October 12, 2009
Evolutionists on a Crusade to 'Educate' the Public
The latest work by Richard Dawkins is among books seeking
to stem the growth of creationism.
Evolutionists on a Crusade to 'Educate' the Public
The latest work by Richard Dawkins is among books seeking
to stem the growth of creationism.
SUMMARY: (of a commentary by PZ Myers): Aware of assaults on "science",
scientists are reaching out and trying to explain their work to the lay public. A
number of books describing evolution theory have recently been published, the
latest of which is Richard Dawkins' The Greatest Show on Earth.
While public schools are failing to educate people about biology, it is now
easier to pick up basic information and get a good idea of "why evolution has
been such a powerful idea in biology."
Solving the problem of creationism isn't as easy as simply handing out copies
of Dawkins' book. Most critics of evolution "don’t have the slightest idea of the
principles of the theory." Creationists assert there are no transitional fossils, for
instance, when there are "a few hundred."
While Richard Dawkins talks about reaching the fence-sitters, Myers thinks
committed evolutionists as well as devout creationists should also read these
books.
(Photo of Richard Dawkins from Wikimedia Commons .)
To read Myers' entire commentary click on this link to SEED MAGAZINE.
COMMENT: PZ Myers, a biology professor at the U. of Minnesota, and
Richard Dawkins are both outspoken defenders of Darwin and harsh critics of
conservative Christians and creationists. So, for Myers to defend Dawkins is to
be expected. It is a surprise though to see so many half-truths and
misrepresentations in one short commentary at the same time as Myers is
accusing creationists of distortions and ignorance. Following are a few of his
questionable remarks:
Scientists are aware of the assaults on science by the conservative religious
right. The religious right, especially creation science, isn't attacking science; it
is attacking evolutionary theory. Creationist and Intelligent Design scientists
don't consider Darwin's theory to be science.
There are no excuses now for not being informed about the core principles of
the socially (but not scientifically!) controversial theory of evolution. While
many creationist scientists with advanced degrees denounce evolution theory
for both religious and scientific reasons, many scientists, especially those in
the Intelligent Design movement, reject evolution for only scientific and common
sense reasons. Many aspects of evolutionary theory are controversial within
the scientific establishment itself, such as gradualism vs. punctuated
equilibrium.
Most of the critics of evolution don’t have the slightest idea of the principles of
the theory. Does Myers here include the many ex-evolutionist scientists who
have now converted to creationism or the Intelligent Design movement?
I’m always being told that it’s entirely about chance conjuring complex
organisms into existence, the old “tornado in a junk yard” canard. The
comparison of the chances of life originating by natural means to that of a
747 airplane being constructed by a tornado passing through a junkyard was
not originally made by a creationist. It was made by Sir Fred Hoyle, an
astronomer who apparently was not even a Christian.
Creationists assert that there are no transitional fossils, for instance, so we
have to show them a few hundred. Only a few hundred? Darwin himself wrote,
“Why, if species have descended from other species by fine gradations, do we
not everywhere see innumerable transitional forms?” (Darwin, C. 1902. On
The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection: or The Preservation of
Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life, 6th Edition. New York: P. F. Collier &
Son. 233) The fact of the matter is that the handful of fossils alleged to be
transitional fossils, such as Archaeopteryx and Ida, all seem to be controversial
within the scientific establishment itself.
“The Cambrian explosion was a sudden event that can only be explained by
the work of a designer” This quotation attributed to creation theory is off the
mark. Creationists, in general at least, see the Cambrian explosion (the sudden
appearance of all types of creatures in the fossil record) as evidence for a
worldwide catastrophe (Noah's Flood) that deposited all the different fossils in
the ground at about the same time. The Cambrian explosion has nothing to do
with design. On the other hand, Darwinists are obligated to explain how all
these different types of fossils appear at the same time in the ground fully
formed and without transitional fossils.
