Bill Vanderburgh
@billvanderburgh.bsky.social
Philosopher by profession (science, evidence, cosmology, religion, Hume).
Sailing, photography, poker, & craft beer the rest of the time. #philsky #philsci #hps #separationofchurchandstate
https://substack.com/@billvanderburgh
williamvanderburgh.com
Sailing, photography, poker, & craft beer the rest of the time. #philsky #philsci #hps #separationofchurchandstate
https://substack.com/@billvanderburgh
williamvanderburgh.com
Reposted by Bill Vanderburgh
Check out this podcast about philosophy and comedy from @hotelbarpodcast.bsky.social
hotelbarpodcast.com/podcast/epis...
hotelbarpodcast.com/podcast/epis...
Episode 202: Comedy - Hotel Bar Podcast
What's so funny about comedy, anyway?
hotelbarpodcast.com
November 6, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Check out this podcast about philosophy and comedy from @hotelbarpodcast.bsky.social
hotelbarpodcast.com/podcast/epis...
hotelbarpodcast.com/podcast/epis...
Reposted by Bill Vanderburgh
bro are you fucking kidding me
![quote from the Economist article which says "[study authors] are now looking at whether AI facial analysis can give lenders useful clues about a person’s propensity to repay loans. For people without access to credit, that could be a blessing."](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:6ofjbklfvptnupad4lxumblw/bafkreia3yctiqd7ejumpd6novxjpiycphtfkc3bdgd573jw37faqdl7o7m@jpeg)
November 6, 2025 at 5:59 PM
bro are you fucking kidding me
Reposted by Bill Vanderburgh
Greetings from the Dirksen federal courthouse, where U.S. District Court Judge Sara Ellis has just taken the bench to rule on federal agents actions' during a series of increasingly aggressive raids across Chicago and the suburbs.
Background, for @wttw.bsky.social from @bymattmasterson.bsky.social
Background, for @wttw.bsky.social from @bymattmasterson.bsky.social
Judge Set to Rule Thursday in Case Centering on Federal Immigration Agents’ Use of Force: ‘I Could See Inside the Barrel’
Protesters, clergy members and others who say they’ve been directly impacted by a series of increasingly aggressive raids across Chicago and the suburbs will testify before a federal judge weighing wh...
news.wttw.com
November 6, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Greetings from the Dirksen federal courthouse, where U.S. District Court Judge Sara Ellis has just taken the bench to rule on federal agents actions' during a series of increasingly aggressive raids across Chicago and the suburbs.
Background, for @wttw.bsky.social from @bymattmasterson.bsky.social
Background, for @wttw.bsky.social from @bymattmasterson.bsky.social
Government and religion don't mix, even if some government officials are trying to tell us otherwise.
open.substack.com/pub/billvand...
open.substack.com/pub/billvand...
Public/Religion
Never the twain should meet.
open.substack.com
November 6, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Government and religion don't mix, even if some government officials are trying to tell us otherwise.
open.substack.com/pub/billvand...
open.substack.com/pub/billvand...
Hi #philosophysky #philosophyofscience! Seen this? A physics paper claims there's something like an incompleteness theorem to the effect that (1) there is no algorithmic way to get a theory of quantum gravity, & (2) since simulations are necessarily algorithmic, that (3) our universe is not a sim.
November 6, 2025 at 3:00 AM
Hi #philosophysky #philosophyofscience! Seen this? A physics paper claims there's something like an incompleteness theorem to the effect that (1) there is no algorithmic way to get a theory of quantum gravity, & (2) since simulations are necessarily algorithmic, that (3) our universe is not a sim.
If you aren't sure why longform literacy is too important to lose to AI, remember DJT does not read. This live action remake of Idiocracy we're living is turning into a long-running series in part because we lack leaders & citizens who read. #philosophy #AI #books
open.substack.com/pub/billvand...
open.substack.com/pub/billvand...
The Tragedy of Becoming Post-Human
Mobile devices, Gen-AI, and End of Reading
open.substack.com
November 4, 2025 at 6:04 PM
If you aren't sure why longform literacy is too important to lose to AI, remember DJT does not read. This live action remake of Idiocracy we're living is turning into a long-running series in part because we lack leaders & citizens who read. #philosophy #AI #books
open.substack.com/pub/billvand...
open.substack.com/pub/billvand...
AI hypesters make it seem students must learn AI in college or they will fall hopelessly behind. That seems obviously untrue.... One YouTube video that calls itself a “master class” on AI prompt writing is <19 min long. We don’t need to undermine higher ed for a skill that can be explained in 19 min
November 4, 2025 at 5:07 AM
AI hypesters make it seem students must learn AI in college or they will fall hopelessly behind. That seems obviously untrue.... One YouTube video that calls itself a “master class” on AI prompt writing is <19 min long. We don’t need to undermine higher ed for a skill that can be explained in 19 min
Reposted by Bill Vanderburgh
I lay this at the feet of DOGE and all of their enablers.
