Zephyr in the Zirconium

I have only just noticed that Richard Dawkins has a new book out – The God Delusion – a fundamentalist-baiting tome about Dawkins’ second-favourite theme, that of how religion is myth. I get weary just thinking that there are some people who will not accept even obvious truths such as the universe being a good deal older than 10,000 years – 45% of Americans think it is younger for some reason, but then people are people and people are generally stupid in the face of truth. I was reading about change blindness recently, which is where people will miss even huge changes in some situation or view. Experiments where the receptionist for those wishing to take part in some laboratory study was substituted while the subjects filled in the application form show how easy it is to fool almost everyone. We would all like to think that we would not be taken in but I am sure we would be. That is why the truth (and it is truth for anyone who might like to pick me up on that) of the universe must be defended against those who believe the literal accounts of some ancient text and on top of that believe that only their particular text is correct. What makes them so sure that their version of creation is the correct one, that only prayer connected to their particular religious outlook has any chance of working? It has struck me in this unstructured rant that will in no way stand up to even the most fuzzy intellectual grilling, is so obviously superior to the fundamentalist beliefs that are held by so many people. Little wonder that Dawkins sometimes feels like giving up on these arguments because debate legitimises the arguments in the proponents’ minds. I sometime feel like shouting “BECAUSE IT IS” at moments like these because that is the only basis for the wackier beliefs out there.

Deep breaths! Cognitive Therapy! Fainting at the desk!

Right! Back again. I found out something that Douglas Hofstadter did first. No prize for anyone who gets it. It was in 1995 if that’s any help.