Posted on 01/28/2009 11:36:17 AM PST by Coyoteman
We will see and hear the term “Darwinism” a lot during 2009, a year during which scientists, teachers, and others who delight in the accomplishments of modern biology will commemorate the 200th anniversary of Darwin’s birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of On the Origin of Species. But what does “Darwinism” mean? And how is it used? At best, the phrase is ambiguous and misleading about science. At worst, its use echoes a creationist strategy to demonize evolution.
snip...
In summary, then, “Darwinism” is an ambiguous term that impairs communication even about Darwin’s own ideas. It fails to convey the full panoply of modern evolutionary biology accurately, and it fosters the inaccurate perception that the field stagnated for 150 years after Darwin’s day. Moreover, creationists use “Darwinism” to frame evolutionary biology as an ism or ideology, and the public understanding of evolution and science suffers as a result. True, in science, we do not shape our research because of what creationists claim about our subject matter. But when we are in the classroom or otherwise dealing with the public understanding of science, it is entirely appropriate to consider whether what we say may be misunderstood. We cannot expect to change preconceptions if we are not willing to avoid exacerbating them. A first step is eschewing the careless use of “Darwinism.”
(Excerpt) Read more at springerlink.com ...
On the contrary, you've been the one who's demonstrated the problems with ordinary vocabulary.
My only emotional investment comes from constantly being told that I'm a satanist devil-worshipping atheist crypto-liberal bent on destroying Judeo-Christian values and killing unborn babies and anyone else I think is inferior and that I'll end up roasting in hell while the "good Christians" gloat at my suffering. That cr*p does get pretty annoying, I'll admit.
You took apart my post bit by bit and answered every question but the last one. So I’ll repeat it here for you to give you the chance.
Just for the record, why did you feel it necessary to ping JR to your post to me?
(Courtesy ping to JR in response)
That's the only conclusion that I could come to.
Please explain to me how Darwinists killing a billion people advanced freedom.
I asked you a question and you respond by accusing Darwinists of killing a billion people? LOL I am sorry if cognitive dissonance hurts so badly.
Then why do you support a philosophy which espouses this agenda?
Which part are you disputing? The body count or the deaths themselves?
It comes across more not that they’re scientists defending their theory from attack, which is really an irrational position to take anyway, as any decent scientist should realize that his theory is going to come under scrutiny.
But rather that they are liberals hiding behind the facade of science.
They’re using science to give their agenda some air of respectability. Then when anyone challenges them, they can take the injured tone and be the persecuted martyr, and accuse their opponents of being anti-science, anti-progress, wanting to take us back to the dark ages.
One of the other things that they fail to acknowledge is that it wasn’t intellectual heights that made this country great, but rather moral character. It’s integrity and truthfulness. There’ve been plenty of brilliant men who were unspeakably evil and many people suffered for that.
No, there isn't. There's just intolerance and discrimination left which results in oppression and slavery.
Situational ethics never worked.
You didn't return the courtesy by answering my questions. If you don't answer my questions I feel no obligation to answer yours.
Are you working with a computer program that just strings together random words into sentences?
You've yet to make any sense in the questions you've asked me.
Don’t forget that you’re dealing with someone who claims to be a libertarian who thinks that we need more honor and accountability, something antithetical to a supposed libertarian stance.
I’ve rarely seen anyone speak out of both sides of his mouth like this one.
What does that have to do with belief in freedom vs religious belief?
If all you want to do is try and insult me, be my guest : ) I enjoy a good insult. I would appreciate it if you could try and be original though, I get bored easily.
When a person is masquerading they nearly always expose themselves as a fraud.
For all your blather about freedom, you haven't even adequately defined it. You spout off about freedom to believe as one wishes and yet you don't allow that for those who you disagree with.
Are you so obtuse as to be unable to understand how murdering a billion people is an affront to freedom? Unless of course one adopts your "intolerance and discrimination" definition of freedom, in which case it fits perfectly (double-speak and changing the meaning of words has long been a favorite tool of the left).
You picked that post apart and answered it in great detail, all except the last question. And now you’re putting conditions on answering my question?
Can you say *hypocrisy*?
So why DID you feel it necessary to ping JR to your post to me?
I wonder how many people actually working in evoluton-related fields would agree with you? Few, if any.
The absurd claim that they are interested in biology is as laughable as the claim that communists were working to better the working class.
I wonder if you've ever actually met any biologists.
I'm not talking about evolutionary scientific theory, I'm talking about Darwinism.
That would be a Turing test, if you are curious.
You've yet to make any sense in the questions you've asked me.
I apologize then. I didn't realize the question was that difficult. I will try to phrase it in a way that you can understand.
Do you believe that freedom only comes through Christ?
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