tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78169934664584313232024-03-13T03:06:33.156-04:00Reflections of a Catholic ScientistThoughts on belief, knowledge and faith---rational and irrational; my journey to faith, and on the "Limits of a limitless science" (to paraphrase Fr. Stanley Jaki).
A discourse on the consonance of what science tells us about the world, and the dogma/teachings of the Catholic Church; you don't have to apologize for being Catholic if you're a scientist.duhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08742949750689428697noreply@blogger.comBlogger222125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816993466458431323.post-83218176366264856192019-03-03T07:26:00.002-05:002019-03-03T07:26:54.466-05:00New Post: "Were Adam and Eve Real?..."Hello all, here's a new post, Catholic Stand, on evolution and Catholic teaching: "<a href="http://www.catholicstand.com/adam-eve-real-evolutionary-bottlenecks-darwins-radio/" target="_blank">Were Adam and Eve real? Evolutionary Bottlenecks and Darwin's Radio."</a> Enjoy!duhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08742949750689428697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816993466458431323.post-63717060868479223672019-02-13T06:10:00.000-05:002019-02-13T06:10:26.576-05:00New Post: "The Culture of Death; the Suicide of the West: Abortion, Infanticide, Euthanasia"Hello all: a new post on Catholic Stand: "The Culture of Death, the Suicide of the West: Abortion, Infanticide, Euthanasia." The title speaks for itself.duhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08742949750689428697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816993466458431323.post-55519357359712684942019-02-06T07:34:00.000-05:002019-02-06T07:34:20.214-05:00New Post, Magis Center for Reason and FaithHello all, a new post on the Magis Center for Reason and Faith: "<a href="https://www.magiscenter.com/quantum-logic-last-days-and-the-resurrection-of-the-dead/" target="_blank">Quantum Logic: Last Days and the Resurrection of the Dead." </a> Enjoy!duhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08742949750689428697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816993466458431323.post-49987139008160097602019-01-22T07:33:00.001-05:002019-01-22T07:41:17.726-05:00New Post: "Resurrection of the Dead, Last Days: Quantum Logic, Cosmology"Hello all. A new post on Catholic Stand: <a href="http://www.catholicstand.com/resurrection-last-days-quantum-logic-cosmology/" target="_blank">"Resurrection of the Dead, Last Days: Quantum Logic, Cosmology;"</a> about the implied resurrection of the dead in quantum mechanics.duhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08742949750689428697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816993466458431323.post-82248724569091191482019-01-12T08:05:00.001-05:002019-01-12T08:07:43.613-05:00New Post on Catholic Stand: "Science for Catholic Home Schoolers"Hello all. A new post on Catholic Stand: "<a href="http://www.catholicstand.com/science-catholic-home-schoolers-historical-approach/" target="_blank">Science for Catholic Home Schoolers: A Historical Approach." P</a>artially based on my experience so far with teaching science at Maria Kaupas Academy, an assistance program for Catholic home schoolers affiliated with the Anglican Ordinariate parish, St. Thomas More (Scranton, PA).duhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08742949750689428697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816993466458431323.post-32704721514927353722019-01-03T14:14:00.000-05:002019-01-03T14:14:51.700-05:00New Post: "Does quantum mechanics speak to Catholic Teaching III: the Measurement Problem"Hello all and a Happy New Year to you. A new post "<a href="https://www.magiscenter.com/does-quantum-mechanics-speak-to-catholic-teaching-iii-the-measurement-problem/" target="_blank">Does quantum mechanics speak to Catholic Teaching III: the Measurement Problem"</a> I discuss the philosophical and thelogical implications of this and other aspects of quantum mechanics.duhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08742949750689428697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816993466458431323.post-9216536491363229382018-12-14T20:52:00.002-05:002018-12-14T20:52:34.645-05:00New Post: "Does Quantum Mechanics Speak to Catholic Teaching?"Hello all. A new post on the Magis Center for Faith and Reason website: "<a href="https://www.magiscenter.com/does-quantum-mechanics-speak-to-catholic-teaching-ii-quantum-mysteries-intersect-theology/" target="_blank">Does