A US-funded nutrition program was helping to keep this woman’s baby alive. Days after the program was cut, he died. https://cnn.it/4ndDYbl
A US-funded nutrition program was helping to keep this woman’s baby alive. Days after the program was cut, he died | CNN
Weeds cover the grave of Yagana Usman’s baby – a painful reminder of the months that have passed since she lost her infant twin to malnutrition. Her surviving twin’s fate now hinges in part on decisio...
cnn.it
September 21, 2025 at 6:00 PM
I lay this at the feet of DOGE and all of their enablers.
Reposted by Bill Vanderburgh
New!
"Atheism: Believing God Does Not Exist" by Nathan Nobis
#atheism #atheist #theism #theist #religion #philosophy
1000wordphilosophy.com/2025/09/21/a...
"Atheism: Believing God Does Not Exist" by Nathan Nobis
#atheism #atheist #theism #theist #religion #philosophy
1000wordphilosophy.com/2025/09/21/a...
Atheism: Believing God Does Not Exist - 1000-Word Philosophy: An Introductory Anthology
This essay introduces some of the core philosophical issues about atheism: what it is, how and why people accept atheism, and the relationships between atheism and meaning in life and ethics.
1000wordphilosophy.com
September 21, 2025 at 6:03 PM
New!
"Atheism: Believing God Does Not Exist" by Nathan Nobis
#atheism #atheist #theism #theist #religion #philosophy
1000wordphilosophy.com/2025/09/21/a...
"Atheism: Believing God Does Not Exist" by Nathan Nobis
#atheism #atheist #theism #theist #religion #philosophy
1000wordphilosophy.com/2025/09/21/a...
Reposted by Bill Vanderburgh
I know about a pretty big scoop on Brett Kavanaugh that should be dropping Monday at a big outlet. If you think SCOTUS is corrupt now,
September 21, 2025 at 3:54 AM
I know about a pretty big scoop on Brett Kavanaugh that should be dropping Monday at a big outlet. If you think SCOTUS is corrupt now,
Reposted by Bill Vanderburgh
Wow, first time I've seen him underwater in this poll with white people. He has negative disapproval across every possible cohort.
September 16, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Wow, first time I've seen him underwater in this poll with white people. He has negative disapproval across every possible cohort.
September 16, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Reposted by Bill Vanderburgh
Land of the surveilled; home of the snitches
Trump's new executive order opens a 'vigilante portal,' essentially permitting civilians to aid in suppressing protests nationwide. It undermines our rights to free speech and assembly and recalls the darkest chapters in authoritarian history. https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-vigilante-portal
New Trump Order Among 'Scariest Things I've Seen in US Politics,' Civil Rights Attorney Says | Common Dreams
Civil rights attorney Alec Karakatsanis said that Trump's latest executive order creates "an online portal to permit random fascist vigilantes to join soldiers" to help crack down on protests across t...
www.commondreams.org
August 27, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Land of the surveilled; home of the snitches
Reposted by Bill Vanderburgh
I commute from Alexandria, VA, to Baltimore, MD. In 19 years have dealt with traffic. I have seen accidents. But nothing prepared me for the daily blockade of police and national guardsmen standing in the right lane of a major DC artery, slowing traffic, peering into cars, and pulling people over.
August 27, 2025 at 5:07 PM
I commute from Alexandria, VA, to Baltimore, MD. In 19 years have dealt with traffic. I have seen accidents. But nothing prepared me for the daily blockade of police and national guardsmen standing in the right lane of a major DC artery, slowing traffic, peering into cars, and pulling people over.
“Life on the slippery Earth” is something I will think about a lot.
Virtue as a collective activity makes sense to me.
You see a lot online these days about co-regulation of emotions—maybe that is a part of co-regulation of our moral lives, too.
Virtue as a collective activity makes sense to me.
You see a lot online these days about co-regulation of emotions—maybe that is a part of co-regulation of our moral lives, too.
Interesting article on Aztec moral philosophy. Life on the slippery Earth: Aztec moral philosophy has profound differences from the Greek tradition, not least its acceptance that nobody is perfect. aeon.co/essays/aztec...
Aztec moral philosophy didn’t expect anyone to be a saint | Aeon Essays
Aztec moral philosophy has profound differences from the Greek tradition, not least its acceptance that nobody is perfect
aeon.co
August 27, 2025 at 7:59 PM
“Life on the slippery Earth” is something I will think about a lot.
Virtue as a collective activity makes sense to me.
You see a lot online these days about co-regulation of emotions—maybe that is a part of co-regulation of our moral lives, too.
Virtue as a collective activity makes sense to me.
You see a lot online these days about co-regulation of emotions—maybe that is a part of co-regulation of our moral lives, too.
Reposted by Bill Vanderburgh
Interesting article on Aztec moral philosophy. Life on the slippery Earth: Aztec moral philosophy has profound differences from the Greek tradition, not least its acceptance that nobody is perfect. aeon.co/essays/aztec...
