tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post6662716374700973041..comments2024-03-19T09:06:21.507-04:00Comments on Irtiqa: Thoughts on Martin Rees and the Templeton PrizeSalman Hameedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327330113822656571noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-41615800079052874452011-04-15T12:46:27.305-04:002011-04-15T12:46:27.305-04:00Thanks, Salman. I like to do a mix of various top...Thanks, Salman. I like to do a mix of various topics and will try and follow your blog on my travels. This is a great forum for speaking about many things. <br />I'm going into some music issues which are causing problems in some parts of the Scottish Presbyterian church, where they think instrumental music may not be write. One finds this elsewhere.obreptionhttp://obreption.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-87233681037486417812011-04-12T11:39:39.032-04:002011-04-12T11:39:39.032-04:00Thanks Obreption.
I see that you have an interest...Thanks Obreption.<br /><br />I see that you have an interesting post on <a href="http://obreption.blogspot.com/2011/04/god-made-templetonium-from-tellurium.html" rel="nofollow">Templetonian</a> yourself :)<br /><br />And one on <a href="http://obreption.blogspot.com/2011/04/mohammed-iqbal-1877-1938-and-urdu.html" rel="nofollow">Iqbal's fantastic poem, Shikwah</a>.Salman Hameedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04327330113822656571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-75370359774184319142011-04-12T07:42:45.758-04:002011-04-12T07:42:45.758-04:00The issue of funding is rightly discussed. Hubble...The issue of funding is rightly discussed. Hubble himself benefitted from funds which we would now regard as being a bit 'cranky'. Andrew Carnegie's foundation has also been revalued, given that there was always exploitation in their accumulation of wealth. Having said that, I found your blog a rational place to air these topics. <br /><br />Martin Rees is quite a catch for any prize or award. He's quite well known with his position in the Royal Society and of course the House of Lords, and possibly more importantly a guest editor of BBC Radio 4 Today programme, which reaches the scientifically challenged - the grey, middle-class sector. <br /><br />Keep up the good work!obreptionhttp://obreption.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-41501132076243189522011-04-11T20:46:48.936-04:002011-04-11T20:46:48.936-04:00Thanks Mohamed.
You have asked an excellent quest...Thanks Mohamed.<br /><br />You have asked an excellent question. I have not looked into the details. However, I know that some of their money is going into research into the promising area of origins of altruism - and some good people are associated with it. Similarly, they have funded books that have made valuable contributions. For example. Elaine Ecklund's book "What Scientists Think about Religion", was at least partly supported by a Templeton grant. The book has some shortcomings, but overall, it has made some very useful contribution in the field. And I already mentioned the support for the World Science Festival - which may not fall in the category of "discovery" but is very useful. <br /><br />But are other private foundations different? Carnegie, Sloan, and Keck have funded telescopes - and so they may get exposure through that. What kind of criteria should we use to evaluate these different foundations? I think it gets tricky.Salman Hameedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04327330113822656571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-21676839751919186752011-04-11T10:21:16.858-04:002011-04-11T10:21:16.858-04:00Thanks for this fair and balanced opinion, the mos...Thanks for this fair and balanced opinion, the most on this whole issue that I've seen.<br /><br />Salman, I'll ask you a question that I also asked Nidhal: do you think Templeton-funded projects have produced any interesting or important discoveries?Mohamedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03713658577594814316noreply@blogger.com