Where Do I Come From?

Whence comes one's world view...

image from our friend Sam at Photos8.com

A correspondent at CFI forums asked "Do we learn our skepticism from books, experience, or hearsay?"

My atheism was cultivated in my weekly Roman Catholic Catechism classes.

My agnosticism was acquired reading on anthropology, astronomy, cosmology, history, natural history, neurology, philosophy, psychology, religion, and theology. Still working on it.  If ever I no longer lack knowledge I'll let you know.

My humanism was nurtured by my family - most all of whom were or are persons of faith, and my friends - some of whom were or are not.

My secularism arose from personal experience and a reading of history.

My skepticism came from pounding through my iPhone podcast directory at 2x playback speed.

My recent and incomplete bibliography is here.

My current podcast listening schedule is here.

I propose to remain a work in progress.

Skip Anyway

Who would you have play you in your teen biopic?

It's Kind of a Funny Story is the story of a depressed teen who admits himself to an improbably porous mental health unit. It's sweet but not saccharine.  It has real edges here and there.  Adapted for the screen (from the novel by Ned Vizzini) and directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, it is visually creative, a touch surreal in all the right places, and features a clever and diverse soundtrack.

Keir Gilchrist carries the show through the funny, the dark, and the surreal.  He plays a kid smart enough to know he doesn't have all the answers, just a mess of questions.  Emma Roberts plays recovering but brittle so naturally you forget how beautiful she is.  Zach Galifianakis provides a strong supporting role, but does not overwhelm the story, which he could without trying.  There are other roles - patients, orderlies, therapists, family, and friends - which offer up moments of truth.

Breathe...