William Hare defends ‘open-mindedness’ against a number of popular attacks.

Did those who published the cartoons of Muhammad do something wrong?

Thinking Tools is a regular feature that introduces tips and pointers on thinking clearly and rigorously.

In a recent issue of Think, Brenda Watson suggested that atheism is also a ‘faith position’. Here, Piers Benn looks more closely at this often-made suggestion.

John Stuart Mill was born two hundred years ago, on 20th May, 1806. He died on 7th May 1873. Peter Cave brings to life some of the thinking of this outstanding philosopher.

In the philosophy of mind, zombies often make an appearance. It seems we can conceive of zombies — beings physically exactly like ourselves but lacking conscious experience. There may not actually be any zombies, of course. But the suggestion that they could exist does at least seem to make sense. Or does it? Robert Kirk investigates.

Here's a short introduction to some mind-boggling paradoxes concerning probability.

Stephen Gardiner gets to grips with the Kyoto agreement on climate change — and asks whether our lack of commitment to seriously reducing emissions is down to the fact that the bad consequences of not reducing emissions won't affect us.

It's often said that it's highly improbable that evolution should produce complex beings such as ourselves. But is it? Here is a welcome clarification of how to weigh up probabilities — particularly when it comes to evolution.

As the Fantasy Football Philosopher's League heads for its climax, we join one of the key matches, The God Squad v Humanists United. The God Squad led at half time, but the Humanists made a strong showing in the second half and after 25 minutes injury time, the score is equal and we move to the penalty shootout. In this league, the penalty shootout is held between the two team captains — each in goal against the other. The games take place in the twenty first century and team captains have been able to watch all the past matches they may have missed. Team captains are Thomas Aquinas and Bertrand Russell. You, the reader, keep the score.

Kate Distin introduces the theory of the selfish meme – and questions whether we are all ‘meme machines’.

Is truth just a matter of perspective?

They sought it with thimbles, they sought it with care;

They pursued it with forks and hope;

They threatened its life with a railway share;

They charmed it with smiles and soap.

The snark is pursued with forks and hope. The hunters are unclear about where to find it, and the appropriate methods for catching it, because they are not even clear what it is that they are seeking. We do not pursue metaphysical quarry with forks, although we often pursue such quarry with inappropriate logical tools and misplaced hope, for often we are equally confused about what it is we are seeking, and the appropriate methods for finding it. So what we find may be very surprising: we may find that there is nothing to find.