Behind the scary headlines: Sustained scientific and social progress

Updated 14 April 2025

Life expectancy, 1770-2023; source: Our World in Data

First the bad news

Today there is no shortage of discouraging news headlines, among them (as of 21 Jan 2025):

A war in Ukraine that has dragged on for three years. A war in Gaza that raises questions about the long-term

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Is the cruelty in nature consistent with Judeo-Christian theism?

Is the cruelty in nature consistent with Judeo-Christian theism? Updated 14 January 2025 (c) 2025

Introduction

One aspect of nature in general and evolutionary theory in particular that gives many Judeo-Christian believers some pause is its reliance on forms of competition that in many cases we would consider cruel. Parasites often destroy their living hosts

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Aliens made this rock: The post-hoc probability fallacy in biology, finance and cosmology

Updated 1 February 2024

Space aliens made this rock

Extraterrestrial aliens made this rock

While out hiking, I found this rock. The following table gives measurements made on the rock. The first two rows give the overall length and width of the rock. Each of the next six rows, after the first two,

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Are there benefits to religious belief and participation?

Are there benefits to religious belief and participation? Updated 11 January 2025 (c) 2025

Introduction

Recently several books written by prominent authors have been published that attack religious belief as a pernicious delusion. The four most prominent authors are Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris and Christopher Hitchens, who collectively are often called the “new

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Are natural laws in conflict with Judeo-Christian theism?

Are natural laws in conflict with Judeo-Christian theism? Updated 14 January 2025 (c) 2025

Introduction

In the past few decades, modern science has uncovered a world that is far vaster and more awe-inspiring than ever imagined before, and has uncovered a set of elegant natural laws that govern the universe, deeply resonating with the notion

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The Failures of Mathematical Anti-Evolutionism

[The following is a copy of a book review, written by the present author, which appeared in the Reports of the National Center for Science Education.]

The Failures of Mathematical Anti-Evolutionism, Cambridge University Press, 2022, 292 pages. Reviewed by David H. Bailey

Although modern science has uncovered a universe that is far vaster and

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Are Noah’s ark and flood literal scientific facts?

Are Noah’s ark and flood literal scientific facts? Updated 14 January 2025 (c) 2025

Introduction

In Williamstown, Kentucky, a full-scale reproduction of Noah’s ark is now open to the public. Claimed to be the largest all-wood structure in the world, it is 155 m (510 ft) long, 26 m (85 ft) wide, and 16 m

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Does modern science repudiate miracles?

Does modern science repudiate miracles? Updated 14 January 2025 (c) 2025

Introduction

One common area of contention in the science-religion arena is the question of miracles. Creationist and intelligent design writers, among others, typically define miracles as contraventions of natural law and thus conclude that modern science is fundamentally at war with Bible-based religion. Kevin

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Is God a Great Deceiver? The central fallacy of creationist theology

Is God a Great Deceiver? The central fallacy of creationist theology Updated 14 January 2025 (c) 2025

Introduction

In the past few decades, modern science has uncovered a universe that is far vaster and more awe-inspiring than ever imagined before, together with a set of elegant natural laws that deeply resonate with the idea of

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Is the Bible inerrant?

Is the Bible inerrant? Updated 14 January 2025 (c) 2025

Introduction

The Bible is accepted as an inspired chronicle of mankind’s search for existence, meaning and moral guidance by virtually all Christian denominations and also by the Jewish faith, who read the Old Testament. Muslims also read portions of the Old Testament, although these are

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