Monthly Archives: May 2011
Cauterizing Empathy
In my early twenties I worked in Madison, Wisconsin as an Emergency Room orderly (nowadays called a “technician”). On my off hours I volunteered as a medic for a local ambulance service and was skilled at CPR. So in the … Continue reading
Filed under Philosophy
Give Mormonism a Chance: Heaven & Hell
When positing any theory, it is important to test the theory on lots of different data sets. If the theory fails on a data set, it needs to be re-stated, thrown out or revised. And a useful technique to quickly discover … Continue reading
Filed under Philosophy
Why we Believe in god(s) — a review
Title: “Why we believe in god(s): A concise guide to the Science of Faith” Author: “Andy” Thompson Publisher: Pitchstone Publishing Date: 2011 Pages: 144 pgs (a tiny easy-to-read book) This is an index for my upcoming posts on Thompson’s book. I … Continue reading
Filed under Philosophy
Evolution cost me my job
The following is one of my many biography posts. I am recording them in part for my kids in the distant future. But I try to make them relevant to my blog. This one discusses my commitment to the teaching … Continue reading
My Gateway to Acupuncture
I had just arrived in Japan four weeks earlier from India and was on the first day of a new lucrative job–teaching English to IBM employees. I was ecstatic, for I had arrived in Japan poor with only a few … Continue reading
Filed under Philosophy
Gays: open-hearts vs. open-minds
What is more important — being open-minded or being open-hearted? What do you think — is Bible-belt Texas more dangerously bigoted against gays or liberal states? I thoroughly enjoyed this videod experiment which touches these questions.
Filed under Philosophy
Epistemology: Faith, Trust and Fox News
A new poll from Suffolk University shows which news sources are most trusted by Americans: Fox News 28% CNN 18% NBC 10% MSNBC 6% CBS 6% ABC 6% Let me start by noting that I don’t want … Continue reading
Filed under Philosophy
No Alpha-Dogs
We have three dogs in our family — all are rescue dogs (aka: “pound dogs”). Both my wife and I had dogs throughout our childhoods too. We love our dogs. But we both have naively believed the alpha-dog myths for … Continue reading
Filed under Philosophy
Homeopathy Success and Skepticism
I saw lots of patients get better with homeopathy. Rashes disappeared, aches and pains resolved, phobias improved and energy levels went up. I even treated an infertile couple and within 6 months, they conceived their first child which they named … Continue reading
Filed under Medicine
Confessions of an Acupuncturist
I am a former practitioner of Oriental Medicine. In Japan I ran my own clinic where I both prescribed herbal medicine and did acupuncture and moxa. This is an index post of my experiences and thoughts about Oriental Medicine … Continue reading
Filed under Medicine
Unexpected Meaning
This is a picture of one of my favorite T-shirts entitled: ”First Touch“. I have had this shirt for more than 12 years but she is unravelling so this is a going-away photo. I am actually shocked that over the … Continue reading
Filed under Philosophy
Delusional Myths about Poetry
I am tired of the many weird, false ideas about poetry. Mind you, I am a poetry ignoramus, but my stupidity has never stop me from pontificating before — so here I go. First, just like my posts on homeopathy, … Continue reading
Filed under Religion
Alternative Medicine is of the Devil
Alternative medicine is detested by many practitioners of Orthodox medicine. This has changed somewhat over the last 20 years. But here are two of my personal stories related to that distain. Alternative Medicine is of the Devil My first job … Continue reading
Filed under Medicine
My Homeopathy Credentials
To supplement my Homeopathy posts, I am giving this story of my Homeopathy background. During my seven years in Japan I became a nationally licensed acupuncturist and herbalist. I ran my own clinic in Kyoto while simultaneously apprenticing in several … Continue reading
Filed under Medicine, Philosophy
Medical Therapy Effectiveness
The chart below is not based on research — but instead, is my intuitive, personal estimates for dialogue purposes. Nonetheless, I feel that exposing my basic intuitions graphically can makes dialogue easier. Below the chart I will give a brief … Continue reading
Confessions of a Homeopath
I am a former Homeopath (Homeopathic medical practitioner – wiki). This is an index of posts where I will tell my story. Below are the planned titles of a few posts. As many of you know, writing is tough to … Continue reading
Filed under Medicine, Philosophy, Religion, Science
Getting It Right
Ever notice that the same people who need to get their theology right, need to get their politics right, need to get their lifestyle right, need to get their philosophy right ….. Ever sometimes wonder if living without the need … Continue reading
Filed under Philosophy
Religions and Drugs: Harm vs. Benefit
My son is going through the drug education program in his American elementary school called D.A.R.E. (wiki, govt). I dislike the way the class is taught and so I have recently supplemented my son’s education with this graph published in … Continue reading
Filed under Philosophy, Religion
Creativity & Entertainment
I recently heard a playwright describe her preference for theatre over movies in terms of creativity. She told how the audience watching a play must creatively participate much more fully to imagine the settings than does someone watching TV or … Continue reading
Filed under Philosophy
The Great Person Theory of History
While I was writing my post about the history of Darwin and the discovery of the solar nuclear furnace, I was reminded of one of my pet peeves: The Great Man Theory of History (wiki, also here). This theory claims that history should be … Continue reading
Filed under Philosophy, Science
Darwin’s Sorest Trouble
Darwin understood that his own theory demanded that the earth be hundreds of millions of years old. But due to limited physics of his day, scientists at that time calculated a very young age of the sun which made Darwin … Continue reading
E-T-ology Words
The above diagram is a learning tool for a friend who is beginning his study for the GREs. I use these words on my site occasionally and they have often confused me. Maybe putting them altogether will help some of … Continue reading
Filed under Philosophy
Peeing away your cash
Evidence piles up that the body and mind are inseparable. For we all know that you should NOT: Wait until you are hungry to buy food. Wait until you desire sex to plan protection. Wait until your bladder is empty … Continue reading
Filed under Philosophy
Religion Images: Results
Below I list the results of my previous poll of your images of the “the general function of religion”. These statistics, of course, tell us nothing about people in general, but only about visitors to the post. But this little … Continue reading
Filed under Philosophy
