4. What is your real name?
Ting-Yu Kuo
5. What is your "user" name?
Anita Kuo
6. What is your email address that you use for this class?
7. Name and address for your website.
Phil8 anita810224@
8. Have you done all the reading for the first three weeks?
unfortunately no
9. Have you watched each of the films that were required?
unfortunately no
10. Please place here all of the postings you have done for this class
Week One & Two
Cargo Cult Science by Richard Feynam
According to Cargo Cult Science, Feynman indicates that people tend to fail the science experiment by always missing the essential information. Whenever people are investigating the new theory, they always take credit from others that they use other peoples claim without testing it first themselves. With the uncertain claim, there will be a high possibility that one fail the experiment. Just as a valid argument, one has to have right premise in order to lead to the right conclusion. As the criminal punish system or educational system, people had assume many ways that will work with these systems, but it all seems to fail because they are missing the essential parts – there are various of people, they all have various characters, to use one fixed system on various people, I believe it will never work out perfectly.
The Pleasure of Finding Things Out by Richard Feynam
It’s a really interesting interview that from the beginning he talks about an argument he had it with his friend about how scientists usually cannot appreciate the beauty of an object since they always break things apart and analyze it; however, Feynman disagrees with him that he believes instead of passing over the beauty of every object, whenever scientists analyze it, science actually add beauty to an object because science makes people appreciate things not only from the appearance, but also from various dimensions. I also admire the way Feynman’s father educated him. One popular fallacy people have nowadays is that people believe they already know a great deal about the world from school. From the school, we may get in touch with different names from different subjects, such as the name of a mathematical method or the name of a scientific theory, but in fact we have no idea where or how the idea came from. Feynman’s father indicated this fallacy to Feynman that knowing the name of something do not mean you know anything about the actual thing.
Viruses of Mind
The author uses the idea of computers been infected by virus as a metaphor of human being been infected by religion. In human childhood, people tend to soak up all the culture of the people around them; however, infant is lacing the ability to differentiate right or wrong. Children believe whatever they been taught, and unable to abandon inaccurate information as adult. His idea can not only be use on religion, it can also be use on morality. I agree with him that children are prone to mental infection than adult that they are getting virus from parent versus adults are getting infection from all the media. For example, in the present day, we are receiving all the information from online, TV shoes, or movies that creates vanity among adults. People start to value money or things more than anything else. I will say this materialization is other type of infection as author uses religion as an example. But then who can determine what is the mental virus what is not? Who can decide religion is the virus or atheism is truly the best thing for human? I believe as long as one will not use any beliefs as an excuse to harm oneself or others, no one can say that one’s belief is a false one.
What is Cold Reading?
As I am an international student, I am really aware of how popular the fortune tellers are in China. We have a saying that says “It is always more preferable to believe its existence than to ignore it” that makes most of the people in China become superstitious, they believe in ghost, dream, prophet etc. I think as long as people believe in it, it will be easier for the fortune tellers to manipulate them. Just as my mom has had a fortune teller to predict my future. She predicts that If I get marry after 30 or so, I will be able to find a rich nice guy. This is a vague prediction. From the rational side, people are usually more mature as the age goes up, so they will have better ability to determine who the nice guy is. From the emotional side, people are usually more aware of their age when they get marry after they heard the prediction, and this will probably make the prediction comes true.
Clarity and Exact Thinking by Bertand Russell
I agree with Russell that I believe clarity and exact thinking are important qualities we have to maintain in our life. I remember when I was old enough to making most of the decision in my life; my father always accompanied me and gave me important exhortation. There is one question he always asks me: Do you know exactly what you are doing? When I stepped in to the world, I encountered various types of people. If I lost the clarity of my life, I would easily be influence by others. If I did not what I was doing, I would only drift around the others. Thanks to father, now whenever I feel lost in my life, I will just simply ask myself: Do you know what you are doing? It never failed after this question, it always change the whole thing or whole perspective around.
