Books
Books that I have written.
Media Appearances
Podcasts and Videos in which I have appeared or which I have created.
pyndamics3
Dynamical systems simulation in Python. Includes both continuous and stochastic simulation.
Stats for Everyone
An introductory stats book from a Bayesian perspective, including Python software.
I am a Scientist, Skeptic, and Professor at Bryant University. My goal is to make technical subject matters widely accessible and to use my analytical and computational skills to assist anyone with their science-related problems.
Blog
A few things about Carl Sagan
It's Carl Sagan day, so it is worth to pause for a moment to remember his contributions. I remember being motivated by him, and his Cosmos series. He always had …
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Bayesian thinking
I'm a big fan of Bayesian reasoning, and I like the idea of applying it to human intelligence. Usually it is in terms of failures of reasoning, compared with the …
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Great Science Ads!
Check out the pictures at the bottom of this science museum's site. And they have some nice 30 second videos!
I particularly like:
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Breaking news: Doctor hallucinates and is convinced that science is wrong
This article in Newsweek about a neurosurgeon named Eben Alexander who had a near-death experience, states that he is convinced that heaven actually exists, and that science is wrong about …
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Critical Thinking
A recent post on critical thinking from one of my favorite climate blogs. In a nutshell there is:
- Constantly check one’s views against evidence from the real world.
- Think …
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Naturalistic Bias? Presupposing Naturalism?
I've heard in a number of debates, especially on the historicity of the Resurrection (like the very interesting 6-parter between Robert M Price and Don Johnson), that the reason a …
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Aliens!
Here is an interesting attempt to make the Drake equation more accessible:
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20120821-how-many-alien-worlds-exist
I like the fact that they have the various standard assumptions …
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Statistics vs Probability
It's been a while since my last post, and I hope to get back into regularly posting, now that the semester is starting. I'm also testing out new posting tools …
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Presuppositionalist arguments
Introduction
If you want some entertainment in the form of logical gymnastics, go to this page on the proof of god. If you're impatient, here is one of the arguments …
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Lessons From Bayes' Rule
I was thinking of some of the not-so-mathematical lessons we learn from
Bayes' Rule. I'd like to include actual examples for each, and how it
maps onto the various pieces …
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Suppression of Ideas in Science
This is very typical of "science" that doesn't work. You get a group of devout people supporting it who claim that the scientific establishment is unfair …
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Free Will and Entropy
In Sam Harris’ talk on free will, we have the following comment:
“if we caught a serial killer, we’d assume his responsibility because of his ability to have chosen …
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On Being Wrong
I tell my students that I supremely hope that they have the experience of one of their cherished ideas shown to be wrong. I was recently confronted with a perception …
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Evolution and Rationality
Stephen Law vs Alvin Plantinga on the Unbelievable podcast on the topic of the "The Evolutionary Argument Against Naturalism".
Basic argument, from Wikipedia on Evolutionary argument against naturalism
I haven't …
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What is good in religion
I was asked recently if I thought there was anything good about religion. I felt it was an important enough question to give it a fair amount of thought. Coincidentally …
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Best quote in a while about global warming...
In the article Sixteen Concerned Scientists: No Need to Panic About Global Warming, physicist Ivar Giaever is quotes the American Physical Society policy on global warming: 'The evidence is incontrovertible …
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Bayes and Hiccups: Practical working solutions that no one seems to know
So I've been interested in Bayesian analysis for some time. It has a fascinating history, described in detail in "The theory that would not die" by McGrayne - a truly wonderful …
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Santa and other delusions
Given how I seem to support no delusions, how can I justify perpetuating the myth of Santa Claus with my kids (oldest nearing 10)? First, I have to say I …
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Einstein and the Motives of Scientists
I just got a [shout out from The Legal Watchdog, Michael Cicchini][] for a post I did on [dark matter and the speed of light][]. His response to my criticism …
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The Bible Foreshadows Scientific Discoveries?
Here is an interesting site ["The Bible Foreshadows Scientific Discoveries"][] where there are quotes from the Bible that supposedly pre-dated the actual scientific discoveries. It is interesting for the number …
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Closed to the supernatural?
I have often heard the charge that critics of the concept of God are simply closed to the possibility of a transcendent being, or of miracles, or of the supernatural …
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