Jottings on science, religion, technology, pop culture and faith from the Antipodes.
You are currently browsing the monthly archive for December 2005.
Was going to write something about Green Lantern: Rebirth, superhero origin stories and the Incarnation but it’s late, I’m tired and it’s almost Christmas Day and I need to go to bed so I’ll start tomorrow well.
So have a good Christmas and all the best for the New Year.
P.S. If you do want to read something on superheroes and Christmas then flip over to Planet Telex: Christmas Letter 05.
From the recent essay Metanexus Institute - Evolution and Intelligent Design by Sjoerd L. Bonting:
The basic fallacy of the ID proponents is that they fail to distinguish between the questions that can and should be answered by science (how-questions) and by theology (why-questions). If scientists would have to conclude that certain complex systems cannot have originated by a traditional evolutionary scenario, then it is up to them to find out how they did originate without appealing to a transcendent cause. Theologians must ask themselves why the Creator made these systems develop, regardless of the exact mechanism by which they arose. In a dialogue between scientists and theologians it will then be possible to reach a deeper and comprehensive understanding of their respective findings.
Some interesting comments in his two-worlds approach (science = “how”, religion = “why”) on deficiencies in the ID approach.
Article/interview with one of my favourite authors, Ursula Le Guin, at Guardian Unlimited Books | By genre | The magician.
Tonight’s dinner was interrupted when the spontaneous singing of “A Pukeko in a Ponga Tree” foundered on the eighth day of Christmas - seven eels a swimming and nine sacks of pipis but eight what? The answer of course is “Eight plants of puha”.
Now for those of you who don’t know what this is all about, back in 1981 Archdeacon Sir Kingi (Matu) Ihaka (Interpreter, Anglican priest, broadcaster, songwriter, Maori language commissioner) adapted the traditional Christmas song to have a more New Zealand feel to it.
You can get the full lyrics and mini biography of Kingi Ihaka at NZ Folk Song * A Pukeko in a Ponga Tree.
In the process of looking up the lyrics I came across Mama Lisa’s World Blog - “Conversations about the languages and cultures of the world, especially the songs and traditions of children”. If you go to this link you can get not only the lyrics to the Pukeko song but also notes on what some of the different things listed are. Currently the blog is listing Advent songs and poems from around the world.
Photos and other information about the said bird at Fish and Game New Zealand - Pukeko.
Especially as it would allow you to relocate critters to a better place. See Cool Tool: Bugzooka.
A very busy week last week and now time to ease into Christmas.
Had a nice birthday weekend with family and friends - Saturday morning at the Mainly Music Christmas gathering at church that Kim had organized, followed by walking through the last night of the ‘Drive-Thru Nativity’ at church that evening (that Kim also helped organize). We all walked so the kids could pat the sheep, calves and donkey and it was good - simple but good. Sunday spending time watching Mark at soccer coaching (IPDP - more info here), collecting bark for the garden and then having friends around for dinner.
Now we await the influx of my family, building to 19 staying here and at a friend’s for Christmas plus celebrating another birthday this week too. Easy after the past week or too (esp. For Kim who’s been the busiest).
These look cool. Anything to save 0.5 seconds in a day. 
Looking to get some insight into what transhumanism is? Have a look at JET 14(1) - April 2005 - Bostrom - A History of Transhumanist Thought. Nick Bostrom sketches an overview of transhumanism (from the point of view of a transhumanist) in a fairly easy to read paper. The final section is interesting too with Bostrom sketching what he sees as points of contact between bioconservatives and transhumanists. The bibliography is a good survey of the area too.
Bostrom, Nick. “A History of Transhumanist Thought.” Journal of Evolution and Technology 14, no. 1 (2005): 1-25. (HTML and PDF formats available at link above)
This paper traces the cultural and philosophical roots of transhumanist thought and describes some of the influences and contributions that led to the development of contemporary transhumanism.
Toi te Taiao: New Zealand’s Bioethics Council has their reports on xenotransplantion online now. From a quick skim through there’s some interesting stuff there, including the range of views that Christians have about humanity’s relationship with the biosphere. A useful resource if you want a sample of how different cultural and spiritual grouping in NZ respond to an issue like this.
Short piece about the desire to reconnect the body with the mind in computer technology. Some points in it that I’d feel need “fleshing” out some more (and today I’m writing up some virtual reality stuff in the thesis). Oh, and I’ve seen my kids playing the PS2 games mentioned in the article. My observation is that the younger ones do better than the older ones - maybe they’re more in touch with their bodies when dealing with technology.
