Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar is a delightful little book that generates the "a-ha!" moment of understanding philosophical concepts through jokes. The central premise of the book is that philosophy and jokes both "tease the mind in similar ways".
If we accept quantum mechanics as an accurate description of the world at the microscopic level, then we must translate its mathematical framework into an interpretation.
I've seen a lot of accounts on twitter, and instagram that write weekly book reviews, but they tend to focus on fiction. There are so many fascinating books on science and philosophy that expose mind-bending ideas and truths about our world, so I thought it would be a great idea to start writing some reviews of them!
Many Worlds theory is undeniably a serious academic field, yet most know very little about it other than that it claims there are more worlds than this one, and that it has something to do with quantum theory. I hope you will enjoy learning a bit about what this theory is and why it deserves to be taken seriously.
There is nothing in our current understanding of physics that demands the existence of some "immaterial" entity to explain the origin and nature of reality.
In my review of his book, I will argue that Atkins walks a thin line between established scientific fact and wild speculation, but that he does so in an engrossing and ultimately plausible way. He certainly doesn't establish that the universe can arise from nothing, but he convincingly argues that there's no reason why it couldn't.
In my review of his book, I will argue that Atkins walks a thin line between established scientific fact and wild speculation, but that he does so in an engrossing and ultimately plausible way. He certainly doesn't establish that the universe can arise from nothing, but he convincingly argues that there's no reason why it couldn't.
A painting requires a painter. A building requires a builder. Creation requires a creator. Order requires an orderer. "On an atheist's worldview" - the theist claims - "how can there be order in the universe? How can a random, unintelligent explosion produce an ordered universe?"
In the next few posts I will be discussing the argument in favour of design presented by Douglas Axe in this book. Will he be able to put some thought-provoking evidence on the table? Or will the book fail to make any convincing case at all?
I think that "atheism of the gaps" is a legitimate fallacy, but not one that atheists often make. I think this term has the annoying potential to be thrown incorrectly at atheists if it starts becoming mainstream.
The Platonic Realm 