Here is an excerpt from Terry Pratchett's discussion at The Guardian Book Club. Here he is asked to give his views on God. Its great that he starts with Carl Sagan and talks about the wonder in nature and of human beings. This clip is, as expected, quite funny and I love his punch line: "I'd rather be a rising ape than a fallen angel". Enjoy (its about 8 minutes long) (tip Jim Wald):
What is Irtiqa?
Irtiqa is Salman Hameed's blog. A few years ago (before Facebook killed many of the blogs), it used to track stories of science & religion, especially those related to Muslim societies. That is still one of its foci, but now it dovetails more of Salman's interests including film, astronomy, science fiction, and science outreach in both Pakistan and the US.
Irtiqa literally means evolution in Urdu. But it does not imply only biological evolution. Instead, it is an all encompassing word used for evolution of the universe, biological evolution, and also for biological/human development. While it has created confusion in debates over biological evolution in South Asia, it provides a nice integrative name for this blog. For further information, contact Salman Hameed.
The blog banner is designed by Muhammad Aurangzeb Ahmad. You can find all his creative endeavors at Orangie.
Salman Hameed
Salman is an astronomer and Associate Professor of Integrated Science & Humanities at Hampshire College, Massachusetts. Currently, he is working on understanding the rise of creationism in contemporary Islamic world and how Muslims view the relationship between science & religion. He is also working with historian Tracy Leavelle at Creighton University to analyze reconciliation efforts between astronomers and Native Hawaiians over telescopes on top of sacred Mauna Kea in Hawaii. He teaches “History and Philosophy of Science & Religion” with philosopher Laura Sizer, and “Science in the Islamic World”, both at Hampshire College. Salman and Laura Sizer are also responsible for the ongoing Hampshire College Lecture Series on Science & Religion, and you can find videos of all these lectures below. Contact information here.
LABELS
- Arab Spring
- art
- Astronomy
- Astronomy Pictures from Pakistan
- atheism
- beliefs of scientists
- Catholic Church and science
- creationism
- education
- education in muslim world
- ethics morality and science
- evolution
- faith and medicine
- film theater and television
- Friday Journal Club
- general
- history
- humor
- intelligent design
- Irtiqa Conversations
- Islam and Modernity
- islam and science
- Islamic Calendar
- islamic creationism
- Judaism and science
- media
- Muslims in Europe
- off topic
- Pakistan
- politics of science and religion
- posts by Nidhal Guessoum
- primates
- pseudoscience
- religion and environmentalism
- Religion and Health
- Religion and Technology
- Saturday Video
- science and Native religions
- science and religion books
- science fiction
- science in muslim world
- science of belief
- science of morality
- science religion and terrorism
- UFO religions
Blog Archive
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2009
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December
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- Is foreign education to blame for Nigeria bomber's...
- The Roots of Religion
- Terry Pratchett: "I'd rather be a rising ape than ...
- Magic and a toy cement mixer
- Off topic: A Punjabi Jingle Bell
- Blogging from Pakistan: Obama's blind spot in his ...
- Sorcery charges: Saudi Arabia boldly marches into ...
- Blogging from Pakistan: Fielding questions after p...
- Pakistani astronomers shine during the Internation...
- Flying through the known universe
- Hauser on universal moral grammar and morality in ...
- Blogging from Pakistan: Hoodbhoy counterpunches Alam
- Religion, a la carte for Americans
- Blogging from Pakistan: Atran on Afghan-Pakistan p...
- Hey - why steal fingers in the first place?
- In Pakistan for the next two weeks
- Is it good news that Maui is picked as the site fo...
- The media coverage of Harun Yahya
- The Alien-Abduction Lamp
- Saint Death in Mexico
- An interview with a suicide bomber
- Mauna Kea Observatories Update
- Exhibit: Migrations of the Mind
- "A Serious Man" and physics
- Vatican and Astrobiology
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December
(25)
1 comments:
"Einstein, and Spinoza, and me..." :)
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