quantum mechanics speak to Catholic teachin? II: Quantum Mysteries Intersect Theology" </a> I discuss how the superposition principle might yield an example, an analog for the Holy Trinity, explain with a simple example what quantum entanglement involves and how quantum mystery supports Catholic teaching. Enjoy! Comment!duhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08742949750689428697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816993466458431323.post-91826948740527583592018-11-25T06:54:00.000-05:002018-11-25T06:54:12.709-05:00New Post: "Deus Caritas Est; the Attributes of Love"Hello all. I hope everyone had a fine Thanksgiving. New post: "<a href="http://www.catholicstand.com/deus-caritas-est-attributes-of-love/" target="_blank">Deus Caritas Est; the Attributes of Love."</a> (Title says it all.)duhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08742949750689428697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816993466458431323.post-36207472659983092632018-11-07T06:49:00.000-05:002018-11-07T06:49:14.536-05:00New Post: "The Quantum Catholic: Do Quantum and Religious Mysteries Intersect?"Hello all. Be consoled or rejoice at last night's elections results. It could have been worse (and it could have been better). And now for something completely different (the Monty Python opening line): <a href="http://www.catholicstand.com/quantum-mechanics-catholic-teaching-do-quantum-religious-mysteries-intersect/" target="_blank">"The Quantum Catholic: Do Quantum and Religious Mysteries Intersect?"</a> Enjoyduhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08742949750689428697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816993466458431323.post-15034830375212271482018-10-24T21:29:00.002-04:002018-10-24T21:29:33.020-04:00New Post: Essay 8 of Web-Book, "Does Science Tell Us how to Live?"Hello all...Happy Days, Calloo, Callay! Web-book is finished (almost--except for science background section). Essay 8, "Does Science Tell us how to Live?" is up. Please visit and comment.duhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08742949750689428697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816993466458431323.post-46811293397393274642018-10-24T07:31:00.000-04:002018-10-24T07:31:14.040-04:00New Post: "Science and Catholic Teaching: Life is Sacred from Conception to Birth"Hello all. A new post on Catholic Stand: "<a href="http://www.catholicstand.com/science-catholic-teaching-human-life-sacred-from-conception-to-natural-death/" target="_blank">Science and Catholic Teaching: Life is Sacred from Conception to Birth."</a> Spread the word!duhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08742949750689428697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816993466458431323.post-9467764295005227392018-10-17T08:26:00.000-04:002018-10-17T08:26:17.942-04:00New Post: "Memento Mori: Thoughts on Growing Old."The new post, <a href="http://www.catholicstand.com/memento-mori-thoughts-on-growing-old/" target="_blank">"<i>Memento Mori</i>: Thoughts on Growing Old</a>" is a reflection on our Shi-Tzu's dying, old age at a local nursing home for religious, and Muriel Spark's novel, "<i>Memento Mori</i>." One of my better pieces, or maybe just something meaningful for me.duhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08742949750689428697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816993466458431323.post-31607183010167422812018-09-25T16:04:00.001-04:002018-09-27T03:05:47.865-04:00New Post: "The Great Sin of the Left"Hello all. A new post on The American Catholic: <a href="http://the-american-catholic.com/2018/09/25/the-great-sin-of-the-left/" target="_blank">"The Great Sin of the Left," </a>which is to make us hate them because of their lies, corruption, .... and violate the teachings of Jesus, to love our enemies (Matt 5:44).duhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08742949750689428697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816993466458431323.post-27966639218260991242018-09-08T16:37:00.000-04:002018-09-08T16:37:34.306-04:00New Post: Faith, Decision Making and Probability III: Bayes' Theorem and the Anthropic PrincipleHello all. New post on Catholic Stand: "<a href="http://www.catholicstand.com/faith-decision-making-probability-bayes-theorem-anthropic-principle/" target="_blank">Faith, Decision Making and Probability III: <br>Bayes' Theorem and the Anthropic Principle."