The Probe Probes the Broab

Brain science comedy!

Reading Response #3: Dualism

Here is the assignment for reading response #3:

Do you think dualism is a good theory of mind? Why or why not? In an approximately 500-word essay, explain and evaluate dualism. Be sure to discuss and evaluate criticisms for this theory. Furthermore, explain and defend your opinion of dualism. Don’t just explain what you believe; explain why you believe it, as well.

This assignment is worth 50 points (5% of your overall grade), and is due at the beginning of class on Wednesday, April 30th.

Course Evaluation

The course evaluation for this class is now open.  Here are instructions on how to do this:

1. Go to http://www.rowan.edu/selfservice
2. Click "Access Banner Services - Secure Area - login Required."
3. Enter User ID and PIN.
4. Click "Personal Information."
5. Click "Answer a Survey."
6. Click on one of the student evaluations for your classes.
7. Complete the student evaluation.
8. Click “Survey Complete” to submit your completed student evaluation.
9. Repeat for other classes.

It Pays to Believe?

Here are some links on Pascal's Wager:

• Links to several articles on the argument.
• Here's an audio interview on the argument and Pascal's entire work Pensées.
• NOTHING TO LOSE? Is there really not much to lose in this wager? This cartoon thinks otherwise.
• WHICH GOD? With so many religions out there, which God should we believe in? This cartoon dinosaur has the most practical solution.
• More on decision theory, the branch of math Pascal uses to argue that belief in God is a good bet.
• Some related entries in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: evidentialism vs. nonevidentialism, religious versions of nonevidentialism (or fideism), other pragmatic arguments for believing in god, and Pascal's other contributions to philosophy.

Ethics and Society Student Conference

The Philosophy and Religion Studies Club, the Phi Sigma Tau Chapter, and the Philosophy and Religion Studies Department at Rowan University are running the 1st Annual Ethics and Society Student Conference. Students will present papers on animal rights, business ethics, Nietzsche, ethics of war and social revolts, biomedical ethics and more!

The conference is on Friday, April 11, from 9:30-12:30 in room 127 of the Student Center.

Hear No Evil

If you like to get philosophical on the treadmill, try downloading and listening to these podcasts on the problem of suffering:

• Well-known contemporary philosopher (and ordained priest) Marilyn McCord Adams offers some insights into the problem of evil in this audio interview. (Download)
  
• The NPR program Fresh Air has an audio interview with Bart Ehrman on the problem of suffering. (Download)
  
• Here's even more audio from a few philosophers on the problem of suffering. (Download)
  
  

Sufferiness

Here's Stephen Colbert's take on evil:

Bad Things to Such Good People

Here are some links on the problem of suffering.

• This is a great introductory article on the problem of suffering.
• There is a collection of resources all about the problem of evil, including criticisms of several different responses to the problem. I mean, wow.
• I'd like to highlight one article in particular: a discussion of the "God works in mysterious ways" response: do we have enough evidence to believe that there is a reason for all the suffering in the world, but humans aren't smart enough to understand what that reason is?
• And here's a video talk on the humility response.
• Does everything happen for a reason? This cartoon dinosaur has an interesting take on that question. (T-Rex also occasionally wonders why bad things happen to nice people, and whether we're in the worst possible world.)

Random Comedy

As usual, The Onion nails it:

• "Realistic Announcer Shouting How Kevin Durant Making His Last 4 Shots Has No Bearing On Whether He Will Make Next Shot" (or does it?)
• "Cornell Drains Fun Out Of Cinderella Run By Explaining How On A Long Enough Timeline The Improbable Becomes Probable"

The Importance of Being Stochastic

Here is a bunch of links related to our natural tendency to misinterpret randomness as if it's an intentional pattern:

• Most of us are pretty bad at statistical reasoning.
• Here's a review of a decent book (The Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives) on this topic.
• What was that infinite monkey typewriter thing we were talking about in class? Someone recently tried it! Well, sort of.
• A radio show I love recently devoted an entire episode to probability.
  
• Another radio show I love ran a great 2-part series on the screening for diseases called "You Are Pre-Diseased".
• What's up with that recent recommendation that routine screenings for breast cancer should wait until your 50s rather than 40s? Math helps explain it.