Scientists’ greatest pleasure comes from theories that derive the solution to some deep puzzle from a small set of simple principles in a surprising way. These explanations are called “beautiful” or “elegant”. Historical examples are Kepler’s explanation of complex planetary motions as simple ellipses, Bohr’s explanation of the periodic table of the elements in terms of electron shells, and Watson and Crick’s double helix. Einstein famously said that he did not need experimental confirmation of his general theory of relativity because it “was so beautiful it had to be true.”

via What Is Your Favorite Deep, Elegant, Or Beautiful Explanation? | 2012 Annual Question | Edge.

It’s hard to imagine these “machines,” these DNA replicators, these chromosome splitters, and their various working particle proteins, but with the help of the likes of Drew Berry, even a non-scientist can be inspired by the magical nature of reality.

The Clergy Project is a confidential online community for active and former clergy who do not hold supernatural beliefs.

The Clergy Project launched on March 21st, 2011.
Currently, the community’s 130 plus members use it to network and discuss what it’s like being an unbelieving leader in a religious community. The Clergy Project’s goal is to support members as they move beyond faith. Members freely discuss issues related to their transition from believer to unbeliever including:

• Wrestling with intellectual, ethical, philosophical and theological issues
• Coping with cognitive dissonance
• Addressing feelings of being stuck and fearing the future
• Looking for new careers
• Telling their families
• Sharing useful resources
• Living as a nonbeliever with religious spouses and family
• Using humor to soften the pain
• Finding a way out of the ministry
• Adjusting to life after the ministry

Barker’s book, “Losing Faith in Faith” is an interesting read on how one can carry on in faith when they possess none.

The thought experiment has to do with building your society from the ground up; which, naturally leads to possible challenges to your political orthodoxy.

Click here to read more…

​In a post entitled “The Book of Tebow,” Armstrong points out that Tebow’s 316 yards came as a result of ten completed passes — and “J,” for “John,” is the tenth letter of the alphabet.

He then applies this same code to Tebow statistics from earlier in the season. For instance, The Chosen One completed four passes for 79 yards against the San Diego Chargers in the season’s fifth game — numbers that call up Daniel (because “D” is the fourth letter) 7:9. It reads:

As I looked, thrones were placed and one that was ancient of days took his seat; his raiment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, its wheels were burning fire.

But there is more!  Click here to read on!

It’s hard to comprehend what that means for the universe considering there are 100′s of billions of galaxies, each containing a hundred billion stars or so.

Read more about this finding originally published in the science journal Nature on wired.com

Christopher Hitchens on the Myth of Jesus Christ

Romney’s defense?  State government is different that than the federal government.  Right on Romney.  Whatever you say.

It must be strange for Romney that he has to so ardently downplay what may be his greatest achievement as Governor of Massachusetts, 98% health coverage.

Two Featured Categories of posts will be added.  One is titled ‘The Bottom Line,’ and the other is titled, ’100 Things Every American Should Know’.

For ‘The Bottom Line’ posts, I intend on researching various topics, such as religion, abortion, global warming, etc., and try to take the reductionist, bottom line approach to the arguments.  It’s very likely that the bottom line will change over time as new data is collected, or as more valid arguments are presented.  The Bottom Line is not meant to be the last authority for all, just what is my conclusion on the topics based on the data at hand.  Much of the content in The Bottom Line will overlap with consistent ideas which will fall in line with an over-arching philosophy (yet to be completely defined) which is the greatest purpose of iHaveAtheory.com.

The ’100 Things Every American Should Know’ category will be my attempt at an eventual book, or collection of essays containing essential information that every literate American should know.  Ultimately, I would like to publish this set of essays in book form.

I invite you to come along for the ride.  As my father-in-law is fond of saying, “The more the merrier!”