The latest issue of Skeptical Inquirer has an article by Paul Kurtz which is very strange. For a long time is has been commonly held that use of reason and science cannot produce ethics; so that no amount of fact-gathering can demonstrate the truth of statements like: It is good to do X or It [...]

I've read a few articles and blogs where an appeal to Catechism 2309 has been made as an explanation as to why (for example) the US President is the one who should make the prudential decision as to when a war should be undertaken. It seems to me that it is a mistake to think [...]

The popular-science blog The Loom has posted a confusing response to a not very clearly phrased poll on evolution recently conducted by the Gallup Poll organization. The poll, which the Gallup organization has been doing periodically for several decades, asked about 1000 people some questions on issues related to evolution. On one question, people were [...]

In a recent column George Weigel examines an intercessory prayer, and decides that he will not pray it, after analyzing what it seems to mean to him. The prayer is this:
“That all world leaders may put aside their political differences and work for true and lasting peace, let us pray to the Lord.”

Even after [...]

Robert Alter's latest translation of the Pentateuch into English, The Five Books of Moses, provides much of interest. I found his earlier book, The Art of Biblical Narrative, which examines the Bible with a strong literary and narrative eye, to be extremely illuminating, and greatly enlarged my perception of the Bible.
But his latest translation is [...]

On the blog Catholic and Enjoying It!, Mark Shea says (of Vatican 2):
The fact is, the Spirit called the Council, so it was the best thing that could have happened

which raises two questions: (1) Was the Council called by the Spirit? (2) And was it the best thing that could have happened?
(1) The first question [...]

The recent dating of some hominid remains (Homo floresiensis) in eastern Indonesia to 18,000 years ago has brought out some strange reactions, particularly that of Desmond Morris. He begins:
The discovery of a new species of human poses exciting questions about who we are.

But it is not clear why this should be. Exactly the same questions [...]