Randal Rauser

To be (or believe) is to risk

Posted on 09/30/12 28 Comments

Over the last couple days Mr. Loftus has been providing his reliably ignorant commentary on what he calls “faith” over at his blog. I pointed out that it was ignorant and provided the simple definition of faith that I first explained and defended here: viz. assent to a proposition that is conceivably false. Adam Hazzard [...]

Synchronicity in Margaritaville

Posted on 09/30/12 5 Comments

One of my readers named Mark has commented several times on cases of synchronicity in which I end up blogging about something that links in some intriguing way to a particular issue occurring in his life. I’ve had my own cases of synchronicity and I’ve been sufficiently fascinated by the phenomenon that I’m writing a [...]

Is theology baloney? Reflections on the latest Sokal-styled hoax

Posted on 09/28/12 24 Comments

I an indebted to Ray Ingles for making me aware of this blog post which chronicles a clever Belgian philosopher’s appropriation of Alan Sokal’s modus operandi. (Sokal, you may recall, was a scientist who famously submitted a nonsensical article to the postmodern journal “Social Text” which passed peer review. He did so as a way [...]

Pedophilia and other unforgivable sins

Posted on 09/27/12 8 Comments

Over at Slate Magazine Jennifer Blayer published a really interesting article a few days ago called “How can we stop pedophiles?” I thought to myself “I really should blog about that. [...] But not today.” However, when I saw the same article republished in the National Post a day later I decided I would take [...]

Medicated shampoos that feed the head lice and evangelical curricula that feed the prejudice

Posted on 09/26/12 13 Comments

Imagine that you become aware of a medicated shampoo which is being marketed to combat head lice. Given the ubiquity of head lice in the community you take a real interest in the shampoo. If it can deliver on its claims you definitely want to promote its virtues. So you run an investigation. And much to your chagrin [...]

We are all apologists

Posted on 09/26/12 9 Comments

It is an unfortunate fact of history that the term “apologetics” is associated in particular with something that Christians do. The common assumption seems to be that apologetics is this unique Christian pastime as others look on in indignation and fascination from their decidedly non-apologetic perch. Needless to say it is not a noble pastime since [...]

It’s not easy being Osteen

Posted on 09/25/12 21 Comments

There’s an old joke about a chauffeur who drives a quantum physicist to an important speaking engagement. Just before they arrive the physicist says “Listen, I’m exhausted and still jeg-lagged. I simply must get some sleep. Why don’t we change outfits, and you can go up on the dais and read my lecture and I’ll [...]

God, miracles, and amazing Kentucky Blue

Posted on 09/23/12 54 Comments

It is an oft heard complaint against theism: belief in God undermines your ability to say anything else is improbable. Why? This is the way Adam Hazzard put it in response to my essay “The Resurrection of Jesus, 52 Pickup, and Prior Probabilities“: you assume the existence of an omnipotent, invisible, immaterial being who can [...]

Great movies and an Inspired Book

Posted on 09/21/12 56 Comments

Walter asked: “I am curious as to what would a defeater for divine inspiration look like to you?” And I replied: “Provide some reason to think that the problem of miscommunication arising from the sublety of the text could not plausibly be offset by the benefits gained from the subtlety of the text.” It would [...]

Cheesemakers, Canaanite dogs and the problem of biblical interpretation

Posted on 09/19/12 81 Comments

As you may recall, I spent this past weekend attempting to help John Loftus articulate the argument he seemed to hold, but with premises that remained stubbornly hidden from view. When he finally articulated a three-step argument, it seemed to me that the first proposition of the argument was actually conflating two distinct ideas. I [...]