25Aug 2020 by Post

C. S. Lewis and Critical Reactions to Transhumanism

Artificial Intelligence, Big Brother, biotechnology, C.S. Lewis, cognitive performance, Culture & Ethics, Francis Fukuyama, genetic engineering, George Bernard Shaw, Hava Tirosh-Samuelson, history, J. D. Bernal, J.B.S. Haldane, life-extension strategies, Olaf Stapledon, pharmaceutical enhancements, posthuman, regenerative medicine, Silicon Valley, Singularity University, That Hideous Strength, The Abolition of Man, transhumanism
I will briefly review two prominent voices in the opposition camp who reflect concerns at the heart of C. S. Lewis’s own case. Source
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24Aug 2020 by Post

C. S. Lewis, Science, and Science Fiction

Arthur C. Clarke, Back to Methuselah, C.H. Waddington, C.S. Lewis, Childhood’s End, Culture & Ethics, Darwinism, eugenics, Evolution, Francis Galton, George Bernard Shaw, H.G. Wells, J.B.S. Haldane, Olaf Stapledon, Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, Possible Worlds, Science & Ethics, science fiction, scientism, Star Maker, Tao, Technology, That Hideous Strength, The Abolition of Man, the Flesh and the Devil, The Shape of Things to Come, The Social Function of Science, The World
Was C. S. Lewis an enemy of science? The apparent answer to this question is no. Source
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18Aug 2020 by Post

The Main Argument of The Abolition of Man

Alec King, Aristotle, British schools, C.S. Lewis, Christianity, Culture & Ethics, debunking, England, English, Friedrich Nietzsche, Gaius, Hinduism, literature, Martin Ketley, Men without Chests, pedagogy, philosophy, Plato, propaganda, Saint Augustine, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, sublime, Tao, That Hideous Strength, The Abolition of Man, The Conditioners, The Control of Language, The Green Book, Thomas Traherne, thumos, Titius, upper forms, values, Wheaton College
Lewis foresees a class of men called “the Conditioners.” The Conditioners have “seen through” all attempts to ground behaviour in any ultimate truth. Source
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05May 2020 by Post

From Pfizer, Scientism and Self-Congratulation

art, authority, Brian Miller, C.S. Lewis, China, coronavirus, COVID-19, Creativity, Discovery Institute, Douglas Axe, economic collapse, entertainment, history, mask, medical science, Medicine, Michael Egnor, music, pandemic, Pfizer Inc., philosophy, Politics, religion, Rich Lowry, Robert J. Marks, scientism, social distancing, totem, Wesley Smith, worship, Wuhan
In the race to defeat the coronavirus, good fortune to Pfizer Inc., among others. The drug giant said last week “it will begin testing of its experimental vaccine in the U.S. as early as next week.” But this new ad from Pfizer goes over the top in its self-congratulation: They say: At a time when things are most uncertain, we turn to the most certain thing there is: Science. Science can overcome diseases, create cures, and yes, beat pandemics. Because when it’s faced with a new opponent, it doesn’t back down. It revs up, asking questions till it finds what it’s looking for. That’s the power of science. Well actually, that’s the power of creative ingenuity in general, a capacity unique to human beings, that is put to use in…
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22Apr 2020 by Post

How to Restore Science’s Lost Luster

Agnes Grudniewicz, arXiv, bioRxiv, C.S. Lewis, Charles Darwin: The Power of Place, Christian Reflections, Christos A. Ouzounis, consciousness, Cornell University, De Futilitate, Economics, EMBO Report, Evolution, evolutionary anthropology, Francis Bacon, high school, history, information ecosystem, integrity, Intelligent Design, J.P. Moreland, Janet Browne, Jay Richards, Jennifer Allen, journals, laymen, March for Science, morality, Nature (journal), pandemic, peer-review, philosophy, PLOS Biology, Politicians, predatory journals, quantum chromodynamics, Science Advances, Science and Scientism, scientific conferences, scientific meetings, scientific method, scientism, scientists, Stephen Meyer, Tom Coburn, universe, Wastebook, Westworld, World War II, X Club
Scientists used to be among the most trusted individuals in society. The white lab coat marked an individual who was highly trained, very intelligent, and ultimately credible. Changes in the last century have cast severe doubt on that picture — and scientific organizations sometimes admit it themselves. Some are very worried about loss of public trust in their “expert” opinions. They should be worried. In his book Science and Scientism, J.P. Moreland helps put scientists in their place, as did C.S. Lewis before him. Moreland loves science. He trusts much of what scientists say. But he demonstrates that scientism is not credible, because it refutes itself. Many important fields of inquiry, he writes, are off-limits to science, and to the extent scientists invade areas outside their domain, their opinions have…
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21Jan 2020 by Post

Science as a Jealous God — Free Weekend Conference in Seattle for College Students

Artificial Intelligence, Baylor University, Brian Miller, C.S. Lewis, Center for Science & Culture, Charles Darwin, coercion, colleges, conference, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Culture & Ethics, Darwinism, Discovery Institute, earth, ethics, Evolution, humankind, Intercollegiate Studies Institute, intimidation, jealous god, John West, National Review, natural world, science, scientism, Seattle, seminar, society, students, travel stipend, universities, values, Walter Bradley Center, Wesley J. Smith
Science, rather than opening minds and setting us free from drudgery, is increasingly a tool of coercion and intimidation. If you’re a college student, consider joining us at Discovery Institute on March 6-7 for a free weekend seminar, “Science, Scientism, and Society.” Scientism is a word that designates the impulse to turn science into a jealous god — not a method for exploring the natural world and responsibly harnessing its resources, but the exclusive source of knowledge about all things, including values and ethics.  More information and a simple online application are here. January 30 is the deadline to apply for this important, enlightening, and fun event, organized by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI) and held in Discovery Institute’s offices in Seattle. ISI will provide a travel stipend for students…
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