Back in April I posted Greenflame: Xenotransplantation public dialogue - animal-to-human transplants and the Bioethics Council’s call for public input. Some of their recommendations to the Government on that subject can be read at NZ Herald - Animal transplants into humans given go ahead - 13 Dec 2005 - National News.
If you are ambivalent about TV advertising (esp. with the huge amount on NZ free-to-air channels) then this is alarming. Wired News: TV Writers Must Sell, Sell, Sell. To overcome ad-skipping technology etc. more pressure to put more product placement directly into scripts.
Article in the NZ Herald on the NZ Catholic Church’s response to the new developments here with respect to pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). Includes some brief material at the end of the article describing the technology. See Catholic Church sees dilemmas in screening of embryos - 13 Dec 2005 - Religion and beliefs.
This week’s BBC Radio 4 ‘In Our Time’ programme is on artificial intelligence. More information at BBC - Radio 4 In Our Time - Artificial Intelligence including links to the MP3 file (podcast is only up until the next one replaces it on Thursday).
‘In Our Time’ is one of my favourite podcast programmes. It’s long enough to get some good discussion from the panel and has a good range of topics over the course of a season.
So we can’t bowl at the death in one day cricket but it looks like we can chase well.
We (NZ) just chased down Australia’s 331 to win! (And set a new world record doing it)
After getting 320 in a losing chase last Wednesday tonight we didn’t stumble at end.
Hats off to McCullum, Vettori, Styris, Oram and all the rests of the Black Caps.
Related to Advent PBS Religion and Ethics have a short piece on renewed Protestant interest in Mary. See Protestant Mary.
Also related: Reality. Issue 66: Reclaiming Mary, by Rosemary Dewerse.
Clothes that clean themselves, help reduce allergic reactions and skin conditions, and are wired for the digital life style may be closer than we think. See Wired News: Cyborg Suits Strut the Catwalk.
Still having problems but two rays of sunshine. Firstly, I’ve managed to get Ecto to post. And secondly the problem isn’t just me. Others using the similar ADSL set ups are having bizarre issues too accessing the odd site which means the problem (and the ISP have confirmed this) cannot be passed off as an issue at my end with my equipment.
Saw the Che Guevara style Jesus posters for the UK Christmas over at www.rejesus.co.uk earlier in the week. Looked nice and provocative, though any attempt to put Jesus in a box always leaves me with a “Yes, but…” reaction. Still it connects for me with the subversive message of the Kingdom and the fear that those in authority had of him even as a baby.
Duncan has more details on the campaign over at Pacific Highlander: Christmas Revolution Begins including links through to other campaigns in the same series.
Interesting posting on storytelling and digital creativity at Craig’s blog - mountain masala: the hyperrhetoric of the quilt of the quilt.
Brief article from PBS’s Religion and Ethics sites about the Jesuit Arizona Observatory, part of the Vatican Observatory programme.
Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly . FEATURE . Jesuit Arizona Observatory . June 3, 2005 | PBS:
Brief article on some NZ software that can be used to help make collaborative ethical decisions - primarily in the health sector. See Stuff.co.nz: Software matter of life or death.
Following up from Paul’s comment a day or two ago, here’s the information on pigeons as internet media.
Pigeon-powered Internet takes flight | CNET News.com
BBC News | SCI/TECH | The net takes to the air
Still having problems but hopefully for not much longer.
Hurling the ADSL equipment out of the window would alleviate some stress but then I’d have to go and fetch it.
Related to the previous posting Wired Magazine has a three-part series out on reproductive technologies titled “Tempest in a Test Tube”. The articles are here:
The NZ Ministry of Health has just released a discussion document concerning the use of embryonic stem cells in research and is inviting submissions (by 3 March, 2006). You can get the information at the link below, including PDF files of the discussion paper and submission forms.
The Ministry of Health is inviting submissions on a discussion document that sets out proposed guidelines for research using stem cell lines from human embryos.Although legislation and regulations relevant to human embryonic stem cell research already exist in New Zealand, there is no guidance specific to this research, and no such research takes place in this country. Guidelines are needed to clarify the issues that this research raises, to place appropriate restrictions on such research and to provide certainty for researchers, ethics committees and members of the public.
See also the NZ Herald article: Ministry to allow imports of stem cells - 01 Dec 2005 - Religion & Beliefs.
So go and have your say. Don’t say you were never asked to comment.
