Category Archives: Science

How to Beat the Social-Isolation Blues

Posted on May 9, 2020 by N.S. Palmer

Are you discouraged? Depressed? Fearful? Confused? Unmotivated? Then I’ve got a cure for you. It’s guaranteed. It costs nothing. And it will pay dividends for the rest of your life. You need to know three things. The first two are … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Science | Tagged Evolutionary Psychology, Faith, Hope, Neuroscience, Optimism, Positive attitude, Psychology, Wisdom | 3 Comments

Ramanujan and Me

Posted on April 25, 2020 by N.S. Palmer

Tomorrow, April 26, is notable for two reasons. First, it’s my birthday. I’ll be 39. Again. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Second, it’s 100 years since the death of Srinivasa Ramanujan, one of the greatest mathematical geniuses … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy, Science | Tagged 1729, Cambridge, Continued fractions, G.H. Hardy, Number theory, Ramanujan | Leave a comment

What I Think Happened with Covid-19

Posted on April 24, 2020 by N.S. Palmer

After over a month of lockdown in most American states, people are starting to ask questions about it. Why did this happen? How did it happen? Was it really necessary? Here’s how the situation looks to me. This is not … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Political Science, Psychology, Science | Tagged Coronavirus, COVID-19, Lockdown, Pandemic, Panic, SARS-CoV-2 | 4 Comments

Why Evil Exists

Posted on April 12, 2020 by N.S. Palmer

Today is Easter 2020, when Christians in Western countries celebrate (where permitted by law) the resurrection of Jesus. Eastern Orthodox Christians in Greece, Turkey, Russia and thereabouts celebrate it next week. Today is also the middle of Passover, when we … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Christianity, Jewish Philosophy, Judaism, Philosophy, Science | Tagged Ethics, Ethics of Belief, Evil, God, Good and Evil, Metaphysics, Morality, Ontology, Problem of Evil, Theodicy | Leave a comment

The Hidden Cause of Our Disagreement

Posted on April 4, 2020 by N.S. Palmer

Note: This blog post explains one cause of society’s basic disagreements. It is not intended to denigrate anyone on either side of the argument. It’s obvious which side I favor, but I’ve done my best to be fair. There’s a … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Relations, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Science | Tagged Common sense, Different worldviews, Hierarchy of needs, Human history, Human Nature, Psychology, Social Conflict, Wisdom | Leave a comment

The Weather Report on Coronavirus

Posted on February 25, 2020 by N.S. Palmer

A lot of media people are sounding the alarm about a new strain of coronavirus, a pneumonia-like illness. They’re warning everyone to stock up on groceries, buy face masks, and avoid going outside. To me, it seems like an over-reaction. … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Psychology, Science, Society | Tagged CDC, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Infectious disease, Wuhan | 2 Comments

Evolution and the X Factor

Posted on July 30, 2019 by N.S. Palmer

“Oh, God, not another argument about evolution.” That’s how I reacted — somewhat unfairly — to a video posted last week by the Hoover Institution, a conservative think tank located at Stanford University. The video is about “mathematical challenges to … Continue reading →