Week Three
The Himalayan Connection
This article starts out talking about the UFO that it is interesting to think that there were people releasing fake UFO video to mess up others people’s mind. Is it because they want other people to believe want they believe? Later on he talks about dreaming which people can get confused by the dream to the reality. For me, I believe dreaming is an action the reveals what people are really thinking. Dreams come from one’s own mind that I do not believe it will predict the future for one, but I believe people can analyze it because one cannot control one’s dream that it shows the true self or deep inside what one is really thinking. If one goes analyze the dream by doctor or others, it will probably tell the character of one that may seem amazing to he/ she, but in reality it might just be one telling the true self from one’s brain.
Should Skeptical Inquiry Be Applied to Religion? by Paul Kurtz
I think skepticism should definitely be applied to religion, as religion has dominated most of people’s life that why shouldn’t people give doubt about it? Personally, I believe it is people’s right to decide what they want to believe, it is people’s right to be blinded by faith. Even with many evidences prove that many concepts in the religion are wrong, people still keep faiths to it. They can only have faith since there are no grounds to support it. Then my question rises again: why can religion still be a foundation for many societies? It is people’s freedom to keep faith on something, it is my freedom to apply skepticism upon religion.
Filed guide to Critical Thinking by James Lett
Lett organizes a guide for people to diagnose the information we gained from contemporary world. Nowadays, we have many sources to get information such as online, media, TV shows etc. Once my political science professor had asked that nowadays students are able to get information or learn the course from online, then what is the point of student going to the school? Then he answers that the point the professor still exists is that it will be a chaos if one try to absorb all the information and determine what is right or wrong. When we at school, the function of professors are not only organizing the information for us, they teach us how to think critically. After we graduate, without the accompanying of the professors, it will be our obligation to determine our beliefs with the support of evidences.
Mysticism and Logic by Bertrand Russell
At first Russell consider the world as a whole and was divided by two impulses. One is through mysticism and other through science, then, he makes philosophy as a greater of two, as it is the combination of the both. I think that to believe only on mysticism and science only shows the narrow minded of people that they are not willing to be open up to any possibility in the world. To philosopher, they are open-minded and willing to believe anything can happen in the world. I think only with this concept that our knowledge of the world can be improved but not detain.
Intelligent Design by Ken Miller
Right when I watched the film I am confused by the term intelligent design. After he talks more and more, I realizes it is probably the term for anti-evolution that they believe the form of life should began with intelligent causes. I always think that when people gain knowledge from the world, it is their right to decide whether to believe it or not. When Miller describe how his book was label with sticker that is trying to prevent people from believing the evolution theory. It is always important about what to teach in all class in the United States. Instead of parents or schools tell the children what to believe, children should be educated with both sides of knowledge. With the full understanding of it, then it will be fair for anyone to determine their beliefs without biases.
11. Why does Richard Dawkins consider religion a virus of the mind? Do you agree or disagree.
Richard Dawkins believes religion is a virus of mind because he thinks religions has been passed down generations to generations from family. When a person was young, he/she had no ability to filter the knowledge they had been obtained. They were building faiths on religion, whether it has been proved or not. The worst part is that once they grew up, the faith was rooted deep in their hearts that they would willing to do whatever they consider as a devotion to fulfill their religious lives, no matter it was calamities to themselves or to the society. I agree with his idea that religion can sometimes be a virus to mind. Since I came from a Christian high school, I had encountered many people who can no longer keep
13. How does one do “science” according to Richard Feynman. Why is this form of science so important to human beings? How can such a view of science help enrich one’s appreciation for beauty? Be sure to give YOUR own example of Feynman’s point ( No “flowers” allowed)
For Richard Feynman, science is doubting and discovering. He is well taught by his father that when is learning, he is not only learning the name of an object but also deeper understanding of an object. This is so important human beings because science can help people to be more grateful about lives. Once people explore the world and try to gain the knowledge about the things they are lack of idea of, they are then able to see the beauty of things from inner dimension. For example, after I took anthropology class, I am amazed by the creation of human beings. I am able to appreciate more about human beings other then just praising from the appearances. I understand that one’s characteristic is varied from other because the genetic differences have great effects upon it. This genetic phenomenon creates the variety in the world and since we are able and willing to understand it, we then can be amazed about it and know how beautiful the world is!
