Monday, December 26, 2005

Evolution, Theories, Laws, and Terrorists

For some reason, a popular discussion has evolved under the WSJ post of several days ago. It is one that I find quite interesting and have enjoyed reading over the past several days. Because it is under a post that has little relevancy to its own subject matter, many readers may not have noticed it. So that everyone may be able to read this ongoing exchange, I am re-posting the discussion, in its entirety, below. Enjoy.

sbs-304 said...

here's a cool thing, because all i do is bitch and moan:

21 Ways To Be A Good Liberal

1. You have to be against capital punishment, but support
abortion on demand.

2. You have to believe that businesses create oppression and
governments create prosperity.

3. You have to believe that guns in the hands of law-abiding
Americans are more of a threat than U.S. nuclear weapons technology in the
hands of Chinese and North Korean communists.

4. You have to believe that there was no art before Federal
funding.

5. You have to believe that global temperatures are less affected
by cyclical documented changes in the earth's climate and more affected by soccer moms driving SUV's.

6. You have to believe that gender roles are artificial but being
homosexual is natural.

[...and so, on...all the way up to 21 - You get the point]

Anonymous said...

These are good points but just as many hypocritical things are wrong with the republican party.
PLus democrats acknowledge science which republicans dont. LIke evolution. It may be 'just a theory' but so is gravity. ITs a fact that it exists. Republicans are just too narrow minded to realize it.
Merry Christmas!!!

Anonymous said...

Evolution= Theory
Gravity= Law

Open a science book.

The term "theory" still indicates significant scientific support of the idea. Infact, most "conservatives" wouldn't argue the theory of evolution. Being a theory however, there should be more than one side presented.

Don't confuse the the LAW of gravity with the THEORY of evolution. One is undeniable, the other has not been significantly proven false.

Republicans don't deny science. We know that it is a scientific fact that when a bomb is dropped on terrorists, they cease to terrorize.

How's that for science?

Anonymous said...

Its a matter of symantics. Since it is impossible to prove that the entire universe is subjected to the same "Law of gravity" it is impossible to prove it is a universal law.
Secondly, the only reson evolution is 'only a theory' is because it cannot be reproduced in a labratory situation since it takes millions of years to take place. I like listening to people like you. I have a friend who told me one time, "You know, Christian science is making huge strides in proving evolution to be a faulted theory." He cited the bible a couple of times and even gave a me a christian science magazine with a cover article about evolution. Inside a scientist examined fossils (none of which are more then 4000 years old of course) and discuses how dinosaur fossils were placed there by God to fool 'unbeleivers' (like me i guess).
I, personally, just think thats absurd. Now this of course is coming from a non practicing christian. I have absolutely no problem with people beleiving in Intelligent Design. My problem is how people want science classes to teach it, not because i am fundementally against it, but because it is simply not science. You seem to know what you're talking about so you'd have to agree. There is absolutely no scientific proof of itelligent design. There is no observable evidence. Simply put, there is no scientific basis for intelligent design.

And lastly, those terrorists who are bombed cease to terrorize, i doubt anybody even a flaming liberal (Even guy who is from Massachussets and probably gay) wouldn't disagree with that. However the terrorists children won't.

1 comments:

Anonymous said...

What I am saying is:
YES evolution has been proven beyond signifcant doubt.
YES it is necessary for children to learn and understand this in school.

HOWEVER, there are shortcomings in the theory. 1: the various methods of dating material have been disputed and are highly questioned, especially in the last several years. 2: If one were to calculate the possibility of the "primoridal ooze" theory actually occuring, the statistical probability is so mindblowing, that one MUST take into account that it MAY have occured differently. NO ONE was there to witness it. Therefore it is still THEORY.

"Intelligent Design" is pretty looney, especially when people attempt to pass it off as legitimate science. However, these are all ideas that MUST be presented, however briefly, to students. The purpose of education is to teach children to think for themselves. By excluding information, we rob them of that oppertunity. While we're at it, we might as well leave slavery out of education, or the Crusades, or the entire Roman empire, because those topics can be unsettling at times. TRUE, they aren't science. BUT THEY ACTUALLY HAPPENED. No one documented evolution as it occured. No one documented creationism as it occured either. I would say there is enough doubt (if you do your homework) to level out the playing field, AT THE FUNDIMENTAL LEVEL OF CREATION. I'm not talking about Adam and Eve shit, but the possibility that a greater force may have had influence in the first, basic life forms. To deny that possiblity is IGNORANCE.

Who said that we are the ones to determine what every child in the school system is taught? It is our job to ensure they are given as much information as possible and for them to make the decisions. NOT US. We simply give them guidance.

This is not narrow minded, right-wing religious talk. I am giving the next generation the benefit of the doubt that they can make correct choices with information given them. Narrow minded is selectively excluding information from childrens' education.