– Tom Uytterhoeven – (An expanded version of this review will be published, together with many more reviews and reports on recent developments in the field of science and religion, in the next issue of ESSSAT-News. See here for more info on ESSSAT-membership) Is scientism a word we need, and if so: for what purposes […]
Cooperation Against Racism
– Tom Uytterhoeven – Although I am not a scientist, I think this is a great experiment. It shows us what mechanisms lie beneath ugly features of human social living, like racism and gender discrimination. Moreover, it shows us how to decrease the prevalence of these features, at least in the case of racism. Let […]
Cultural Evolution and a Rubber Band
– Tom Uytterhoeven – I disagree with two points in this article on biological, cultural, and technological evolution: (1) it suggests that biological, cultural and technological evolution are separate processes, while I see them as deeply connected; (2) it suggests cultural evolution/history must be read as the emergence of different 'stages', leading to ever greater […]
Interview With Judith Rich Harris (The Nurture Assumption)
– Tom Uytterhoeven – I noticed this interview with Judith Rich Harris, who wrote The Nurture Assumption. Without endorsing her book as the whole truth, and nothing but the truth (here's a balanced review), I must admit I liked the book when I read it a few years ago (in the Dutch edition). More than […]
Prayers of the Dead – the Power of Culture
See on Scoop.it – Cultural evolution Culture Desk – Notes on arts and entertainment from the staff of The New Yorker. « Stephen Malkmus Tells It Slant · Main · Justin Bieber’s New Image ». January 24, 2014 … Tom Uytterhoeven‘s insight: This is a beautiful, touching story, not only because of the biographical details, but […]
Time to Retire The Simplicity of Nature vs. Nurture
See on Scoop.it – Cultural evolution Time to Retire The Simplicity of Nature vs. Nurture Wall Street Journal The question just doesn’t make sense. New theories of human evolution and culture have also undermined these distinctions. Tom Uytterhoeven‘s insight: "Culture is a biological phenomenon" (Pascal Boyer) – To many, this statement will sound rather reductionist. […]
A Theologian on a Science Conference?
– Tom Uytterhoeven – Someone tweeted this announcement for a workshop on human evolution. Whenever I notice something similar, I usually scramble for my calendar. But even before I check the dates to see if I could go, and certainly before I check whether my budget allows me to go, doubts start raising their ugly […]
Music Timeline: Cultural Resource or Ad for Google Play?
See on Scoop.it – Cultural evolution Google’s Music Timeline is one of the best visualizations of our cultural soundtrack’s evolution over the past 60 yrs http://t.co/u6PQiT09sL Tom Uytterhoeven‘s insight: "Our cultural soundtrack", the PR-talk says. And that’s true: music can really convey the spirit of a certain period. But when you check out this timeline, […]
Can “Spirit” Be a Verb?
Originally posted on liftthescreen:
Can “Spirit” be a Verb? I want to float an idea—the idea of “spirit.” The English word “spirit” is not very versatile. It’s almost exclusively used as a noun, most often referring to a supernatural power or presence, although we often speak as well of the human spirit. Once in…
Dreaming of a White Christmas on Different Levels of Reality
– Tom Uytterhoeven – It's that time of the year again when people start dreaming of (or dreading?) snow. Is it Christmas romanticism? Or just the memory of playing in the snow as a child? Maybe that's why the Calvin-makes-a-snowman cartoons are so popular… This video shows us different aspects of snow. That […]
Weekly Gardening 