ideas for validity. Then you can respond in support of or in opposition to his ideas. You don't have to try to deal with eg he says in your comment; you can focus on one or two ideas if you want.
As I lived through and observed the decade of the Aughts, a decade that will almost certainly go down as one of the worst in American history, I was constantly amazed at the growing inability of conservative Americans to grasp the basic truth of the events that were unfolding around them. I entered that decade as a rock-solid conservative and came out the other side quite more liberal, due mostly to the circumstances of what I saw in that FUBARed decade. As we enter the decade of the teens, it seems that not only has conservative America not faced the harsh realities of recent history, they have eagerly plunged headlong into the embrace of a delusional view of reality.
UPDATE: MSNBC cites "credible sources" as saying that there is no deal between the Florida church planning to burn Korans on the 9/11 anniversary and the imam of the New York City mosque.
BREAKING...
Terry Jones, the pastor at the Florida church that vowed to burn Korans on the anniversary of 9/11, says he has come to an agreement with the imam of the so-called "Ground Zero mosque" that will see him call off the Koran-burning in exchange for the New York City mosque being moved.
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