Gould Strikes Back At Creationists

Indepedent.co.uk ^ | 4-09-2002

[JediGirl]

yee-haw

[JediGirl]

I know, two in one day, but it's really good!

[JediGirl]

read up

[onedoug]

It seems kinda funny that "creationists" would utilize the fossil record to advance that view,
but scoff at the geology that gives rise to it.

[My2Cents]

Gould, and one other scientists who I can't remember the name of, were the originators of the theory of punctuated equilibrium, which says that evolution may not have occurred in a smooth line of subtle changes, but in quantum-like leaps, with new species, or changes to a specie, happening within a generation. (This, of course, to explain the complete lack of intermediate changes in the fossil record.)

Now, anyone who's seen Stephen Jay Gould on some of the countless documentaries on the origin of species knows he's more than a bit of a pompous ass. His arrogance and cockiness prompted one scientist to refer to Gould's theory of punctuated equilibrium as "evolution by jerks."

[jlogajan]

Professor Gould says creationists have unwittingly misinterpreted or deliberately misquoted his work

Liars for Christ, I calls 'em.

[jlogajan]

or changes to a specie, happening within a generation.

No. In genetically isolated regions over many generations.

[My2Cents]

What I love is the raging battle between paleontologists and microbiologists (the originators of the "Eve" theory, using mitocondrian DNA, which maintains that every human being on earth comes form a single female about 50,000 years ago). The bone guys hate the microbiologists almost as much as they hate creationists. Of course, their hatred stems from a frustration that the microbiologists tend to tie the paleontologists in knots.

The thing about the rigid adherence to evolution is that all of these guys -- Gould included -- earned their doctorates and built their careers on the assumption that evolution is true. Their defense of evolution is less because of solid scientific evidence, and more because they're fighting for their lives to validate their entire professional careers. If evolution is false, these guys are the biggest fools in the world. This is why even scientific discoveries which throw doubt on evolution will always be explained away by the evolutionists.

[My2Cents]

Wrong.

Professor Gould's theory – which proposes long periods of stable "equilibrium" punctuated by sudden changes...

[Honcho Bongs]

You said:

"in quantum-like leaps, with new species, or changes to a specie, happening within a generation"

He said:

Gould argued they arose within a period of tens of thousands rather than tens of millions of years"

Wildly different, don't you think?

[RAT Patrol]

"It's absurd we are now facing this creationist threat," Professor Fortey said. "It's a debate that belongs to the 1840s. Evolution is not just a theory, it's as much of a fact as the existence of the solar system."

And his great great great great great grandfather, Professor Fartey said, "It's absurd we are now facing this extemist threat...the idea that the world is flat is not just a theory, it's as much a fact as the existence of the sun."

[PatrickHenry]

Cloaked. Lurking ...

[jlogajan]

You flat earth young earth creationists just can't seem to get beyond arguing by analogy -- the foremost tool of the crank theorist.

[jlogajan]

This is why even scientific discoveries which throw doubt on evolution will always be explained away by the evolutionists.

How much tinfoil can you buy with your two cents? Conspiracies everywhere, oh my!

[stanz]

Now, anyone who's seen Stephen Jay Gould on some of the countless documentaries on the origin of species knows he's more than a bit of a pompous ass....

That often seems to be the case when people of unusual intellect articulate their views. Actually, Gould is an extremely humorous writer and an avid baseball fan who uses baseball as analogy is many of his writings.

[My2Cents]

You haven't refuted the assertion that Gould's theory is a convenient device to explain-away the lack of evidence in the fossil record for transitional forms. Gould doesn't know for sure; it's a way to prop up a sorry and tattered theory of origins.

[stanz]

Thanks...another bookmark

[My2Cents]

"Tin foil." Cute. Demeaning characterizations: final refuge of the intellectual hypocrite.

[My2Cents]

His love of baseball hardly redeems him. He's still a pompous ass.

[medved]

You gotta HAVE a theory before you can claim it's been hijacked... Gould and Eldredge don't even have a theory or at least they don't the more major parts of one. They leave whatever is causing these macroevolutionary steps amongst the little herds of "peripheral isolates" up to the reader's imagination.