Offering Classes on Historical Method and the Historicity of Jesus

30 May 2014

I am still teaching the science and philosophy of free will this June (that class starts next week; you can register here). But now my courses for July and August are also open for early registration (and there is a limit on how many students I take on per class, so...

Ottawa Historicity Debate: A Commentary

28 May 2014

Video of my debate with Zeba Crook (an atheist professor of New Testament studies) on whether Jesus historically existed is now available online as Jesus of Nazareth: Man or Myth? A Discussion with Zeba Crook and Richard Carrier (produced by AtheismTV). I announced...

Appearing in Sacramento Area…with David Fitzgerald!

20 May 2014

Next week I will be in a double header with David Fitzgerald discussing different aspects of the historicity of Jesus. The event is Thursday night, May 29 (2014), at UC Davis (in the Sacramento area, California), brought to you by the Agnostic & Atheist Student...

Non-Believer Murdered — Let’s Help Her Kids

14 May 2014

Greta Christina has the write up and what to do. I’m going to be light on blogging for a couple weeks, owing to some extensive travel. But I don’t want people to miss important news and chances to help our community like this. Check that out. And seriously...

Join My June Course! On the Science and Philosophy of Free Will

12 May 2014

This June begins my online course on the science and philosophy of free will, from a naturalist (atheist) and secular perspective. Please spread the word and let people know, anyone you think might be interested. It will be useful to anyone wanting to understand the...

On the Historicity of Jesus: What Would You Look Up?

10 May 2014

Here’s a request to those keen to see my next book: since I am nearing completion of my subject index for On the Historicity of Jesus (the scripture index is long since finished and submitted), and the publisher wants to release it in June (at that link you can...

On Evaluating Arguments from Consensus

8 May 2014

I have often been asked how we should evaluate arguments from consensus. That’s where someone says “the consensus of experts is that P, therefore we should agree P is true.” On the one hand, this looks like an Argument from Authority, a recognized...

First in the Family Scholarship Fund

6 May 2014

Last year I blogged about the amazing First in the Family Humanist Scholarship Initiative launched by Black Skeptics of LA to help send minority atheists to college. If you missed that (or need to refresh your memory), check out my article on that, Help Minority...

Secular Organizations Can Get Free Course Admission

4 May 2014

Are you part of a secular, atheist, humanist, or other organization? Or know someone who is? Let that org’s leadership know that before this July they can get a deal for access to any course this year we are gradually building to teach online at...

The Other Woman Game

2 May 2014

I have a game to propose. Read on to see how to play. It’s about recommending better movies to watch. And rewarding artists. The new film The Other Woman is making heaping wads of blockbuster cash. Even though, evidently, it is nearly every kind of awful and...

I Am on Wired Magazine’s Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy

30 April 2014

Bible scholar Robert Price and I were asked about our thoughts on the movie Noah on the Geek’s Guide to the Universe podcast, sponsored by Wired Magazine and hosted by David Barr Kirtley. The episode (108) first features an interview with author Christopher...

Last Call for Learning Naturalism as a Worldview!

28 April 2014

Please tell everyone you know who might be interested! My course starts this Thursday (May 1). It’s a valuable way to support my work and expand your knowledge of philosophy, and learn how to build and think about a coherent worldview without a god or the...

I Interview a Groovy Atheist Running for Congress in Arizona

27 April 2014

James Woods is running for US Congress. (No, I don’t mean the actor, nor the dead guy from Virginia. I mean this guy.) What’s so special about that? He’s an atheist. An out atheist. In fact, a humanist active in the movement. Who actually asked...

If You Learn Nothing Else about Bayes’ Theorem, Let It Be This

26 April 2014

There are two things one learns from Bayes’ Theorem that are the windows to everything else Bayesian reasoning can ever teach you. And there is a lot it can teach you besides these two things. But here I’m cutting to the chase of the two that are most...

Big Win! 'Humanists' Now Recognized by the US Army

22 April 2014

Are you a nonbeliever in the US Army or know someone who is? Let them know you can now identify as “humanist” on dog tags and military records. Unfortunately the other four services still don’t allow this (absurdly), but you have a chance to change...