Friday 9 August 2013

Burnee links for Friday

Science education vs. high-profile ignorance | Ars Technica
Some say creationism in the UK isn't a problem, and that we don't need to worry about it. As for free creationist DVDs being distributed to British schools, "British school teachers are not stupid enough to uncritically accept these things." But what America has now, Britain often gets eventually. This is no time for complacency.

Science is not the Enemy of the Humanities | New Republic
Bask in Pinker's luminous prose, in defence of scientism.

Repudiating scientism, rather than surrendering to it » Pharyngula
In which PZ expresses his disappointment with Steven Pinker's essay on scientism.

100 of Britain and Ireland’s secular thinkers you should know about, who aren’t white men | The Heresy Club
This is a useful list — SitP organisers take note. (I'm reminded that all the speakers in the main hall on the final day of Winchester Science Festival were women. I'm also reminded that QED's list of speakers this year was satisfyingly diverse.)

National Secular Society - Woking Council issue 'clarification' on worshippers’ parking policy
Sounds like progress, but I'm wary. I'd like to see the criteria Woking Council are using to decide who gets free parking.