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Category Archives: medical research
Why should the health care debate be any different?
An analysis published by LiveScience shows that the “Health Care Debate Based on Lack of Logic.” Should this be a surprise? Nearly every political debate is rife with faulty logic: working backwards from conclusions, ad hominems, credulous acceptance of outrageous … Continue reading
Posted in medical research, politics, science, urban legends
Tagged health care debate, logic
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Podcast #63 – Efficacy of Prayer
It’s the p-p-p-p-power of prayer! Or not. We look at several anecdotes that point toward the efficacy (or inefficacy) of intercessory prayer, including: The tragic cases of two teenage girls (one in TN, one in KY), both of whom suffered … Continue reading
Posted in children, christianity, commentary, evolution, medical research, movies, new age, news, podcast, religion, science
Tagged aletsch glacier, charles darwin, chase kear, cmi, creation ministries international, efficacy of prayer, emil kapaun, prayer, rain prayer, sonny perdue, transcendental meditation, voyage that shook the world
9 Comments
Peter Singer on healthcare rationing
I admit I’m not as read-up as I should be on the current healthcare controversy, but I’m always amused at people who cite the spectre of “rationing” in their opposition to any proposed public healthcare system. It’s undeniable that any … Continue reading
Posted in commentary, ethics, medical research, politics
Tagged bioethics, healthcare, peter singer, rationing
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The Strange Case of Francis Collins
The freethought bloggerati has been all atwitter for the last few weeks in response to President Obama’s appointment of Francis “Three Waterfalls” Collins to head the National Institutes of Health. Conservative pundits say we’re crying foul only because Collins is … Continue reading
Posted in christianity, commentary, medical research, politics, religion, science
Tagged francis collins, national institutes of health, nih, sam harris
1 Comment
Sam Harris on Francis Collins
Sam Harris contributed an op-ed to the New York Times over the weekend, in which he expresses the concerns of the freethought community and science advocates over President Obama’s naming of Francis Collins as head of the National Institutes of … Continue reading
Posted in christianity, commentary, medical research, news, politics, religion, science
Tagged francis collins, national institutes of health, nih, sam harris
5 Comments
What does Francis Collins mean for the NIH?
You may have heard the news that the president has named Francis “Three Waterfalls” Collins to head the National Institutes of Health. By all accounts Collins is a competent bureaucrat and respectable as a researcher (he was one of the … Continue reading
Posted in christianity, commentary, evolution, intelligent design, medical research, news, politics, religion, science
Tagged francis collins, national institutes of health, nih
6 Comments
Podcast #57 – Bruce M. Hood
We interview Bruce M. Hood, author of SuperSense, which theorizes a genetic predisposition toward religious belief, superstition, and other irrational behaviors (and that includes you, too, atheists!). Read John’s review of SuperSense, or buy your very own copy (highly recommended) … Continue reading
Posted in books, evolution, interviews, medical research, paranormal, podcast, religion, science, skepticism, superstitions
Tagged bruce m. hood, supersense
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It’s better to look scientific than BE scientific
Ever wonder why doctors wear white coats? I always thought it was for hygiene purposes and to save wear and tear on “real” clothes. Apparently it’s because doctors want to look all scientificky and therefore more authoritative (or trustworthy, if … Continue reading
Newsweek jumps on Oprah
Finally, somebody in the mainstream media is taking on Oprah Winfrey and her promotion of airy-fairy, New-Agey, homeopathic, nonsensical pseudo-science. You may have heard that Oprah is giving Jenny “Vaccines Cause Autism” McCarthy her own show. Anyway, Newsweek has just … Continue reading
Posted in alternative medicine, medical research, news, skepticism
Tagged autism, jenny mccarthy, oprah winfrey, vaccines
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Gran Torino, MD
I think I’ve figured out how they could pull off a sequel to the recent film Gran Torino: as the new movie opens, Clint Eastwood’s über-curmudgeon Walt Kowalski lies in intensive care, riddled with bullet holes but not dead. Grimacing, … Continue reading →