Author Archives: David Hume

Using the master’s tools….

Posted on February 12, 2011 by David Hume

I have a post up at Discover, The academy is liberal, deal!, where I confirm that yes, academics are liberal, and second, that there’s no profit in changing this situation. A conservative weblog, Kronology, responded: Khan–like many pat-myself-on-the-back liberals–assumes “conservatives … Continue reading →

Posted in culture | Tagged | 13 Comments

Remember the babes!

Posted on February 10, 2011 by David Hume

I’m old enough to remember the “babe revolution” of 2005. How’d that work out? I know that most of my contemporaries are closely following events in Egypt while I’m busy running genetic analyses. Today a friend started IMing me about … Continue reading →

Posted in culture | Tagged | 1 Comment

Secular Egyptian Muslims are like Christian Reconstructionists

Posted on February 3, 2011 by David Hume

At Discover I report some of the attitudes in Muslim nations in relation to particular crimes or infractions against social mores: Support for harsh punishments (affirm action)   Stone adulterers Whip & amputate hands of robbers Death penalty for apostates … Continue reading →

Posted in Religion | Tagged , | 9 Comments

Mormons, the communitarian conservatives?

Posted on February 2, 2011 by David Hume

From the Center-Left Jon Chait asserts: The entry of Jon Huntsman into the Republican primary field has created strong competition for what has to be a tiny number of Republican voters who want a nominee who’s both sane and Mormon…. … Continue reading →

Posted in politics | Tagged | 2 Comments

Jon Huntsman’s great joke

Posted on February 2, 2011 by David Hume

Jon Huntsman’s 2012 Campaign Conundrum: Huntsman was extremely reluctant to discuss his Mormon faith, perhaps recognizing the irreversible damage it did to Romney’s 2008 effort among conservative Christians. He took pains to prove his ecumenical credentials, as it were, by … Continue reading →

Posted in culture | Tagged | 10 Comments

Evolution and the culture wars

Posted on January 31, 2011 by David Hume

I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again: the Right has a similar elite vs. populist chasm as the Left when it comes to some non-economic issues. In this case it is evolution, where many elite conservatives have presumed … Continue reading →

Posted in culture | 40 Comments

They don’t have oil and nuclear weapons

Posted on January 28, 2011 by David Hume

A friend of mine asked what I thought about the protests in North Africa. I’m busy with some scientific issues and problems now, so I haven’t devoted much attention to them. All things equal I support a democratic government over … Continue reading →

Posted in culture | Tagged , | 15 Comments

The Jews did not invent modernity

Posted on January 19, 2011 by David Hume

Glenn Beck’s Jewish Problem: It’s become clear to me that the Fox commentator Glenn Beck has something of a Jewish problem. Actually, he has something of a modernity problem, and people with modernity problems tend to have problems with Jews, … Continue reading →

Posted in culture | Tagged | 22 Comments

Europe, the big five

Posted on January 15, 2011 by David Hume

The New York Times Magazine has a Europe-themed edition. I thought it would be interesting to look at the five big Western European nations in Google Data Explorer.

Posted in data | Tagged | 3 Comments

After the revolution

Posted on January 14, 2011 by David Hume

Here’s an interesting point in relation to Tunisia: …The protesters came together after circulating calls to rally over social networks like Facebook and Twitter. Many were unemployed college graduates, and they angrily demanded more jobs and denounced what they called … Continue reading →

Posted in politics | Tagged | 5 Comments