Meta and Meta

Improbable Lameness

Richard Dawkins characterizes Steve Unwin's "Bayesian" argument for the existence of God as "quite agreeably funny."

Unwin responds by saying, "[Dawkins'] dismissal of Pascal's wager (which is that, given the uncertainty, one has everything to gain and nothing to lose by belief in God) is a stark indication of his commitment to certainty."

Right--it must be Dawkins' certainty. It couldn't be that Dawkins simply thinks PW is merely, you know, a very bad bet. (Of his own assessment Unwin is apparently certain--for he gives no indication he's considered the alternative.)

(Via Butterflies & Wheels.)

Clinton Hating: It's the Ressentiment, Stupid

Ezra Klein has a smart post on Clinton-haters' interminable sniping at Bill Clinton's post-presidency philanthropy. (The answer to Ezra's question, obviously, lies in the title of this post.)

Glad You Brought It Up

I think the whole game of comparing Clinton's and Bush's respective responses to the al-Qaeda threat is just so pointless. It's like comparing apples and O-rings: Clinton's response was competent; whereas Bush's, you know, wasn't.

"Talent"

Musical talent may be in your blood. But that doesn't mean it'll come out of your fingers.

Ethnic Outreach

A little more "ethnic outreach" like this by Republicans and we should be in good shape come November.

Being There

The common translation of Heidegger's term Dasein as "being there" brought to my mind the novel of the same name by Jerzy Kosinski. Were the two connected? The issue called for immediate Googling. As you might expect, the "answers" ranged roughly from "yes" to "no."

What I found interesting on reflection, though, is that my knee-jerk reaction with almost any question like this has become to Google. Whereas in the years B.G. (Before Google), I probably would have pondered the question independently, quite possibly never having the opportunity to consult any secondary source at all for an answer. But then for lack of the resources needed practicably to dispose of the orginal question, a new question would likely have presented itself in its stead, something like, "How Can Being There be read in light of Heidegger's thought?"

I'm sure Heidegger would have preferred the situation B.G. Then again, he was arguably an obscurantist.

They're All Just Asking For It

Majikthise documents a strange and fascinating catfight. (A picture is apparently worth 500 comments on some blogs.)

UPDATE: PZ Myers and Ezra Klein (via Brad Delong) lodge apt rejoinders. I've opted not to link to Althouse and the other "disingenues" who insist on pretending that their initial remarks about Feministing's tits were actually covert critiques of her hypocrisy (which apparently inheres in her having appeared (proudly!) in a photo with an obviously disreputable man like Bill Clinton--notwithstanding the dearth of like covert criticism in the case of folks like this). The object posts contain the relevant links, though, so you're free to click 'em there.

As Free as the Wind Blows

"In a deep metaphysical sense, I don't think free will exists. But we...can make choices, and that's real enough...."
--Peter Singer

Full of Grace

Dahlia Lithwick runs down the reasons Nancy Grace is perhaps the most odious personality on television.

However, Lithwick is oddly quick in discounting the possibility that Grace is (or should be) liable for Melinda Duckett's suicide. (Duckett shot herself after Grace mercilessly and repeatedly suggested in a videotaped interview that Duckett was implicated in the disappearance of her daughter.) Cf. Jenny Jones.

Open Texture

CNN anchor Tony Harris:

We have to take the president at his word when he says that the problem with Common Article 3, which prohibits outrages against personal dignity, is that it is unclear. And we can't have our interrogators trying to get information that we need to protect this country under a bit of language here that is this vague. We can do better than this.

This would be a fair argument--had President Bush ever demonstrated respect for univocality.

(Via TPM.)