14. Give your interpretation of the moive "Karma"
sorry, couldnt find the movie
15. Explain, in brief, Darwinian evolution and why John Maynard Smith's contribution is important in thinking differently about survival of the fittest.
Darwin evolution theory has a great contribution to human understand of lives. His theory – natural selection, survival of fittest states that the species who have more adaptable reproduce; those cannot suit the environment will become extinct or variation. John Maynard’s contribution is important because it gives deeper perspective of evolution theory. As his evolution game theory shows natural selection and survival of fittest are beneficial; it creates cooperative behavior among species that animal will know to avoid conflict and support offspring in order for them to survive. His idea of frequency dependent selection implies that the variation within species is important for survival, as common characteristic make it less chance for surviving but rare characteristic gives them more opportunities. Smith’s theories rethought the idea that only the strong survive in the environment. His theory now promoted the idea that animals in some biological way could indeed determine somewhat rational evolutionary behaviors that would prolong the species survival, and that it was the most “rational” members of the species that continued their existence – as opposed to traditionally the strongest members.
16. What are Freeman Dyson's views on the "design" of the universe or the purpose of humankind?
Freeman Dyson’s view on the design of the universe is that the universe is an extraordinary place which designed to be hospitable for existence. Everything has a purpose of existence that they have been place in the spot to accommodate one another. He talks about religion, as he cannot prove there is a God, though he also cannot prove there is not one so he simply accepts it, as he believes religion is not the purpose of life instead, it is like how human develops this form of civilization to adapt to society. He enlightens people to be open-minded all the time that he understands there are still many mysteries in the world but he believes everything have meaning to it. His ideas are founded upon the reality of how diverse and “luxurious” the universe and our world have been through evolutionary means. His ideas also advance many non-empirical views, especially when he promulgates the “Principal of Maximum Diversity.” This idea essentially promotes the viewpoint that the universe is built in such a way as to keep its inhabitants interested by its function and structure. He believes the purpose of mankind is to find these other life forms, or at least at a very minimum begin to research the possibility of life beyond earth.
17. What is the "secret" that Faqir Chand discovered about religion and its founders?
Faqir Chand first described the near death experience he encountered during the war that his guru appeared to him and gives him advice. With the guidance of his guru, he and his allies survived from the war. After the war, Faqir was worshipped by soldiers because they think Faqir had saved their lives. Faqir then wonder the authenticity of the guru as he realized whatever people worship will come in the time when people needed them to come. My interpretation is that people wish something can come in time to guide them what to do however, it simply just the function of our brain give us order. By his theory, there is no better being that people should follow the order, as those beings claim that they are able to connect to God and their words are God’s words since it just the words from our inner consciousness.
18. Explain the movie Seven and what is YOUR interpretation of it?
The film is about a young man who is murdered by the group eleven which thought he was Muslim since he occasionally wore a turban. The creator of the group, Samya Jones, whose father was killed in 911 terrorist attacks, the goal for the group is trying to get rid of the terrorist threats in the world that their first target is the Muslim.
I think the underlying message that the director is trying to convey is the dangerous for people to possess radical view. It is important for people to be open-minded that if people are unwillingly to accept or respect other people’s religion, opinion, or idea it might lead to disaster to the society as the movie shows. Also as the event on 9/11, radicals would do whatever they believed is right no matter it would harm people or not.
