Belief engine running amok

In the June 23, 2011 issue of Nature (available online only to subscribers), A. C. Grayling reviews Michael Shermer's new book, The Believing Brain (2011). He notes Shermer's double-barreled explanation for why humans are so ready and willing to believe things that aren't true:

One is the brain's readiness to perceive patterns even in random phenomena. The other is its readiness to nominate agency--intentional action--as the cause of natural events. Both explain belief-formation in general, not just religious or super naturalistic belief.
I've written about Michael Shermer before at this website, mentioning, as does Grayling, that Shermer "gives the names 'patternicity' and 'agenticity' to the brain's pattern-seeking and agency-attributing propensities . . ." Once these beliefs are somewhat established in one's mind, it's difficult to turn back, due to the confirmation bias, which blinds us to evidence contrary to our beliefs and makes evidence supporting our beliefs extra salient. [caption id="attachment_19088" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Image by Erich Vieth using Dreamstime Image by FourOaks with permission"][/caption] Shermer suggests that there is an evolution-based explanation for this over-eagerness to find patterns and to attribute agency, and it has to do with whether one should act quickly or not to the rustling in the bushes nearby, which might be a tiger. Grayling also points out that the belief in modern religions could not possibly be a hardwired phenomenon given that these "God-believing religions are very young in historical terms; they seem to have developed after and perhaps because of agriculture and associated settled urban life, and are therefore less than 10,000 years old."   There is thus no evidence for a "God-gene."

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Mars Rover Opportunity is still knocking

As reported by The Independent, the Mars rover called Opportunity is still up and running (unlike its companion rover, Spirit, which stopped sending signals last year). And there is still a lot to explore, including a huge crater at which Opportunity has just arrived. This is an incredible story and a laudable accomplishment for the many scientists who have worked behind the scenes. At least, it's a laudable story for those of us who still appreciate first-rate science. This inspiring story of the Mars rovers makes it all the more frustrating that every year the U.S. spends as much money air conditional soldiers' tents in Iraq and Afghanistan ($20 B), as it spends every year for the entire budget of NASA.

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The birth of Earth

Ever wonder how it must have looked as clouds of space dust combined to form the Earth. National Geographic offers this awesome animation: Also from National Geographic, here's a theory of how some species of animals, but not large dinosaurs, survived the the aftermath of an enormous asteroid crashing into Earth. And here is a theory regarding the formation of the moon.

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Noah’s plight and the world of Green Porno

According to the Bible, Noah was ordered to take one male and one female of each species. This part of loading the ark seems easy, at least conceptually.  Just gather up one male and one female of each of the many thousands of species of critters before beginning the journey.

7:2 Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female. 7:3 Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth.
But there is a problem: many critters don't mate in the "traditional" way, using one male and one female. Luckily, there's help on the way: a reenactment of the boarding of ark.  This delightful and informative "Green Porno" video features Isabella Rosellini.

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