to-read
(917)
currently-reading (5)
read (1666)
did-not-finish (0)
target-doctor-who (231)
star-trek (226)
currently-reading (5)
read (1666)
did-not-finish (0)
target-doctor-who (231)
star-trek (226)
missing-tolkien
(78)
my-tolkien-archive (64)
acquire-still-in-print (57)
acquire-cool-covers (46)
acquire (41)
arcana (41)
my-tolkien-archive (64)
acquire-still-in-print (57)
acquire-cool-covers (46)
acquire (41)
arcana (41)
“I don't accept the currently fashionable assertion that any view is automatically as worthy of respect as any equal and opposite view. My view is that the moon is made of rock. If someone says to me 'Well, you haven't been there, have you? You haven't seen it for yourself, so my view that it is made of Norwegian Beaver Cheese is equally valid' - then I can't even be bothered to argue. There is such a thing as the burden of proof, and in the case of god, as in the case of the composition of the moon, this has shifted radically. God used to be the best explanation we'd got, and we've now got vastly better ones. God is no longer an explanation of anything, but has instead become something that would itself need an insurmountable amount of explaining. So I don't think that being convinced that there is no god is as irrational or arrogant a point of view as belief that there is. I don't think the matter calls for even-handedness at all.”
―
―
“In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion.”
―
―
“I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.”
― Letter to the Grand Duchess Christina
― Letter to the Grand Duchess Christina
“I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.”
― The Fellowship of the Ring
― The Fellowship of the Ring
The Sword and Laser
— 21666 members
— last activity 4 hours, 29 min ago
Online discussion forum for the Sword and Laser podcast and monthly book club pick. Subscribe to the audio podcast: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podca ...more
Goodreads Librarians Group
— 325573 members
— last activity 1 minute ago
Goodreads Librarians are volunteers who help ensure the accuracy of information about books and authors in the Goodreads' catalog. The Goodreads Libra ...more
William’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at William’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
Favorite Genres
Polls voted on by William
Lists liked by William






















