Aztec moral philosophy didn’t expect anyone to be a saint | Aeon Essays
Aztec moral philosophy has profound differences from the Greek tradition, not least its acceptance that nobody is perfect
aeon.co
August 27, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Interesting article on Aztec moral philosophy. Life on the slippery Earth: Aztec moral philosophy has profound differences from the Greek tradition, not least its acceptance that nobody is perfect. aeon.co/essays/aztec...
Reposted by Bill Vanderburgh
Texas State Rep. James Talarico @jamestalarico.bsky.social criticizes Christian nationalism as being about the worship of power. "It is incumbent upon believers, upon Christians and people of other faith backgrounds to speak out against this perversion of faith and this subversion of our democracy."
July 23, 2025 at 2:18 AM
Texas State Rep. James Talarico @jamestalarico.bsky.social criticizes Christian nationalism as being about the worship of power. "It is incumbent upon believers, upon Christians and people of other faith backgrounds to speak out against this perversion of faith and this subversion of our democracy."
Reposted by Bill Vanderburgh
Between 1920 and 2020, the average human life span doubled because of the development & widespread use of vaccines, germ theory, & antibiotics.
www.nytimes.com/2021/04/27/m...
But life expectancy is declining in the USA: www.npr.org/sections/hea... If vaccine use drops further, it will get worse.
www.nytimes.com/2021/04/27/m...
But life expectancy is declining in the USA: www.npr.org/sections/hea... If vaccine use drops further, it will get worse.
November 15, 2024 at 1:54 PM
Between 1920 and 2020, the average human life span doubled because of the development & widespread use of vaccines, germ theory, & antibiotics.
www.nytimes.com/2021/04/27/m...
But life expectancy is declining in the USA: www.npr.org/sections/hea... If vaccine use drops further, it will get worse.
www.nytimes.com/2021/04/27/m...
But life expectancy is declining in the USA: www.npr.org/sections/hea... If vaccine use drops further, it will get worse.
Reposted by Bill Vanderburgh
“Neo-liberal capitalism is where the market has whipped the state & is in control of the state by way of debt & by way of control of politicians. And we have been in that for 40 years with disastrous consequences. And if we don’t get out of it, we’re going into a mass extinction event & mass chaos.”
July 20, 2025 at 6:28 PM
“Neo-liberal capitalism is where the market has whipped the state & is in control of the state by way of debt & by way of control of politicians. And we have been in that for 40 years with disastrous consequences. And if we don’t get out of it, we’re going into a mass extinction event & mass chaos.”
Reposted by Bill Vanderburgh
Please follow me on Substack. Here's my latest little piece.
#philosophy
#religion
#government
#politics
#separationofchurchandstate
#USConstitution
#freedomofreligion
#christiannationalism
#philosophy
#religion
#government
#politics
#separationofchurchandstate
#USConstitution
#freedomofreligion
#christiannationalism
July 18, 2025 at 10:14 PM
Please follow me on Substack. Here's my latest little piece.
#philosophy
#religion
#government
#politics
#separationofchurchandstate
#USConstitution
#freedomofreligion
#christiannationalism
#philosophy
#religion
#government
#politics
#separationofchurchandstate
#USConstitution
#freedomofreligion
#christiannationalism
“Neo-liberal capitalism is where the market has whipped the state & is in control of the state by way of debt & by way of control of politicians. And we have been in that for 40 years with disastrous consequences. And if we don’t get out of it, we’re going into a mass extinction event & mass chaos.”
July 20, 2025 at 6:28 PM
“Neo-liberal capitalism is where the market has whipped the state & is in control of the state by way of debt & by way of control of politicians. And we have been in that for 40 years with disastrous consequences. And if we don’t get out of it, we’re going into a mass extinction event & mass chaos.”
Please follow me on Substack. Here's my latest little piece.
#philosophy
#religion
#government
#politics
#separationofchurchandstate
#USConstitution
#freedomofreligion
#christiannationalism
#philosophy
#religion
#government
#politics
#separationofchurchandstate
#USConstitution
#freedomofreligion
#christiannationalism
July 18, 2025 at 10:14 PM
Please follow me on Substack. Here's my latest little piece.
#philosophy
#religion
#government
#politics
#separationofchurchandstate
#USConstitution
#freedomofreligion
#christiannationalism
#philosophy
#religion
#government
#politics
#separationofchurchandstate
#USConstitution
#freedomofreligion
#christiannationalism
Reposted by Bill Vanderburgh
I'm hearing reports that President Trump's erratic mental state and decaying physical condition are both being driven by continued discussion of the Jeffrey Epstein cover-up, so please, if you care about this man's health and well-being, please, do not mention the Epstein stuff anymore, please.
July 17, 2025 at 8:12 PM
I'm hearing reports that President Trump's erratic mental state and decaying physical condition are both being driven by continued discussion of the Jeffrey Epstein cover-up, so please, if you care about this man's health and well-being, please, do not mention the Epstein stuff anymore, please.