</a> I derive Bayes' Theorem and discuss two examples of how it is used to incorporate new knowledge into modifying probability as a measure of belief: the Monty Hall problem (the three doors with a prize and goats), and a medical test for a rare disease.duhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08742949750689428697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816993466458431323.post-24017605208309321302018-09-07T07:00:00.000-04:002018-09-07T07:03:07.801-04:00New Post: "Faith, Decision Making and Probability II: How do we interpret probability?Hello all. Hope you're welcoming fall, and cooler weather. A new post on Catholic Stand: <a href="http://www.catholicstand.com/faith-probability-decision-making-how-to-interpret-probability/" target="_blank">"Faith, Decision Making and Probability II: How do we interpret probability?"</a> I talk about the various interpretations of probability--logical, frequentist and subjective--and how probability is conditional, based on evidence.duhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08742949750689428697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816993466458431323.post-56654123171060712152018-08-31T20:30:00.001-04:002018-08-31T20:30:36.475-04:00New Post:"Ex Opere Operato --A Convert's Reflection on Church Scandals"Hello all, and a happy and relaxed Labor Day Weekend to you. A new post on THE AMERICAN CATHOLIC: "<i><a href="http://the-american-catholic.com/2018/08/31/ex-opere-operatoa-reflection-on-the-church-scandals/" target="_blank">Ex Opere Operato </i>--A Convert's Reflection on Church Scandals."</a> I explore what I should think about the recent scandals, try to put them in the context of a Church which has survived sinners in high places, and take comfort in the doctrine, "ex opere operato," that even though a priest is a sinner, his consecration of the Eucharist is valid and effective.duhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08742949750689428697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816993466458431323.post-30824198413560054662018-08-25T06:41:00.001-04:002018-08-25T06:41:42.408-04:00New Post: "How and Why We Believe: Faith, Probability and Decision Making"Hello all. A new post on CATHOLIC STAND: <a href="http://www.catholicstand.com/how-why-we-believe-faith-decision-making-probability/" target="_blank">"How and Why We Believe; Faith, Probability and Decision Making."</a><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">I talk about how faith works, give a simple example of probability as a guide to action, and then link probability with faith by discussing Pascal's Wager.</span>duhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08742949750689428697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816993466458431323.post-71406280452871768122018-08-24T12:23:00.002-04:002018-08-24T12:26:22.870-04:00New Post: "Abortion Politics and the Shabbos Goy"Hello all. A new post on THE AMERICAN CATHOLIC: <a href="http://the-american-catholic.com/2018/08/23/abortion-politics-and-the-shabbos-goy/" target="_blank">"Abortion Politics and the Shabbos Goy.<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.87); font-family: "roboto" , "robotodraft" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></a><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.87); font-family: "roboto" , "robotodraft" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "roboto" , "robotodraft" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">I make an analogy between a Shabbos Goy, a non-Jew who does things on the Sabbath that an Orthodox Jew is not permitted to do, and Catholic Politicians who say I don't believe in abortion, but it's ok for others to exercise a freedom of choice, who use Planned Parenthood to do what Catholic teaching forbids. Senator Bob Casey is a prime example of this.</span>duhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08742949750689428697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816993466458431323.post-26390241959887072102018-08-21T07:49:00.000-04:002018-08-21T07:49:26.750-04:00New Post: "Are We Special--The Anthropic Principle"Hello all! A new post, "Are We Special, <a href="https://www.magiscenter.com/are-we-special-the-anthropic-principle/" target="_blank">The Anthropic Principle,</a>" on the Magis Center for Faith and Reason website. It's taken from<a href="https://scienceandthechurch.catholicscientist.com/home/are-we-special-the-anthropic-principle/" target="_blank"> Essay 4</a> of my web-book, <a href="https://scienceandthechurch.catholicscientist.com/" target="_blank">"Truth Cannot Contradict Truth"</a>duhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08742949750689428697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816993466458431323.post-82718242674102170022018-08-07T05:01:00.000-04:002018-08-07T05:01:13.710-04:00New Post: "71 Accusations--How many are guilty?"Hello all. a new post on The American Catholic: "<a href="http://the-american-catholic.com/2018/08/05/71-accusations-how-many-are-guilty/" target="_blank">71 Accusations--How many are guilty?"