By the time you read this, the United States will be learning the outcomes of midterm elections. Obviously I don't know the results to comment. Regardless of the outcome, though, I think it is likely we will continue to hear about the partisan divide or variations thereof. And that is a topic which science can offer some insight into, specifically the impact of social media on polarization--specifically, our increased sorting into homogeneous groups with little in common between them. If you suspect social media isn't … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Who is My Neighbor?
political pluralism
Science Corner: Party People
Greetings, future friends! I'm writing to you from the past, before Election Day in the United States. I hope you were all able to vote as you deemed appropriate, and you were able to do so safely. Maybe by Wednesday morning (or whenever you read this) you know the outcomes or maybe not; I certainly don't here in the past. But I am reasonably confident that, regardless of the results, we'll still need to come to grips with our political polarization or political sectarianism. To that end, we may benefit from a body of … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Party People
Science Corner: A View From the Poles
Summer, or at least the summer school holiday, is winding down, but it's not too late to take up a summer project. I was challenged by an interview I heard with New York Times' columnist David Leonhardt to reconsider my point of view on an issue. While perhaps not exactly the kind of political issue Leonhardt may have had in mind, the first issue I thought of was the value of conflict--not a physical donnybrook but points of genuine disagreement or contrast in perspective on matters philosophical, theological, … [Read more...] about Science Corner: A View From the Poles
Book Review: Flourishing, by Miroslav Volf
Flourishing: Why We Need Religion in a Globalized World, Miroslav Volf. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2015. Summary: Volf argues that the twin globalizing forces of international economics and world religions, problematic as they may be, may also be the source of rich and holistic flourishing for the human community. … [Read more...] about Book Review: Flourishing, by Miroslav Volf