Why ThinkingMeat?

So why is this blog called ThinkingMeat?

Because that’s what we are, essentially, every last one of us. We’re creatures that have evolved the power of thought—maybe not a very well-developed power of thought just yet, but hey… we’re a work in progress.

Does that mean I am an atheist? Not in and of itself, no. But I have to say that in my half-century on this planet I’ve seen very little that would support the thesis of an involved and activist God, unless said God is a psychopath.

Penn Gillette recently summed up his beliefs in this regard, in an installment of the audio essay series This I Believe on NPR:

So, I’m saying, “This I believe: I believe there is no God.” Having taken that step, it informs every moment of my life. I’m not greedy. I have love, blue skies, rainbows and Hallmark cards, and that has to be enough. It has to be enough, but it’s everything in the world and everything in the world is plenty for me. It seems just rude to beg the invisible for more.

I find little in that essay that I can disagree with.

The name itself? It comes from the very short, very funny one-act play They’re Made Out of Meat by Terry Bisson. Take five minutes to go read it, then read some more of Terry’s work. He’s a great guy—he must be, because he gave me permission to use the phrase for the title of this blog.