</a> It's about Bishop Gainer's letter (Diocese of Harrisburg, PA) and the 71 male religious named as childhood sex predators in Shapiro's Grand Jury investigation. The actual numbers, on analysis, don't make that impressive a headline.duhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08742949750689428697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816993466458431323.post-32059452286163559992018-08-07T04:54:00.001-04:002018-08-07T04:54:42.460-04:00New Post: "What does it take to be human? On the Genetic Modification of Animal and Human EmbryosHello all: a new post on Catholic Stand: "<a href="http://www.catholicstand.com/what-does-it-take-to-be-human-on-the-genetic-modifications-of-embryos/" target="_blank">What does it take to be human--On the Genetic Modification of Human and Animal Embryos"</a>duhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08742949750689428697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816993466458431323.post-62410563122649892772018-07-20T06:20:00.002-04:002018-07-20T06:20:53.064-04:00New Post: Why and How Catholics Should Learn about ScienceHello all: a new post, a bit of shameless self-promotion on Catholic Stand for my web-book, "<a href="https://scienceandthechurch.catholicscientist.com/" target="_blank">Truth Cannot Contradict Truth:</a>" "<a href="http://www.catholicstand.com/catholics-learn-science/" target="_blank">Why and How Catholics Should Learn about Science."</a> Read! Enjoy! Comment!duhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08742949750689428697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816993466458431323.post-70944115344280759812018-07-18T19:14:00.000-04:002018-07-18T19:14:00.552-04:00New Post: "Essay 7, Miracles"Hello all. The web-book, "<a href="https://scienceandthechurch.catholicscientist.com/" target="_blank">Truth Cannot Contradict Truth,"</a> is nearing completion. One more chapter (tying everything together--I hope) and the Science Background section remain. The newest<a href="http://catholicscientist.com/2018/07/18/essay-7-miracles/" target="_blank"> Essay, #7, is on Miracles</a>. It gives examples, tells how the Church judges whether something is really a miracle (and the standards of Mother Church are exceedingly rigorous!) and asks "Can a scientist believe in miracles?" Guess what the answer to that question is.duhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08742949750689428697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816993466458431323.post-21515536469507081782018-07-17T18:54:00.000-04:002018-07-17T18:54:45.828-04:00New Post: ESSAY 5: Evolution; No War between the Church and ScienceHello all, "<a href="https://scienceandthechurch.catholicscientist.com/evolution-no-war-between-the-church-and-science/" target="_blank">Essay 5: No War between the Church and Evolution,"</a> is up. It explores the position of the Catholic Church on evolution, refutes arguments by Creationists that we can't believe in evolution, common descent (not the neo-Darwinian model for evolution occurs), because it conflicts with a literal interpretation of the Creation account given in Genesis 1. <br />
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Also the evidence for evolution, common descent, is outlined and various models--theories--for how evolution occurs are discussed.duhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08742949750689428697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7816993466458431323.post-7673614103275585132018-07-11T21:27:00.001-04:002018-07-11T21:28:50.882-04:00New Post: "Are We Special? The Anthropic PrincipleHello all. A new post, "<a href="http://catholicscientist.com/2018/07/11/essay-4-are-we-special-the-anthropic-principle/" target="_blank">Are We Special? The Anthropic Principle.</a>" is finally published. I talk about those unlikely conditions and events in cosmology, planetary science, physics, chemistry and molecular biology that enable carbon-based life (and thus, us) to exist in this universe. Read, Comment, Critique!duhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08742949750689428697noreply@blogger.com0