Author Archives: thebookofworks

The Right Thing

Posted on September 18, 2018 by thebookofworks

People talk about morality a lot. Some say there are moral facts, others that moral codes are subjective and depend on culture. I have read the argument that human moral instincts are the product of evolution, or simply the collective … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith and Science | 2 Comments

How I spent my summer vacation

Posted on September 9, 2018 by thebookofworks

Hello to my readers, and welcome back to the Book of Works. It has been a long, sometimes relaxing and sometime productive summer. In July, I went to the ASA annual meeting near Boston, where I gave a talk and … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 15 Comments

Vacation

Posted on July 1, 2018 by thebookofworks

At this beginning of July, I want to take an opportunity to thank all those who read and comment on this blog. It has been a great three years, and I have learned a lot and enjoyed all the interactions … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Beyond the Gap

Posted on June 22, 2018 by thebookofworks

The phrase “God of the gaps” was invented by the 19th century theologian Henry Drummond. He was speaking of the things that science could not explain yet, and which, he said, some Christians treated as “gaps which they will fill … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith and Science | 3 Comments

Did a “Massive Genetic Study Reveal 90 Percent Of Earth’s Animals Appeared At The Same Time”? No, it didn’t.

Posted on June 9, 2018 by thebookofworks

The declaration in quotes is the title of an article in Tech Times reporting on a paper published in Human Evolution by Stoeckle and Thaler with the title Why should mitochondria define species? Not surprisingly, young earth creationists and others are … Continue reading →

Posted in Science | 8 Comments

Darwin’s Visit

Posted on May 28, 2018 by thebookofworks

The dentist did his best with my root canal, and I went home, took some pain killers, and fell asleep. I woke up still feeling drowsy, so I went out into the backyard for some fresh air. Sitting at the … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian faith, Humor, Science | 3 Comments

Intrinsic Biochemical Intelligence

Posted on May 9, 2018 by thebookofworks

Another rather interesting trait of slime molds and related organisms is that they are capable of rather impressive feats traditionally thought to be limited to “higher” animals. These include behaviors like problem-solving skills and the ability to learn. Amazingly, they … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith and Science, Science | 5 Comments

Darmarckian Evolution

Posted on April 26, 2018 by thebookofworks

When I first heard about epigenetics, I hated it. I still do, in fact, but I am slowly beginning to accept the fact that epigenetics is a fact. And it’s a terrible fact, like all facts that force one to … Continue reading →

Posted in Science | 16 Comments

God and Nature, Spring 2018

Posted on April 17, 2018 by thebookofworks

The first issue of the online magazine, God and Nature with yours truly as Editor-in-Chief has been released at this LINK. The focus topic is “Chance and Design” and it also includes an essay by me (sent in and approved … Continue reading →

Posted in God & Nature Magazine, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

The Tortoise and the Hare – The Rematch

Posted on March 27, 2018 by thebookofworks

The hare, having lost the most famous race in history, eventually gathered up his dignity and asked for a rematch. “This time I’ll be careful” he told himself. “I wont be overconfident, I wont get distracted, I wont let my … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Uncategorized | 3 Comments