A Romantic Rationalist

My blogs

About me

Gender Male
Industry Government
Occupation Aspiring Science Communicator
Location Rapid City, South Dakota
Introduction
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" can mean: "5a: having an inclination for the romantic: responsive to the appeal of what is idealized, heroic, or adventurous."
Too often, rationalists/freethinkers/skeptics/atheists (the exact label matters little) 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 do not suffer fools gladly and am convinced that everyone ought to think deeply and rationally about all aspects of existence and scale their acceptance of all propositions accordingly.

A longer (and earlier) biographical essay can be found here.
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, The Princess Bride, and 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 Cristo by Alexandre Dumas