April 10-15
1. Who said facts are stubborn things? Does CS think our wishes can alter facts? (What would a pragmatist say?)
2. Were Percival Lowell's canali a sign of intelligent life? If so, where?
3. What's the "one respect in which our civilization is probably unique in the Galaxy?"
4. How would the reception of extraterrestrial radio signals show us "the universe as it really is?"
5. What was the hopeful emotional appeal of Erik van Daniken's "ancient astronauts" idea? Did CS consider it benign?
6. Who wrote the definitive work on miracles? What did he say we should reject?
7. What's natural theology (what does it reject)? OR, What did Leonardo figure out about Noah's flood? OR, When (according to Ussher) did God create the world?
8. Why do religions make such an effort to attract the very young? [DQ: Is this also why CS & NdT did Cosmos?]
9. What routine galactic events suggest the likelihood of an "apprentice god," if any? (This, btw, might be a relevant point in my debate with Rami. Is this any way to run a universe, let alone a planet?!) OR, Does the fact that some of us are motivated to care for "the young of everybody on the planet" support Kant's moral argument for God? OR, What's the "perfect" Buddhist counterpoint to the Ontological Argument?
10. What suggests a molecular basis for religious experience? OR, Which argument implies a "gratuitous insult" to humanity? OR, Why (if God exists) must He be very busy, and incompetent?
11. What are the key distinguishing marks of happy cultures everywhere? OR, What's theophorin?
12. Acts?
DQ: Why wouldn't a God have encoded a scripture like "The sun is a star," "Mars is a world," or "Thou shalt not move faster than light" or "Two strands entwined is the secret of life", or engraved the Ten Commandments on the moon? 166-7
DQ: Does prayer do any good? 175-7
DQ: If LSD induces religious/mystical experiences, are they credible in offering metaphysical insight? (183)
DQ: How would you compare Sagan and James, with respect to their view of experience?
1.104 2.107 3.118 4.123 5.129 6.136, 144 7.147-8, 151 8.152 9.159-60 10. 162-5 11.173, 184
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