19. Why is distinguishing the message from the medium so important? Use the Da Free John article as your context.
Distinguishing the message from the medium is important because people tend to believe the things people said when that people did not even know what he/she was saying or believe the things people covered with pretty terms without even look into what that person is really saying. For example, in the church, the spiritual leader might claim a beautiful life by following God or by following the rule, when in fact he/she could not even fulfill the rules or reach such a state. By looking into what people are saying, we will be able to be wiser and know what we are really doing in life. Many times a spiritual message identified as sacred and holy may be delivered by an individual who, despite their intent on glorying the integrity and power of the message, may themselves be full of error and not so admirable qualities. Because of this, it is important for individuals to maintain an open mind when receiving an otherwise noble or honorable message from someone who may not otherwise exemplify the message in action.
20. What are Bertand Russell's reasons for NOT being a Christian?Do you agree or disagree with him? GIVE RATIONAL ARGUMENTS FOR your position
Bertand Russell states, in order for people to claim themselves as Christian, they must believe the existence of God and believe that Christ is the wisest man. Russell was raised up as a Christian; however, he became atheist, he does not believe that human can gain superlative wisdom from the bible which is the words of Jesus; he also does not believe that religion is the only reason which makes human become moral. In contemporary society, human’s value has changed, technology has improved that many values which considered rightful in the ancient world are unsuitable in the present. Due to the improvement of science and technology, human are able to use many devices to test and verify the existence of God. I agree with Bertand Russell that people should have doubt on the things they cannot prove otherwise people cannot claim that Christianity is their beliefs; instead it is just emotional attached on some concept. I also think religion cannot yield a higher moralities of life among human that many rules in the bible are actually old-fashioned in the contemporary world. Human is complicated animal that we change our value over time that biblical rules are inflexible toward matter sometimes it seems merciless.
21. Give a summary of Jim Lett’s field guide to critical thinking (in your own “300” word, no more). Don’t use quotes but write it like a letter to a friend explain how to think critically in light of Lett’s numerous point.
During James Lett’s teaching career, he has encounter many students who have problem with thinking critically, as the education system for students before college has only taught them what to think, whereas in college, most of courses require student think critically. Lett created a method with six main rules allows people to diagnose each claim they confront. The first rule is falsifiability which implies that every claim has a possibility to be proved wrong. If a claim is unwilling or unable to be proved then the claim is meaningless. Lett also describes two ways that can violate the rule of falsifiability. The first way is through the undeclared claim which only gives the vague information that is able to interpret any evidence that could agree with the claim. The second way is the use of multiple out that is making excuses for any evidence people came out with. The second rule is logic which means whenever people is coming up the argument to support the claim; the argument has to be valid. The valid argument can be test by the counterexample, and it will be a sound argument if it includes the right premises that lead to the right conclusion. The third rule is comprehensiveness which means people have to consider all evidences that exist. Lett points out this because many people had only considered the evidence that support their theory and abandon the evidences that contradict their ideas, whenever people try to point out the evidences for their claim. The fourth rule is honesty which means people are irrational that instead of believing many evidences which could prove the claim wrong, they tend to deceive themselves by the only coincidental evidence. Honesty simply advocates people to be honest with one and do not try to rationalize things which are obviously not correct. The fifth rule is replicability which means the evidence that support the claim cannot only be one time thing. This rule can avoid error that exists in the evidence. If this fraud exists in the evidence, the evidence becomes meaningless, it becomes coincidence. The Sixth rule is sufficiency which means people have to be aware that even if other have not yet find an evidence to disapprove the claim, it does not make the claim right. This rule is related or combining all five rules above that the claim with confirming evidence can classify as right, but the claim with evidence that is disconfirming cannot classify as a right one. People cannot establish the claim with disconfirming evidence in the reality. Lett suggests that with his six method people are able to diagnose any claim they encounter, as an adult in the world, we are responsible for our beliefs, it is our obligation to change the beliefs whenever it is lack of warrant evidence.
