The Island of Doubt
An irregular exploration of the struggle between the power of rational discourse and the scientific method on one hand, and the forces of superstition and dogma on the other. Mostly regarding climate change, though.
Profile
James Hrynyshyn is a freelance science journalist based in western North Carolina, where he tries to put degrees in marine biology and journalism to good use.
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Recent Posts
- Obstacle No. 64 to dealing with climate change: The cult of celebrity
- The climate change boycott gambit
- Is the Earth even more sensitive to CO2 levels than we thought?
- Saving the whales is a dangerous business
- Silencing the climate deniers: A cautionary tale from LinkedIn
- Brit Hume: Televangelist and climate change pseudo-skeptic
- James Hansen says goodbye to "scientific reticence"
- You call that progress?
- Thanks for coming out
- Some helpful advice for skeptics and journalists
Recent Comments
- Nils Ross on Obstacle No. 64 to dealing with climate change: The cult of celebrity
- dhogaza on Obstacle No. 64 to dealing with climate change: The cult of celebrity
- dhogaza on Obstacle No. 64 to dealing with climate change: The cult of celebrity
- Marco on Obstacle No. 64 to dealing with climate change: The cult of celebrity
- Lance on Obstacle No. 64 to dealing with climate change: The cult of celebrity
- Howie Firth on Obstacle No. 64 to dealing with climate change: The cult of celebrity
- doug l on Obstacle No. 64 to dealing with climate change: The cult of celebrity
- MikeB on Obstacle No. 64 to dealing with climate change: The cult of celebrity
- Brer Fox on Obstacle No. 64 to dealing with climate change: The cult of celebrity
- Katharine on Obstacle No. 64 to dealing with climate change: The cult of celebrity
Archives
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
- July 2006
- June 2006
Other Doubtful Blogs
- Panda's Thumb
- Real Climate
- George Monbiot
- Chet Raymo
- Ben Goldacre
- James Annan
- John Fleck
- Kristine Harley
- DeSmogBlog
- Climate Progress
- Jennifer Oullette
Inspiration
The Demon-Haunted World:
Science as a Candle
in the Dark,
by Carl Sagan
(A
review)
The Doubter's Companion:
by John Ralston Saul (Excerpts)
Skeptic Magazine: www.skeptic.com
Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal: www.csicop.org
A poem by Yehuda Amichai:
The
Place
Where We Are Right
The Meaning of the
Island of Doubt
Author's site: cyamid.net
Penetrating so many secrets, we cease to believe in the unknowable. But there it sits nevertheless, calmly licking its chops.
--- H. L. Mencken
By doubting we come to inquiry; and through inquiry we perceive truth.
--- Peter Abelard
Undisguised clarity is easily mistaken for arrogance.
-- Richard Dawkins
As for evolution, it happened. Deal with it.
-- Michael Shermer.
"There is no need to sally forth, for it remains true that those things
which make us human are, curiously enough, always close at hand.
Resolve, then, that on this very ground, with small flags waving, and
tiny blasts of tinny trumpets, we have met the enemy, and not only may
he be ours, he may be us."
--Walt Kelly
By Date
- January 2010 (7)
- December 2009 (18)
- November 2009 (11)
- October 2009 (17)
- September 2009 (16)
- August 2009 (9)
- July 2009 (11)
- June 2009 (16)
- May 2009 (13)
- April 2009 (20)
- March 2009 (15)
- February 2009 (21)
- January 2009 (21)
- December 2008 (15)
- November 2008 (14)
- October 2008 (14)
- September 2008 (17)
- August 2008 (16)
- July 2008 (13)
- June 2008 (13)
- May 2008 (17)
- April 2008 (20)
- March 2008 (16)
- February 2008 (22)
- January 2008 (22)
- December 2007 (18)
- November 2007 (13)
- October 2007 (21)
- September 2007 (24)
- August 2007 (26)
- July 2007 (25)
- June 2007 (27)
- May 2007 (20)
- April 2007 (21)
- March 2007 (19)
- February 2007 (12)
- January 2007 (18)
- December 2006 (13)
- November 2006 (9)
- October 2006 (12)
- September 2006 (20)
- August 2006 (22)
- July 2006 (25)
- June 2006 (20)
By Category
- biology (11)
- cetacea (19)
- climate (391)
- ecology (18)
- Everything Marine (2)
- evolution (31)
- hard science (1)
- humor (20)
- medicine (12)
- misc (19)
- mix and match (2)
- philosophy (15)
- politics (58)
- pseudo-science (25)
- punditry (9)
- religiosity (55)
- Sci-culture (28)
- science culture (38)
- superstition (5)
- technology (28)