Welcome to our archive of news stories relevant to the project of fighting fashionable nonsense. The stories are drawn from the electronic pages of the world’s media. On this page, you’ll find links to those stories that have been featured on Butterflies and Wheels during the current year. At the bottom of the page, you’ll find links to separate archives of stories from previous years.

We’re always pleased to hear about news stories that you think should be featured on Butterflies and Wheels. Just send an email here, if you want to point one out to us.

A note about links

Inevitably links go out of date. We suggest, therefore, that you make hard-copies of the stories that particularly interest you.


Christians Sue for Right to be Intolerant *

Apr 11th, 2006 | Filed by

Christian Legal Society forms a national group to challenge tolerance policies in federal court.… Read the rest



Bunting Keeps Flailing Away at Enlightenment *

Apr 11th, 2006 | Filed by

Frets at self-righteous certainty, gobsmacking ignorance, irrational bogeymen.… Read the rest



School Head Cross About ‘Faith’ Schools *

Apr 11th, 2006 | Filed by

Government warns of religious division and fundamentalism but approves ‘faith’ schools. … Read the rest



James Buchan on Adam Smith *

Apr 11th, 2006 | Filed by

The Adam Smith of the neo-conservative right has abolished not just history but also morality. … Read the rest



Royal Society on Creationism in Schools *

Apr 11th, 2006 | Filed by

Belief that Earth was formed in 4004 BC not consistent with evidence from geology, astronomy, physics.… Read the rest



Bernard-Henri Lévy Savaged in a New Book *

Apr 10th, 2006 | Filed by

Best-selling books established Lévy as popular intellectual, irritated less well-known philosophers.… Read the rest



Is Fred Barnes Kidding or Deluded? *

Apr 10th, 2006 | Filed by

Many people find ‘insurgent’ and ‘rebel’ unlikely designations for George W Bush. … Read the rest



Germany’s Second Unification *

Apr 10th, 2006 | Filed by

Neither multicultural pieties nor hysterical fear-mongering will help anyone.… Read the rest



The Sectarian Mind is at Home Everywhere *

Apr 10th, 2006 | Filed by

Todd Gitlin wonders why the left is so determined to eat its own.… Read the rest



The Iran Plans *

Apr 10th, 2006 | Filed by

Some exciting possibilities.… Read the rest



‘The Next Person to be Killed is Shirin Ebadi’ *

Apr 10th, 2006 | Filed by

Through this belief – that the intellectuals had abandoned God – they justified the killings as religious duty.… Read the rest



There is Nothing ‘Protective’ About Child Marriage *

Apr 10th, 2006 | Filed by

Feudalism, exploitation, caste hierarchy, patriarchy, tradition, seeing girls as slave labour.… Read the rest



Misguided ‘Respect’ for Traditions *

Apr 10th, 2006 | Filed by

Aisha begged child-protection authorities for help; not wishing to be seen as culturally insensitive, they refused.… Read the rest



The Passion Of Amartya Sen *

Apr 10th, 2006 | Filed by

‘We can be more than one kind of person, given different contexts, avers our argumentative Indian.’… Read the rest



The New U and Non-U *

Apr 9th, 2006 | Filed by

Universalist or cultural relativist.… Read the rest



James Randi’s Newsletter *

Apr 9th, 2006 | Filed by

Annual Pigasus awards, and a recommendation.… Read the rest



Goethe as the Advocate of ‘Cheerful Pessimism’ *

Apr 9th, 2006 | Filed by

Placing Goethe in a tradition reaching back to Epicurus and Lucretius.… Read the rest



Arthur Danto on Descartes *

Apr 9th, 2006 | Filed by

Intellectual quarrels in the 17th century were waspish and insulting, like British book reviewing today.… Read the rest



Experimental Philosophy and its Critics *

Apr 9th, 2006 | Filed by

Experimentalists can’t be sure subjects are responding to the philosophical principles at stake.… Read the rest



BHL and Anatol Lieven Debate Neoconservatism *

Apr 9th, 2006 | Filed by

Have the neoconservatives advanced any notions which liberalism and the left could learn from? … Read the rest