22. Why does Kurtz believe that skepticism should be applied to religion? Do you agree or diagree?
Kurtz believes scientific method should and can be apply to religion. He states “religion refers to a form of human behavior that can be investigated… it is used to refer to the transcendental, i.e., to that which transcends human experience or reason.” I think skepticism should definitely be applied to religion, as religion has dominated most of people’s life that why shouldn’t people give doubt about it? Personally, I believe it is people’s right to decide what they want to believe, it is people’s right to be blinded by faith. Even with many evidences prove that many concepts in the religion are wrong, people still keep faiths to it. They can only have faith since there are no grounds to support it. Then my question rises again: why can religion still be a foundation for many societies? It is people’s freedom to keep faith on something, it is my freedom to apply skepticism upon religion.
23. Why is pretext, text, and context important in analyzing a book or an argument. Provide your own example.
Pretext, text, and context are important in analyzing a book or an argument because it provides the messages of the book.
Pretext is an essential item that concluding the meaning of writers; it is the basic, the beginning or the essential parts of all literature. It provides people the main ideas of the book. Text is what the pretext extends to become. This is also important in a book because it provides all the detailed information. Context is also important because it establishes ties for everything. The function of the brain can be a great example as the brain can be the pretext, and the neurons in the brain can be pretext and body can be the context. The brain send out instructions to the neurons and the body will act out what neuron instructs.
24. What is a "transformative" UFO encounter and does the author of the Himalayan Connection really believe in UFOs as genuine extraterrestrials?
The connection between Himalaya and U.F.O is placed into three concepts: Translation, Transformation and Transfusion. The translation of the U.F.O experience from people’s consciousness to the reality is still requires scientific evidence to explain these paranormal events. The transformation of the U.F.O experience connects to a person’s own experience to the reality; however, it might be deception from that person’s consciousness. Transfusion is mixing of both translation and transformation; however, people are unable to explain this method. The people who experienced it may be classifying as he/she is under an illusion.
This article starts out talking about the UFO that it is interesting to think that there were people releasing fake UFO video to mess up others people’s mind. Is it because they want other people to believe want they believe? Later on he talks about dreaming which people can get confused by the dream to the reality. For me, I believe dreaming is an action the reveals what people are really thinking. Dreams come from one’s own mind that I do not believe it will predict the future for one, but I believe people can analyze it because one cannot control one’s dream that it shows the true self or deep inside what one is really thinking. If one goes analyze the dream by doctor or others, it will probably tell the character of one that may seem amazing to he/ she, but in reality it might just be one telling the true self from one’s brain.
25. How does one think more critically when using online sources?
Nowadays, people exchange enormous amount of information and thoughts through the internet. On the other hand, people go online to research and find information about things they are interested in, or things they want to know more about. Internet, where everyone has accessed to: information on the web might not be very reliable. People who go online to search whatever they are looking for should distinguish what is right and wrong from what they found on the web. In order to do so, they must first go with their common sense, if something they found online that might sound right, but does not make any sense, and then that information are not reliable. Also, due to the reason that everyone is able to post things online, the information is very disorder. For example, a student learned about evolution from class and he thinks he understands a great deal of it that he posts the concept online compare to a professor who majors in biology and posts the concept online, it is likely people will chose to look from the professor and his information seems more reliable. So with the enormous amount of information online, we should trust the one who is good at it.
26. What are Steven Weinberg's views on religion? Do you agree or disagree?
Steven Weinbery’s views on religion is that he thinks religion has created many problem which people have used the name of religion to justify their harmful act toward other, also, religion has hindered science from developing freely. Thus it interferes with civilization. I agree with Steven Weinberg that some religions did make human becomes narrow minded that they are unwillingly and unable to distinguish right or wrong; however, I believe religion did have certain influence on morality. I think religion itself gives people hope and relief whenever they encounter unbearable situation but if human use their prejudiced mind to interpret religion for their own benefits, it will create disaster in the world such as the suicide bomb. I think people should always be open-minded, in this way everything is able to co-exist with each other.
