http://evolvingmind.info/blog/2009/09/religion-is-a-rotten-variable/ driven by curiosity, guided by rationality Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:23:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= http://evolvingmind.info/blog/2009/09/religion-is-a-rotten-variable/comment-page-1/#comment-15367 Prior Perceptions Blog » Blog Archive » HUMANIST SYMPOSIUM #43 Sat, 26 Sep 2009 22:16:25 +0000 http://evolvingmind.info/blog/2009/09/religion-is-a-rotten-variable/#comment-15367 [...] mean the same thing to a scientist and a creationist.  So The Evolving Mind says that Religion is a Rotten Variable; define your terms.  Our own prolific Philly Chief makes the same sort of connection pointing [...] [...] mean the same thing to a scientist and a creationist.  So The Evolving Mind says that Religion is a Rotten Variable; define your terms.  Our own prolific Philly Chief makes the same sort of connection pointing [...]

]]> http://evolvingmind.info/blog/2009/09/religion-is-a-rotten-variable/comment-page-1/#comment-15366 Andrew Bernardin Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:34:36 +0000 http://evolvingmind.info/blog/2009/09/religion-is-a-rotten-variable/#comment-15366 David - Excellent point. Many people, including myself, hold a set of values with some more liberal, others more conservative. Terms can be a short-cut to meaning. But you can't trust short-cuts when you are doing good science. Or are engaged in critical thinking. David -
Excellent point. Many people, including myself, hold a set of values with some more liberal, others more conservative. Terms can be a short-cut to meaning. But you can’t trust short-cuts when you are doing good science. Or are engaged in critical thinking.

]]> http://evolvingmind.info/blog/2009/09/religion-is-a-rotten-variable/comment-page-1/#comment-15365 David Evans Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:12:16 +0000 http://evolvingmind.info/blog/2009/09/religion-is-a-rotten-variable/#comment-15365 It seems to me that "liberal" and "conservative" are no less vague than "religious". In each case one would have to infer them from measured quantities such as churchgoing, choice of newspaper, party membership... Or of course responses to a questionnaire, which would have to be quite detailed. The simple question "how religious/liberal/conservative are you?" would hardly be enough. It seems to me that “liberal” and “conservative” are no less vague than “religious”. In each case one would have to infer them from measured quantities such as churchgoing, choice of newspaper, party membership… Or of course responses to a questionnaire, which would have to be quite detailed. The simple question “how religious/liberal/conservative are you?” would hardly be enough.

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