Author Archives: Dan Jones

About Dan Jones

Dan Jones is a freelance science writer

The Triumph of Experimental Philosophy

Posted on 12/07/2018 by Dan Jones

Great news for anyone interested in the young but growing field of experimental philosophy (X-Phi) – here’s a story I just wrote for the British Psychological Society’s Research Digest blog on the success of X-Phi.  

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

A difference of opinion

Posted on 12/10/2017 by Dan Jones

A new paper offers insights into the psychology and intuitions of our epistemological beliefs, and adds to a growing body of research that challenges traditional philosophical practice Disagreements are as varied as they are common. Sometimes we lock horns over … Continue reading →

Posted in Essay | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Life and the meaning of death

Posted on 12/08/2015 by Dan Jones

I only just got around to watching this interview, by science writer John Horgan, with Sheldon Solomon, one of the architects of ‘terror-management theory’ – an attempt to explain how we cope with the existential terror created by the knowledge … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

On how to be completely wrong about radicalisation: the curious case of Jerry Coyne

Posted on 06/08/2015 by Dan Jones

On his popular blog Why Evolution Is True, Jerry Coyne – eminent evolutionary biologist, outspoken atheist, and unrelenting critic of Islam – recently found time between posting pictures of his new boots and the food he’s been eating to wade … Continue reading →

Posted in Essay, Uncategorized | 22 Comments

Explaining violent extremism

Posted on 23/01/2015 by Dan Jones

Thirteen years into the ‘War on Terror’, and confusion still reigns about the roots of radicalisation. The horrors visited on the streets on Paris on January 7 are the latest entry in the tragic catalogue of violence committed by Islamist … Continue reading →

Posted in Essay | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Beyond belief: On the ethics of killing

Posted on 22/10/2014 by Dan Jones

Why Sam Harris’s argument that it’s ethically OK to kill people for what they believe still doesn’t stack up. It’s not uncommon for a polemicist’s words to come back to haunt them, as Sam Harris knows all too well. For … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 35 Comments

Owning our mistakes

Posted on 08/10/2014 by Dan Jones

To err is human; to forgive, divine. Somewhere in between sits the willingness to admit when we’ve done wrong, and to take ownership of our transgressions against others. This is the crucial ingredient of a sincere apology and the first … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

On being thankful for the freely given kindness of others

Posted on 26/09/2014 by Dan Jones

Friendships begin with liking or gratitude – roots that can be pulled up Daniel Deronda (1876), by George Eliot Twice in my life I’ve been stood behind someone in a queue who has unwittingly dropped a £10 pound note. Both … Continue reading →

Posted in RESEARCH, Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

A Free Will Resource via Al Mele

Posted on 26/09/2014 by Dan Jones

Originally posted on A Philosopher's Take:
Al Mele, one of the most distinguished and recognizable philosophers writing on free will has launched a new blog where he plans to field questions and generate discussion a few times a week…

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Touring the Veritable Museum of Mistakes: Thoughts on Dennett on Harris on Free Will

Posted on 04/02/2014 by Dan Jones

Philosopher Dan Dennett has recently taken Sam Harris to task over his arguments for rejecting the concept of free will. Here are my thoughts on this intellectual fallout. Sam Harris is perhaps the most prominent defender of the claim that … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments