Hone your philosophy skills, master how best to debate the moral argument, learn how to improve your own philosophy of life and moral reasoning skills. Take my online course on The Science & Philosophy of Morality this November! This is a good part of becoming a better philosopher, for your own worldview and for combating…
Mark’s Use of Paul’s Epistles
Many studies have argued the Gospel that came to be labeled “according to Mark” based some of its content on the Epistles of Paul. Here I’ll discuss this scholarship and its evidence. “Mark” is of course the earliest Gospel we have any surviving text or even any real evidence of. It was then used as…
Cristian Tolsa’s Review of The Scientist in the Early Roman Empire
Cristian Tolsa, an Osnabrück postdoc fellow, wrote a brief review of my book The Scientist in the Early Roman Empire that inspires me to clarify some things that I wonder at their getting wrong, getting wrong what’s actually in the book and what it actually says. Particularly as these mistakes parallel commonplace misunderstandings in the…
Did Jesus Exist? Craig Evans’ Post-Debate Analysis
I debated the historicity of Jesus with the renowned Christian scholar Craig Evans back in 2016, and later analyzed that debate. But I didn’t notice Evans’ own post-debate analysis in the Christian Research Journal, nor its republication online years later as “Mythicism and the Public Jesus of History” published in March of 2018 by the…
New Testament Studies for Everyone: Join This Quick & Valuable Course Online!
I erroneously advertised next month (October) as my course on Philosophy. So sorry! That’s actually coming this December (so stay tuned if that interests you). This coming month’s course is actually on New Testament Studies. Here’s the real scoop… Learn how to critically examine the Book that it sort of almost loosely isn’t based on….
Will AI Be Our Moses?
Last Friday the 13th I discussed the future of morality with Canadian philosopher Christopher DiCarlo. We advertised the subject with a double question: “Is Society Making Moral Progress and Can We Predict Where It’s Going?” The description was apt: Drs. DiCarlo and Carrier will discuss whether or not we can objectively know if societies are…
Yes, the Dark Ages Really Were a Thing
There is a trend to try and deny the Dark Ages ever existed; even to portray them as really lovely, light and wonderful ages of goodness and achievement. I’m exaggerating. But only a little. I’ve debunked this a lot. I have a whole category assigned to the subject. And I wrote a whole chapter on…
This Is How We Know Christianity Is a Delusion
In researching another article I came across an old piece by Mark McIntyre. On his blog Attempts at Honesty, back in 2011, he wrote a brief piece dismissing New Atheism with the argument that “their unbelief is not due to the lack of evidence but the suppression of it.” The fact that this is disturbingly…
Disarming the Motte and Bailey in Cultural Discourse
In aid and honor of my one-month online Critical Thinking Course that starts this weekend (Register Now!), I want to introduce you to a rhetorical (or indeed psychological) tactic that is found everywhere but you probably didn’t know someone had a name for it. I only just found out myself. And discovering its analysis was…
Speaking in Toronto!
Philosopher Christopher DiCarlo and I will be discussing “Is Society Making Moral Progress and Can We Predict Where It’s Going?” on Friday, September 13th, at the Toronto Public Library from 7-9pm. That’s, of course, Toronto, Canada. We’ll both be selling and signing books at the event, after audience Q&A. Sponsored by CFI Canada. Get your…
