h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Toxxin and Noggin, can I suggest that you start up a new thread on the Project page? A853751

That way we can keep this one open for practical discussions about entries and ANumbers, and subbing, and stuff like that.

I am really glad that you two are interested.

B

Hi agcBen, we've added your project to the Uni now.

Hurrah!

An answer to prayer, perhaps? (Not that I pray )

B

Maybe I picked up your meditation waves. Or read it on site or something.

It looks like quite a large project, if you need help organising it then give us a shout and we'll give you a hand.

Great project Ben , I'll see what I can do. maybe something on religious iconography (particularly marian iconography or the BVM as she's called in our house) and religious kitch (my specialist subject - i just got given two very bad devotional samplers today

let me think about it...

who's doing Why people believe?

Hi W****E - good to see you here - did you see the website with the coffin painted up to look like a Fed EX parcel? They did others too which were more religious and just as kistch.

'Why people believe' is being done by Wotchit - U197053

Noggin the Nog U195809 and Toxxin U203235 are taking the same subject from a more academic viewpoint and doing "The biological basis and representation of beliefs, and the difference between explicit and implicit beliefs". There is a discussion on Toxxin's U-space about it. You could mosey on there if you felt like seeing what they are up to.

I'll put you down for an entry on Marian Iconography and Religious Kitsch. If it turns out to be two entries that is great. But one is fun too.

I am really glad you will be doing an entry; we need a couple of sideways looks at the subject, and I was hoping you would provide one.

Luv

B

Yay, Mina!

I suspect the main help will be scheduling the in-house editing after GTB has subbed each entry. (Poor GTB - I wonder if he knows how many there are!)

Actually, we may need a second sub to help him out and do half the entries. We can play it by ear I guess.

Thanks for your help already.

B

Just a quickie to keep us all on track:

The original working title of the project was 'the structure and function of belief'.

In the 'structure' parts I would like to look at what belief is, and what it is not. In the 'function' parts I would like to look at what having beliefs does for us individually and en mass.

Entries which look at either of these topics are within the scope of the project. I suspect that I will get other entries which are outside that defined scope, and some of them are going to be real hum-dingers, exciting and challenging and fun.

But we may have to make a decision whether to include them in this project, set up a separate project, or suggest to the writers that they put the entry into Peer Review in the normal way. All project entries should conform to the Guidelines for edited entries, so the PR route should not be a problem.

I suspect that the scope will creep to include concepts like faith and worship, and I would welcome that. But this is to remind you that the mantra for the project is 'tread on no toes'!

I am posting this in the Project Page as well.

In the meantime, have fun!

B

I was down for two entries; one on religion and science, and the other on religion and philosophy; there should really then be one on philosophy and science, but three entries seems to be too much of a good thing and a recipe for repeating myself to boot, so I'm going to try and do it in one. Religion, Philosophy and Science is at A854930 , but it's not an entry yet, just a few *notes to myself*.

Noggin

Thanks.

I have put you down as solo author for that, and working jointly with Toxxin on "The biological basis and representation of beliefs, and the difference between explicit and implicit beliefs" and with me on an entry defining terms.

If you want to skip the entry on defining terms, that isn't a problem. I can start a thread here, or knock one together myself.

B

I'll unsubscribe and leave you to it, so if you need anything, call on one of the italics.

*waves*

Just recieved this in my in-box:

> An atheist was taking a walk through the woods, admiring all that the
> "accident of evolution" had created. "What majestic trees! What powerful
> rivers! What beautiful animals!" he said to
> himself. As he was walking alongside the river he heard a rustling in the
> bushes behind him.
> He turned to look. He saw a 7-foot grizzly charge towards him.
>
> He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over his shoulder and
saw
> that the bear was closing. He ran even faster, so scared that tears were
> coming to his eyes. He looked over his shoulder again, and the bear was
> even
> closer.
>
> His heart was pumping frantically and he tried to run even faster. He
> tripped and fell to the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up but saw
> the bear, right on top of him: reaching for him with his left paw and
> raising his right paw to strike him.
>
> At that instant the atheist cried out "Oh my God!...."
>
> Time stopped.
>
> The bear froze.
>
> The forest was silent.
>
> Even the river stopped moving.
>
> As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky: "You
> deny
> my existence for all of these years, teach others I don't exist and, even
> credit creation to a cosmic accident. Do you expect me to help you out of
> this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?"
>
> The atheist looked directly into the light. "It would be hypocritical of
> me
> to suddenly ask You to treat me as a Christian now, but perhaps could you
> make the bear a Christian?"
>
> "Very well," the voice said.
>
> The light went out.
>
> The river ran again.
>
> And the sounds of the forest resumed.
>
>
>
> Then the bear dropped its right paw ........brought both paws together....
> bowed its head and spoke: "Lord, for this food which I am about to
> receive, I am truly thankful."

Ha! That's a good one.

Just to let y'all know that the first completed entry written for the project has now been posted to the Project Page.

It is called:
Will the Social Sciences sell its soul or lose its balls? - A857694

And is by a brand new researcher My Evil Twin Beryl - U206676

(I always wanted to meet my evil twin!)

I am suggesting that My Evil Twin puts it into the Writing Workshop. If you have critiques they can be added to the thread there.



Ben

Hi

My entry on the Evolutionary Function of Belief A853814 is ready now. It's associated thread in the Writing Workshop is here: F57153?thread=217913&latest=1

I suggest that all finished entries go into the WW, the peer review process is helpful, and we cannot put Uni Entries into PR.

All the best, and keep the faith.

B

I have started a thread on the page itself for completed entries.

F101784?thread=219301&post=2525835#p2525835

Ben
(off into town to get some food, and a life while she is at it)

ha! love that one.

I think I know what my contribution will be. "Fear, desire, and belief."

Basically I'm going to talk about how people's beliefs can be altered by fears and desires, as well as how they can be made to believe something through fear or desire or a combination of both.

It's at A881417, although I haven't done anything with it yet. But I should be able to get something put together soon.

That IS interesting. Yes - please do write about that. Keep clear of dissing any specific religion in your examples, but I am sure you can manage that.

Thanks for thinking of it!

B

fear,desire,belief --- excellant combo!