Category: Science

Beauty is determined by both biology and culture

Science can't determine values, and this includes aesthetics, beauty.  But that doesn't mean science has nothing to say about beauty.  As this article at PolicyMic indicates, it can study what most of us see as beauty and explore the reasons why we see it as beautiful. The primary reason we are alive is to reproduce … Continue reading Beauty is determined by both biology and culture →

The theoretical preference for a timeless and eternal reality

Ethan Siegel has an excellent post up contemplating the various models of the timeline of the universe. It’s only human to ask the most fundamental of all questions: where did all this come from? And we like to think we know the answer; it all came from the beginning. But if you think about it … Continue reading The theoretical preference for a timeless and eternal reality →

Neil deGrasse Tyson is wrong to dismiss all of philosophy, but he may have a point on some of it

So, I reblogged Massimo Pigliucci's post responding to Tyson's remarks about philosophy, which appears to have generated some heated discussion.  After reading some of it, I realized that I have a few thoughts on this. First, I suspect Tyson's blanket dismissal of philosophy is simply the result of insularity.  I've noticed that philosophy's critics tend to be those … Continue reading Neil deGrasse Tyson is wrong to dismiss all of philosophy, but he may have a point on some of it →

Tegmark’s Mathematical Universe Hypothesis

I recently read Max Tegmark’s latest book, ‘Our Mathematical Universe‘, about his views on multiverses and the ultimate nature of reality.  This is the fourth and final post in a series on the concepts and views he covers in the book. The previous entries were: Tegmark’s Level I Multiverse: infinite space Tegmark’s Level II Multiverse: bubble universes … Continue reading Tegmark’s Mathematical Universe Hypothesis →

Tegmark’s Level III Multiverse: The many worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics

  I recently finished reading Max Tegmark’s latest book, ‘Our Mathematical Universe‘, about his views on multiverses and the ultimate nature of reality.  This is the third in a series of posts on the concepts and views he covers in the book.   The previous entries are: Tegmark’s Level I Multiverse: infinite space Tegmark’s Level II Multiverse: bubble universes Tegmark … Continue reading Tegmark’s Level III Multiverse: The many worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics →

Tegmark’s Level II Multiverse: bubble universes

I recently finished reading Max Tegmark’s latest book, ‘Our Mathematical Universe‘, about his views on multiverses and the ultimate nature of reality.  This is the second in a series of posts on the concepts and views he covers in the book.  Tegmark postulates four levels of multiverse.   In the first post of this series, I described Termark's Level I … Continue reading Tegmark’s Level II Multiverse: bubble universes →

Tegmark’s Level I Multiverse: infinite space

I've just finished reading Max Tegmark's latest book, 'Our Mathematical Universe', about his views on multiverses and the ultimate nature of reality.  This is the first in a series of posts that I plan to do on it.  Tegmark postulates four levels of multiverse.  This post is about the first, and simplest version, the Level I … Continue reading Tegmark’s Level I Multiverse: infinite space →

The value of history

Tom Chivers has a particularly misguided post up The Telegraph arguing that science is better than history.  Given how under siege many in the humanities feel themselves to be today, this post is unnecessarily adversarial.  Chivers does claim to recognize that history is a valuable endeavor (albeit limited in his view), but argues that if you … Continue reading The value of history →

The fine tuning “problem”

An interesting article byJonathan Borwein and David H. Bailey on why science needs philosophy. When renowned scientists now talk seriously about millions of multiverses, the old question “are we alone?” gets a whole new meaning. Our ever-expanding universe is incomprehensibly large – and its rate of growth is apparently accelerating – but if so it’s … Continue reading The fine tuning “problem” →