It is apparent that evolutionists have been stung by polling results showing
support for Darwin's theory, in America at least, at less than 50% to as low as
33% or lower. They hope to counter this trend with their new books. I just hope
readers who pick up Dawkins' book or one of the other new books will
investigate both sides of the story, because truth in the end will win out.
Perhaps some of the fence sitters, with God's help, will read the original
creationist book, the Holy Bible, through which they might not just become
anti-evolutionists, but, more important, will become believers in Jesus Christ as
Savior--saved for eternal life in heaven.
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your request to [admin@lutheranscience.org].
**************************************************************************************
QUESTION OF THE DAY
What causes tinnitus (ringing in the ears)?
**************************************************************************************
NOTE ON VISITOR COMMENTS: Visitor comments are invited including those
containing alternate views. However, comments containing profanity or
advertisements will not be published. After posting a comment, please allow
several hours for it to appear on the blog.
**************************************************************************************
scientists are reaching out and trying to explain their work to the lay public. A
number of books describing evolution theory have recently been published, the
latest of which is Richard Dawkins' The Greatest Show on Earth.
While public schools are failing to educate people about biology, it is now
easier to pick up basic information and get a good idea of "why evolution has
been such a powerful idea in biology."
Solving the problem of creationism isn't as easy as simply handing out copies
of Dawkins' book. Most critics of evolution "don’t have the slightest idea of the
principles of the theory." Creationists assert there are no transitional fossils, for
instance, when there are "a few hundred."
While Richard Dawkins talks about reaching the fence-sitters, Myers thinks
committed evolutionists as well as devout creationists should also read these
books.
(Photo of Richard Dawkins from Wikimedia Commons .)
To read Myers' entire commentary click on this link to SEED MAGAZINE.
COMMENT: PZ Myers, a biology professor at the U. of Minnesota, and
Richard Dawkins are both outspoken defenders of Darwin and harsh critics of
conservative Christians and creationists. So, for Myers to defend Dawkins is to
be expected. It is a surprise though to see so many half-truths and
misrepresentations in one short commentary at the same time as Myers is
accusing creationists of distortions and ignorance. Following are a few of his
questionable remarks:
Scientists are aware of the assaults on science by the conservative religious
right. The religious right, especially creation science, isn't attacking science; it
is attacking evolutionary theory. Creationist and Intelligent Design scientists
don't consider Darwin's theory to be science.
There are no excuses now for not being informed about the core principles of
the socially (but not scientifically!) controversial theory of evolution. While
many creationist scientists with advanced degrees denounce evolution theory
for both religious and scientific reasons, many scientists, especially those in
the Intelligent Design movement, reject evolution for only scientific and common
sense reasons. Many aspects of evolutionary theory are controversial within
the scientific establishment itself, such as gradualism vs. punctuated
equilibrium.
Most of the critics of evolution don’t have the slightest idea of the principles of
the theory. Does Myers here include the many ex-evolutionist scientists who
have now converted to creationism or the Intelligent Design movement?
I’m always being told that it’s entirely about chance conjuring complex
organisms into existence, the old “tornado in a junk yard” canard. The
comparison of the chances of life originating by natural means to that of a
747 airplane being constructed by a tornado passing through a junkyard was
not originally made by a creationist. It was made by Sir Fred Hoyle, an
astronomer who apparently was not even a Christian.
Creationists assert that there are no transitional fossils, for instance, so we
have to show them a few hundred. Only a few hundred? Darwin himself wrote,
“Why, if species have descended from other species by fine gradations, do we
not everywhere see innumerable transitional forms?” (Darwin, C. 1902. On
The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection: or The Preservation of
Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life, 6th Edition. New York: P. F. Collier &
Son. 233) The fact of the matter is that the handful of fossils alleged to be
transitional fossils, such as Archaeopteryx and Ida, all seem to be controversial
within the scientific establishment itself.
“The Cambrian explosion was a sudden event that can only be explained by
the work of a designer” This quotation attributed to creation theory is off the
mark. Creationists, in general at least, see the Cambrian explosion (the sudden
appearance of all types of creatures in the fossil record) as evidence for a
worldwide catastrophe (Noah's Flood) that deposited all the different fossils in
the ground at about the same time. The Cambrian explosion has nothing to do
with design. On the other hand, Darwinists are obligated to explain how all
these different types of fossils appear at the same time in the ground fully
formed and without transitional fossils.
