David Halperin, “Intimate Alien”: UFOs, aliens, and religion (book review)

(P.S. Below is the English translation of the Dutch review that was published yesterday.) UFOs, unidentified flying objects – scientists usually ignore this subject. It is seen as the stuff of conspiracy thinkers, the mentally ill, or in short: the “UFO-crazies”. Nevertheless, in recent years books have been published that approach the subject in a … Lees meer

Gert Scobel: Der Ausweg aus dem Fliegenglas (book review)

Just today I finished reading a big German book, Gert Scobel’s Der Ausweg aus dem Fliegenglas: Wie wir Glauben und Vernunft in Einklang bringen können (Frankfurt a.M.: S. Fischer Verlag 2010, 462 pp.). It’s a book that I can warmly recommend, at least for those who are able to read German (the newly released paperback … Lees meer

Jerry Coyne and his empty vase

On his personal blog, evolutionary biologist Jerry Coyne has given his opinion of Thomas Nagel’s review of Plantinga’s book. To those familiar with Coyne’s rantings about everything religious, it will come as no surprise that Coyne has no respect for Nagel’s appeal to Plantinga’s position. However, if you read Nagel’s review and Coyne’s review of Nagel’s review, I hope you will notice that Coyne shows himself in his review to be no philosopher.

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Thomas Nagel on Plantinga’s book in New York Review of Books

Just a note to point visitors of my website to a wonderful review of the distinguished philosopher Thomas Nagel of Alvin Plantinga’s latest book Where the Conflict Really Lies in the New York Review of Books. It’s a review with a very interesting twist…

(Thanks to John Teske for sharing the link via IRASnet!)

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Small milestone…

For almost 5 years now I review in my free time new books in theology, theology and science, and philosophy for the Dutch library & schools system, NBD Biblion. I started in April 2007 and I am still very much enjoying it. Just for fun, I counted all my reviews up to today. And it … Lees meer