Posted on 07/04/2004 5:19:27 PM PDT by PatrickHenry
Professor Ernst Mayr, the scientist renowned as the father of modern biology, will celebrate his 100th birthday tomorrow by leading a scathing attack on creationism.
The evolutionary biologist, who is already acclaimed as one of the most prolific researchers of all time, has no intention of retiring and is shortly to publish new research that dismantles the fashionable creationist doctrine of “intelligent design”.
Although he has reluctantly cut his workload since a serious bout of pneumonia 18 months ago, Prof. Mayr has remained an active scientist at Harvard University throughout his 90s. He has written five books since his 90th birthday and is researching five academic papers. One of these, scheduled to appear later this year, will examine how “intelligent design” — the latest way in which creationists have sought to present a divine origin of the world — was thoroughly refuted by Charles Darwin a century and a half ago.
His work is motivated in part by a sense of exasperation at the re-emergence of creationism in the USA, which he compares unfavourably with the widespread acceptance of evolution that he encountered while growing up in early 20th-century Germany.
The states of Florida, Mississippi, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky and Oklahoma currently omit the word “evolution” from their curriculums. The Alabama state board of education has voted to include disclaimers in textbooks describing evolution as a theory. In Georgia, the word “evolution” was banned from the science curriculum after the state’s schools superintendent described it as a “controversial buzzword”.
Fierce protest, including criticism from Jimmy Carter, the former President, reversed this.
Prof. Mayr, who will celebrate his 100th birthday at his holiday home in New Hampshire with his two daughters, five grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren, was born on 5 July 1905 in Kempten, Germany. He took a PhD in zoology at the University of Berlin, before travelling to New Guinea in 1928 to study its diverse bird life. On his return in 1930 he emigrated to the USA. His most famous work, Systematics and the Origin of Species, was published in 1942 and is regarded still as a canonical work of biology.
It effectively founded the modern discipline by combining Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection with Gregor Mendel’s genetics, showing how the two were compatible. Prof. Mayr redefined what scientists mean by a species, using interbreeding as a guide. If two varieties of duck or vole do not interbreed, they cannot be the same species.
Prof. Mayr has won all three of the awards sometimes termed the “triple crown” of biology — the Balzan Prize, the Crafoord Prize and the International Prize for Biology. Although he formally retired in 1975, he has been active as an Emeritus Professor ever since and has recently written extensively on the philosophy of biology.
then why attack it?
I guess I was mislead by this:
you chew on that, then you think about the fact that i supported you because you have similar views.
First of all, I don't see anywhere that you supported me, and secondly, I don't see anything in this thread that would cause you to think I have views similar to yours. Perhaps you can point me to a post where I expressed views similar to yours. Or point me to a post where you supported me.
The whole exchange is, from my point of view, bizzare. I looked back, and the first interaction I found was my post suggesting your gravity speculations were symptomatic of your inability to gain any traction on this thread. Since then I would add your spelling and grammar, and, of course, your inability to have the remotest bit of curiosity about mathematical reasoning. You are living in a very private world.
Your grammar? Because you are a representive of conservatism on this forum, and you lower the property values in the vicinity. There are lots of people here whose opinions on science I disagree with, but we all generally try to look like educated adults.I really don't appreciate people who give ammunition to the opposition.
Now go find something that makes sense of what you started to say.
well, of that i came to the top site "i want a book on quantum clusters"
the second site was a promising looking paper, but im not allowed to observe its contents it seems, without being a registered member.
another site spoke of quantum clusters of single elements, aside from C14H10 (i may not be following it through correctly, but i cant construct it in a way that would have a polar bond) it hasnt shown anything into H-bonds.
and the gist of the remaining first 7 i looked at were lectures or lab schedules relating to they hypothetical clusters. i still dont have a book to look at.
yeah you're right, i figured you for ZULU. some of these posts were made at 2 or even 3 am, mind wanders a bit...
i appologize for confusing you with someone who would consider another's thoughts. i bow out. the thread is yours. pick on me now in your little snide remarks. i now its coming. i also know the Final Days are coming as well. enjoy convincing God you deserve a place in His presence. you are simply one of the many.
An elitist is anyone smarter, richer, or more attractive than you.
"I plead guilty to all counts, your honor."
;-)
What a coincidence. I too have had to live with that burden.
I am certainly no elitist then! :-)
Compared to me, that might not be completely accurate...
Sure you are; you're bigger!
Right. Just another man of the people. Astronomers have always been humble.
Humble? Did someone say "humble"?
Ode to a Humble Radio AstronomerOh Lord it's hard to be humble
When you're perfect in every way
I can't wait to look in the mirror
Cuz I get better lookin each day
To know me is to love me
I must be a hell of a man
Oh Lord it's hard to be humble
But I'm doin' the best that I can
I used to have a girlfriend
But I guess she just couldn't compete
With all these love starved women
Who keep clamoring at my feet
Well I probably could find me another
But I guess they're all in awe of me
Who cares I never get lonesome
Cuz I treasure my own company
Oh Lord it's hard to be humble
When you're perfect in every way
I can't wait to look in the mirror
Cuz I get better lookin each day
To know me is to love me
I must be a hell of a man
Oh Lord it's hard to be humble
But I'm doin the best that I can
I guess you could say I am a loner
A geekman all locked up and proud
Well I could have lots of friends if I wanted
But then I wouldn't stand out in a crowd
Folks say that I'm quite statistical
that numbers are always my boss
I guess it has something to do with the way
I budget satellite link path loss
You calling me fat? Patrick did on another thread. Hmmm.... Better get on the treadmill more often!
ROTFLMAO! :-)
Why, I meant nothing of the kind, your Immenseness....
;-)
LOL!
1200?
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