It is apparent that evolutionists have been stung by polling results showing
support for Darwin's theory, in America at least, at less than 50% to as low as
33% or lower. They hope to counter this trend with their new books. I just hope
readers who pick up Dawkins' book or one of the other new books will
investigate both sides of the story, because truth in the end will win out.
Perhaps some of the fence sitters, with God's help, will read the original
creationist book, the Holy Bible, through which they might not just become
anti-evolutionists, but, more important, will become believers in Jesus Christ as
Savior--saved for eternal life in heaven.
**************************************************************************************
Want to be automatically notified each time there is a new post? Just e-mail
your request to [admin@lutheranscience.org].
**************************************************************************************
QUESTION OF THE DAY
What causes tinnitus (ringing in the ears)?
**************************************************************************************
NOTE ON VISITOR COMMENTS: Visitor comments are invited including those
containing alternate views. However, comments containing profanity or
advertisements will not be published. After posting a comment, please allow
several hours for it to appear on the blog.
**************************************************************************************
2 Comments
markbergemann@yahoo.com said...I have suffered from tinnitus and
hyperacussis for decades. Very little is actually known about either. Often there
is no known mechanical damage.
http://www.ata.org/http://www.hyperacusis.net/hyperacusis/home/default.asp
John wrote...Saying Darwin is the authority on evolution is like saying Freud is
the authority on psychology. Guess what, evolutionary scientists know that not
everything the dude said was correct, which is why it's a scientific field and not
a philosophy. I've yet to see any articles on this website that show
creationism's progress in collecting empirical data; it's all been about refuting
and putting a spin on real, valid discoveries. Where are the creationists'
empirical observations and discoveries?
p.s.
"It was made by Sir Fred Hoyle, an
astronomer who apparently was not even a Christian."
So? He was an astronomer, not an evolutionary scientist. And you're arguing
from authority, which is a fallacy anyway.
markbergemann@yahoo.com said...I have suffered from tinnitus and
hyperacussis for decades. Very little is actually known about either. Often there
is no known mechanical damage.
http://www.ata.org/http://www.hyperacusis.net/hyperacusis/home/default.asp
John wrote...Saying Darwin is the authority on evolution is like saying Freud is
the authority on psychology. Guess what, evolutionary scientists know that not
everything the dude said was correct, which is why it's a scientific field and not
a philosophy. I've yet to see any articles on this website that show
creationism's progress in collecting empirical data; it's all been about refuting
and putting a spin on real, valid discoveries. Where are the creationists'
empirical observations and discoveries?
p.s.
"It was made by Sir Fred Hoyle, an
astronomer who apparently was not even a Christian."
So? He was an astronomer, not an evolutionary scientist. And you're arguing
from authority, which is a fallacy anyway.
| LSI stands for the Lutheran Science Institute, an organization of WELS and ELS Lutherans interested in science and health issues with a special emphasis on the creation and evolution controversy. This blog's purpose is to search the Internet to find articles of interest to Christians. Views expressed are those of the author (Warren Krug) and are not necessarily those of the Lutheran Science Institute, Inc. |
The most common cause is inner-ear cell damage. The
tiny hairs in the inner ear can become bent or broken,
leaking electrical impulses to the brain. Other common
causes for tinnitus include earwax blocking the ear canal,
benign tumors, head or neck injuries, depression, stress,
and exposure to loud noises.
Source: Dr. Peter Gott in (Racine) Journal Times (10/4/09)
tiny hairs in the inner ear can become bent or broken,
leaking electrical impulses to the brain. Other common
causes for tinnitus include earwax blocking the ear canal,
benign tumors, head or neck injuries, depression, stress,
and exposure to loud noises.
Source: Dr. Peter Gott in (Racine) Journal Times (10/4/09)