Comments on: +10 saving throw of skepticism! http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/08/25/10-saving-throw-of-skepticism/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:53:31 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Another Eric http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/08/25/10-saving-throw-of-skepticism/comment-page-1/#comment-208807 Another Eric Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:37:10 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/08/25/10-saving-throw-of-skepticism/#comment-208807 Hang on to that Rebecca Watson card - her stats are going to increase exponentially with time!!! Hang on to that Rebecca Watson card – her stats are going to increase exponentially with time!!!

]]> By: Scottynuke http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/08/25/10-saving-throw-of-skepticism/comment-page-1/#comment-208786 Scottynuke Wed, 26 Aug 2009 12:12:24 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/08/25/10-saving-throw-of-skepticism/#comment-208786 They seem to have forgotten Phil's +5 Vorpal Occam's Razor... Epic win, indeed! :-) They seem to have forgotten Phil’s +5 Vorpal Occam’s Razor…

Epic win, indeed!

:-)

]]> By: Naked Bunny with a Whip http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/08/25/10-saving-throw-of-skepticism/comment-page-1/#comment-208778 Naked Bunny with a Whip Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:24:09 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/08/25/10-saving-throw-of-skepticism/#comment-208778 It's okay, Phil. You'll always be my Zoidberg. It’s okay, Phil. You’ll always be my Zoidberg.

]]> By: Jack of Kent http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/08/25/10-saving-throw-of-skepticism/comment-page-1/#comment-208759 Jack of Kent Wed, 26 Aug 2009 07:09:37 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/08/25/10-saving-throw-of-skepticism/#comment-208759 I really apologise in advance if anyone is just left with my card. I fully appeciate the "Oh dear, I only have the Jack of Kent card, and so I have lost" moment which will come to you all. On the other hand, it is kinda pleasing that my card will be regularly set against some of the greatest skeptics in the world, even though I will crash-and-burn every time :-) At least the idea was mine (and so thereby are all the royalties), even if Crispian did not do a bad job in the execution ;-) I really apologise in advance if anyone is just left with my card.

I fully appeciate the “Oh dear, I only have the Jack of Kent card, and so I have lost” moment which will come to you all.

On the other hand, it is kinda pleasing that my card will be regularly set against some of the greatest skeptics in the world, even though I will crash-and-burn every time :-)

At least the idea was mine (and so thereby are all the royalties), even if Crispian did not do a bad job in the execution ;-)

]]> By: KC http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/08/25/10-saving-throw-of-skepticism/comment-page-1/#comment-208750 KC Wed, 26 Aug 2009 02:39:39 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/08/25/10-saving-throw-of-skepticism/#comment-208750 Zoinks! Go Velma! Woo! Zoinks! Go Velma! Woo!

]]> By: JediBear http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/08/25/10-saving-throw-of-skepticism/comment-page-1/#comment-208746 JediBear Wed, 26 Aug 2009 01:51:06 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/08/25/10-saving-throw-of-skepticism/#comment-208746 The position that censoring words because they are obscene is silly is itself silly since the only reason people use the words in that context is because they're obscene. Obscenity is silly. So is agreement in number. English is goofy. Deal with it. The position that censoring words because they are obscene is silly is itself silly since the only reason people use the words in that context is because they’re obscene.

Obscenity is silly. So is agreement in number. English is goofy. Deal with it.

]]> By: Rogue Medic http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/08/25/10-saving-throw-of-skepticism/comment-page-1/#comment-208742 Rogue Medic Wed, 26 Aug 2009 01:10:13 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/08/25/10-saving-throw-of-skepticism/#comment-208742 Love the cards. I am similarly puritanical in my use of words. I want parents to feel comfortable having children read my blog. I am not one to use Carlin's 7 words, other than in telling a joke, or quoting someone. Not because I am a prude. Far from it. I think that the language is rich enough that I can make my point with the rest of the words available. What is obscene is in the eye of the beholder. I'm pretty sure that Creationists would be much more happy with us using all of the words that ordinarily cause them discomfort, as long as we do not utter that most evil of words - <b>Evolution</b>. It would be nice to have cards that we could give to little kids to encourage an appreciation of what skeptics do, without the amusing comments that might discourage parents from sharing these with kids. Our concerns about censorship should be focused on the ideas contained in the message. Love the cards.

I am similarly puritanical in my use of words. I want parents to feel comfortable having children read my blog. I am not one to use Carlin’s 7 words, other than in telling a joke, or quoting someone. Not because I am a prude. Far from it. I think that the language is rich enough that I can make my point with the rest of the words available.

What is obscene is in the eye of the beholder. I’m pretty sure that Creationists would be much more happy with us using all of the words that ordinarily cause them discomfort, as long as we do not utter that most evil of words – Evolution.

It would be nice to have cards that we could give to little kids to encourage an appreciation of what skeptics do, without the amusing comments that might discourage parents from sharing these with kids.

Our concerns about censorship should be focused on the ideas contained in the message.

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