What are the odds against a Life Permitting Universe

There is a claim that forms an integral part of the Teleological Argument for the existence of God, an argument that claims the universe has clear signs of purpose. This claim is that a life-permitting universe is so unbelievably unlikely that no thinking person should be able to say it happened due to chance. The…

“Goldilocks” is not evidence

My Shadow to Light Watch series is beginning to bore even me. But Michael, the author at Shadow to Light never ceases to amaze and infuriate with his Trump-esque spout-nonsense-with-confidence-then-divert approach to “persuasion”. Today (or, about a month ago ― because scheduling weekly posts has its drawbacks) Michael put something new under the chopping block…

Life, Non-Life and Nature (Science has made a lot of progress)

Book Excerpt: To not know

Not knowing. We've all had the religious try to shoehorn in their preferred deity where science has had the humility to admit it doesn't know. The arrogance may even have struck and annoyed many of us. So, I thought it would earn a full place in my book, and here are the 3,000 words I've…

Grieving as an Atheist

I know I said my next few posts would be deep and bounce off of my last post where I tried to draw lines between the law, morality, rights and responsibilities. However, in a quick reply I think it might be nice to respond to a post called “Grieving as an Atheist”. This post has…

Turning Over a Less Argumentative Leaf

I am changing a perspective in my life. It is something I am consciously working on instead of having just woken up this morning with a brand new brain. With that in mind, its timing makes it look like a New Year’s resolution, but it’s not. I have a terrible habit of arguing with people,…

Getting Advice from My Dad

I have an odd relationship with my dad. I complain to him, and I share with him things I am not happy with in my life, which I'm sure most people do with their parents. I do that because he’s always been very good at understanding why I feel the way I do. He normally…

A Game of Many Realities: play along with me

If you go outside on a clear, crisp, cold night and look up at the sky you will see a few hundred stars. If you get out of the city, where the light pollution is less, you may even see a couple of thousand stars. Each star out there is, was, or will be a…