A Romantic Rationalist
| Gender | Male |
|---|---|
| Industry | Science |
| Occupation | Aspiring Science Communicator |
| Location | The Theocratic Repulbilc of South Dakota, United States |
| Introduction | My real name is Mark Northrup and I am a Romantic Rationalist. In his biography of Thomas Jefferson, "Thomas Jefferson: Passionate Pilgrim", author Alf J. Mapp described Jefferson as both a Romantic and a Rationalist. If one accepts only the modern meaning of "looking for love" as the definition of "romantic," then you are in the wrong place. According to Merriam Webster Online..."romantic" means: "5 a : having an inclination for romance : responsive to the appeal of what is idealized, heroic, or adventurous." Too often, atheists and rationalists are perceived as being cold, unfeeling, and unimaginative so I wanted to poke my finger in the eye of that perception. And to be completely honest, I also thought that the alliterative way in which it rolls off the tongue was nice too. I've been all over the world and after 22 years and some odd twists of fate and more than my share of both highs and lows, I'm back at my boyhood home for a few years to pursue an educational goal. I do not suffer fools gladly and am convinced that all people ought to think deeply and rationally about all aspects of existence and scale their acceptance of all propositions accordingly. |
| Interests | Math, History, Science, Reading, Staying Fit, Fine Cooking and Wines (the reason I try to stay fit, LOL), Ethics, Fishing (I cook and eat them) |
| Favorite Movies | Peter Jackson's LOTR Trilogy, classic B&W cinema, anything with Bogart or Grant in it. |
| Favorite Music | Dino, Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole, Josh Groban...NO C&W or Rap please...they say nothing for or about me, my life, or what I feel is worthwhile. |
| Favorite Books | The Razor's Edge by W. Sommerset Maugham, anything by Asimov, Sagan, Dawkins, Michael Shermer, Sam Harris, The Count of Monte Christo by Alexanre Dumas |