I've generally felt it is worth making a distinction between the brain and the mind--the mind is what is mediated by the brain. I'm inclined to affirm free will and think our conscious self is capable of top-down causation. I don't know how or if that version of a mind maps to Biblical nouns like spirit and soul, and I wonder to what extent we are obliged to affirm those precise categories as Christians and to what extent they were the closest available options in Greek metaphysics of the time. I tend to attracted to … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Do You Mind?
Science Corner: Null Set Book Review
Even in science fiction, pure math doesn't get as much play as robotics or cosmology or genetic engineering. So the promise of a math savant as a protagonist with a title like Zero Sum Game was enough to get me excited for SL Huang's debut novel. I was expecting something a bit more in the vein of Neal Stephenson or Ryan North, with explorations of mathematical concepts woven into the story. What I did not know is that Huang has a background both in mathematics and stunt performing, so her protagonist is an action hero … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Null Set Book Review
Science Corner: You Won’t Believe This One Weird Trick to Increase Iron Intake
Stars work hard every day, fusing atoms together so that the universe has more interesting materials to work with beyond hydrogen. That same process can eventually lead to a star going nova, sending those fusion-forged atoms into the cosmos. So if you're looking for heavy elements, stars may not be the best place to look; instead those element accumulate in planets and other, less stellar celestial bodies. That's great for planet-dwellers like us; for example, the iron-rich core of the Earth spins and creates a magnetic … [Read more...] about Science Corner: You Won’t Believe This One Weird Trick to Increase Iron Intake
Science Corner: Two for Me, One for You
Last week, I discussed what happens after a herd immunity threshold is reached, an aspect I had not seen widely talked about. Continuing in that vein, let's talk about COVID-19 boosters. Vaccines are valuable both as personal medical interventions and as public health interventions. Those roles overlap, but not completely. Articles like this one do a good job discussing the evidence for why boosters are being considered, and framing their value from a personal medical perspective. However, my sense is that the biggest … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Two for Me, One for You
Science Corner: Shepherding our Immunity
I imagine many of you have learned more about herd immunity in the past 18 months than you ever wanted to: what it is, how many people have to be vaccinated to achieve it, whether we'll ever get there or if that is even the right goal. And yet one aspect I have not seen widely reported on is what happens after we get there. Human behavior remains a significant driver of the pandemic, and our expectations will influence our emotional reactions to future events which will impact our future behavior. So what do you expect … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Shepherding our Immunity