Unaccustomed As I Am…

Oh dear. Some time ago, a meme was released onto the internet over at the thinking blog. It’s purpose is to give recognition to bloggers who make you think. The rules are:

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think and
2. Link to the original post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme. Winners get to display the award logo.

It’s a rather nice idea, but to my surprise and consternation I’ve found that I’ve been tagged for the award by Dr. John Carter Wood, over at Obscene Desserts. What ratchets up my consternation to a whole different level is that he lists my poor little effort of a blog alongside such heavyweights as Notes and Comments over at ButterfliesAndWheels, Pharyngula and Fisking Central. Not only that, but the good Doctor has thus ensured that I can’t tag them in return. Curses!

So here, in no particular order, are a further five blogs that make me think:

• The Loom – a blog about life, past and future. Carl Zimmer writes about the Life Sciences, and he writes very well. He seems to have a special passion for parasites, which flowers in his brilliant book: Parasite Rex.
• Not Saussure – mostly, but not always, delving into UK society and politics. He has a fine rapier-like analytical wit, with which he pricks pomposity, not to mention his occasional bludgeoning with the broadsword of invective.
• Stephen Law – the eponymous blog of a philosopher. I must admit, I’ve always thought of philosophy as being a bit poncy, and much preferred hard science. But people such as Stephen Law are changing my mind. His book The Philosophy Gym, with such gems as "Is time travel possible?" "What’s wrong with gay sex?" and "Where did the universe come from?" is excellent.
• Mind Hacks – a blog devoted to developments happening in the field of cognition, psychology and neuroscience.
• Unspeak – the blog by Steven Poole devoted to analysing the way in which words are weapons. I learned at a very early age, by growing up gay, that words were subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) weapons.

There are several other blogs that I’d like to list as well, but I’ve reached my limit of five tags. Obviously, as hinted at above, Notes and Comments, Pharyngula and Fisking Central are amongst the list of blogs that I would like to name. Perhaps I can sneak in one more, by reason of the fact that it’s already earned a Thinking Blogger award, so it’s not as though I need to name it as part of my list…

• The Republic of T – a blog by an American man who describes himself as a black, gay, vegetarian, buddhist and left-leaning dad.  

And now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go and see how I can add the little Thinking Blogger banner to my blog space. Thank you, thank you, thank you… Exit stage left, pursued by a bear.