27. Why is Sam Harris an atheist? Explain his reasons. Can you argue against his views? If so, how?
Sam Harris is an atheist because he is unable to find evidences to support the view of religion; instead he finds evolution theory more agreeable to the formation of the world. He thinks science is supported by facts and religion is supported by blind faith. I do agree that without the evidence, the supporters of religion have no standpoint to advocate the beliefs to other. The only thing I will argue from him is that, the way he describe religion is like he already knew it was wrongful and the only way for blind people to wake up or be smart again is not to believe it. I think people should be open-minded; will it be cool if people can use science to prove their religion? I think that’s the way science and religion can co-exist with each other.
28. Of the first five installments of BEYOND BELIEF which speaker did you find most persuasive? Explain why.
I find Michael Sherman to be the most persuasive since he talks about views of both science and religion. As he says, the most important things are understand what your goals are. If you had set your goal in one way, and do the things the other way around it will only lead to failure. Also, I think for an argument to be persuasive, one has to present both side of stories. Michael Sherman did, and he let the audiences decide what they want to be.
29. Ken Miller argues against Michael Behe's notion of irreducible complexity and the notion of intelligent design in biology. Is he right? If so, explain. If not, give your reasons why not.
I agree with Ken Miller’s argument that he is opposed to Michael Behe’s notion of irreducible complexity which states that everything is related to one another if one thing is taking away from it, it will cause chaos; however, I believe science is complex enough that it is always improving that people are always able understand more about the world without the original matter is there or not.
30. In the conference BEYOND BELIEF, which speaker did you find to be the weakest in the terms of substance? Explain
I find Sam Harris to be the weakest. He is an atheist, he believe human can still do good things without religion. He believes religious people are not rational, they only hold with blind faith that they worship things that they do not even know if it is true. As I mentioned before, I think for an argument to be persuasive, one has to present both side of argument. If people only present one-side of argument, it will only show the bias of that person. It simply means he is lacking of evidences to support his argument, also he is lacking of evidences to prove other side of argument is not true.
31. What constitutes a scientific education according to Huxley?
According to Huxley, trial and error constitutes a scientific education. People should make science as a subject and apply it into every life. In this way people can fully understand things and it will be easier to learn it since people can actually understand what the things are the way they are. Since I came from Asia country where we tend to learn things by memorizing without understanding in the class, it was really hard and people tend to forget things right after the test. In America, we use scientific method to analyze what everything the way it is, we tend to remember it since understand the process of it.
32. Why is the book BELIEVER-SKEPTIC so critical of Ken Wilber and this thinking? Be specific in your ansers
The book BELIEVE-SKEPTIC is so critical of Ken Wilber and this thinking is because it was lacking of evidence to support the claim which makes it become biases. I think since he cannot support his claim he tends to exaggerate his thought. He does not present both side of truth that makes it as personal thought.
33. Give a review and an reaction to the three magazines that you read listed above.
Believer Skeptic/ It is an interesting article that talks about beliefs and skepticism as one should not believe one thing when it sounds pretty. People should analyze it. If people can find evidence to support it, it becomes reasonable to keep that beliefs and not just influence by other people.
Adventure in the Paranormal/ It is an interesting article that talks about the journey of testing / experiencing paranormal. The author experiences himself and sees if the religions people claim are accurate or not. It is an eye opener as to see the astrology part since so many people believe it whether they have noticed or not and the article shows the critical part of it which seems like a fake science.
Mysticism and Logic/ At first Russell consider the world as a whole and was divided by two impulse. One is through mysticism and other through science, then, he makes philosophy as greater of two, as it is the combination of the both. I think that to believe only on mysticism and science only shows the narrow minded of people that they are not willing to be open up to any possibility in the world. I think only with this concept that our knowledge of the world can be improved but not detain.
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