Dennett curiously limits his discussion to monotheism and the comments here are largely limited to Christian monotheism, or at least Judeo-Christian-Islamic montheism. Does he have anything to say about other practices?

While there is some disagreement over terming Buddhism a 'religion' is is often lumped in that category. The Dalai Lama has repeatedly stated that when science comes up with an explanation that contradicts Buddhist doctrine then science wins. He also firmly believes that he can delineate areas in which science is unable to even speak. The 'all experience is chemistry' folks dispute that, of course, but so far HHDL seems to be holding his own.

While I agree in large part with this article there seems to be an interesting disconnect in peoples' desire to connect Kissinger to the whole mess. Kissinger is one of the principle modern realiists, he isn't a neo-con and his brand of geo-political analysis is anathema to the neo-cons. While he may have spoken regularly to Cheney (as per Woodward's book) it seems unlikely that he was preaching a neo-con line or that the neo-cons wold pay the slightest attention to his proposals.

A quick look at the web site of the _post-autistic economics review_ (http://www.paecon.net) finds a page titled 'The Greatest 20th Century Economists Poll'.

Qualification is defined as:

"“Greatest” here means ... who most added to our understanding of economic phenomena ... Only subscribers to the post-autistic economics review are eligible to vote"

Friedman is off the back from #1 Keynes (3,253 votes) and well back from #4 Amartya Sen (708 votes) or #6 Thorstein Veblen (591 votes) - but he is #13, right behind Kenneth Arrow and well above Coase.

Friedman's theories are surely open to question on social and political grounds and the criticisms of the heterodox economists are cogent, but even they don't hold his thinking in contempt, just his conclusions.

I'm a practicing Buddhist, so it's not unreasonable that I'd find this article worthwhile :-). From my own direct and personal experience I have come to the same kinds of conclusions as has Wallace, although I've not traveled as far into the investigation as he. I do know that it doesn't take an act of some deity or the intersession of a supernatural being to pursue the investigation, just effort on a regular basis.

I am pleased to have this material put into play in the same forum where the clash between 'science' and 'religion' has been dramatized recently. Wallace's explication of the Buddhist perspective is nicely balanced, discussing what Buddhist practice can be in the best sense as well as being open to the critiques that can be made against it. I hope it can expand the scope beyond Christianity vs Science into which the discussion has slipped.

All you need to do is take the time and make the effort to collect it, much like collecting the evidence of scientific inquiry requires effort and takes time.

Those who have spent the time to develop a complete understanding of any single scientific discipline have my sincere admiration; as I approach 60 years of age I'm still working on my understanding of science, as well as Buddhism. Many who dismiss investigation such as Wallace's have as 'faith-based' a perspective as the average Pentecostal preacher. How many can actually do the science of which they are so certain?

Science is certain of what it says until someone comes along and presents a counter example, then there's a new certainty. The kind of proof some claim exists for 'scientific reality' exists only in mathematics, NOT in science. If there's a pursuit that deserves the epithet navel gazing it's mathematics far more than Buddhism!

Never again.

For data from the snow study plots at Jackson Hole, WY as taken by snow safety workers for the last 28 years see:

http://www.jhavalanche.org/data.html

Anybody who thinks running a ski area is a great way to make money should take up dry farming. Where does Dan work; I want to go kick the shovel out of his hands.

Sir -

Aspen Skiing Company and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort are the only two resorts in North America, and two of the smallest companies in the world, to be certified via the ISO 14001 process for creation, maintenance and performance of environmental policies (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_14001). An audit is performed by an outside ISO auditing agency every 6 monthes to ensure that certified entities continue to perform and maintain according to plans and standards. The process costs the entities several thousand dollars a year.

If both the NRDC and the ISO fail to meet your standards I wonder just what we can do to make you happy? Can you point to any, just one single, entity of any kind in the entire world that is not a sinner? Who should the ski business emulate?

...those of us who do ski can't imaging NOT doing it. I see folks aged 70+ who are some of the most enthusiastic participants on the hill. I can't imagine wasting money on buying a house and I drive a 20 year old car, but my alpine and nordic skiing gear is always up to date. Last winter I took up kite skiing, so now I have to keep THAT up to date, too! Sheeesh.

:-)