[PatrickHenry]

The full article which appeared in the Times, and which we can't post in full, is here: Evolution's Bottom Line.

I know, I know, the Times is a commie rag. But science isn't left or right, and there's nothing patriotic about ignorance. This is a good article.

[JCEccles]

"I am driven to observe of the ultra-Darwinists the following features as symptomatic: first is their . . . almost unbelievable self-assurance, their breezy self-confidence. Second, and far more serious, are particular examples of sophistry and sleight of hand in the misuse of metaphor, and more importantly a distortion of metaphysics, in support of an evolutionary programme. Consider how ultra-Darwinists, having erected a naturalistic sytem that cannot by itself possess any ultimate purpose, still allow a sense of meaning mysteriously to slip back in. Thus, the philosopher of science John Greene remarks,

'Not all of the champions of the modern synthesis have been as open as [Julian] Huxley is in acknowledging the religious aspects of their devotion to evolutionary biology, but most of them, especially those who reject religious and philosophical approaches to the problem of human duty and destiny, manage to smuggle in by way of simile and metaphor the elements of meaning and value that their formal philosophy of nature and natural science excludes from consideration.'

"Despite this, such scientists have no foundation for their reaction agaisnt pointlessness other than the not unworthy and intuitive sense that the world should be built as it is; embedded in the Universe are not only neutrons but such edicts as, to echo Chesterton, 'Thou shalt not steal.'"

Simon Conway Morris, Life's Solution, pp. 314-315, (Cambridge University Press, 2003). Dr. Morris is professor of evolutionary biology at the University of Cambridge. A fellow of the Royal Society, his work on Cambrian soft-bodied faunas figured prominently in Stephen Jay Gould's Wonderful Life.

[andysandmikesmom]

Thanks for the ping...I just finished reading the entire article, and it was interesting...

I get the feeling that some folks think that coming up with new and better scientific innovations, which will create more wealth, is somehow a bad thing....creating wealth is a bad thing?...Why?

Forget the wealth part, what about the advantages that new and better scientific innovations, will, as this article states, improve society for all of us...applications in medicine alone will benefit all of us, whether now or in the future...I would not want to be living in a society, which practices medicine as it was practiced 50yrs ago, and am sad that I will not be around 50yrs from now, to see the benefits of research and innovation in medicine...but I sure want my children, and my future grandchildren, and so on down the line, to be able to benefit from research and innovation in the field of medicine..

And on to the matter of what students in other countries are learning, and how our students will fare, when in competition with them....I think this is quite an important issue...students from other countries eagerly come to the USA for their college educations, if they can get in to those college they have applied to...they are competing with American students all the time...will they return home better educated than our American students, whose own lack of credentials disallow them from entering those very same universities?...

When my son graduated from Cornell(yeah, I know, I am waiting for all the booers and hissers to appear), with his degree in Applied Physics Engineering, I was shocked to see the makeup of those receiving this particular degree..virtually everyone was either from a foreign country, or if they were Americans, they were almost all Asians, except for my own son, and one or two of his best friends...I had to ask myself, why was this...do Asians tend to concentrate more on math and sciences, and leave religion to the parents and their church?...I dont know, but am wondering...and women receiving this particular degree?...very, very few...I can only remember one or two ladies receiving this degree...why is this?...do we really think that the women cannot learn this discipline?...this was 10yrs ago, I would be interested to see the makeup of those earning this degree currently...

Whether we like it or not, more and more countries are providing excellent science education in their schools, and their students are taking advantage of it...they then come here for their university educations(as the USA still has the best universities), but they are returning home to their own countries, and putting what they have learned here, to advantage back home...

And no, I dont think that I am over-reacting...

[Virginia-American]

My favorite example of money making using evolution is prospecting for oil.

Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists

The essay at the above link has a great description of the transition between reptiles and mammals.

If nonstandard geology or biology were true, one could them to find more oil than the deluded followers of uniformatism and Darwinism can.

Hint: I'm not investing in a creationist oil prospecting company. Neither is Shell, Exxon, BP, etc.

Glenn Morton is a famous example of a YECer who saw the light.

[Elpasser]

This is really silly and tiresome. Does anyone seriously believe that we creationists don't understand and appreciate genetics and adaptability of organisms? The fact that organisms are adaptable does not prove evolutionary descent.

Indeed, it was my rigorous education in organic chemistry and biological science that made me realize that life simply cannot organize itself. It's just foolish to imagine that something as complex and vulnerable as a DNA spiral can self organize, protect itself from the elements without any reason for doing so, and then reproduce itself. Experiments to replicate this, even under the most optimistic conditions, all failed and were largely abandoned in the 1990's.

Evolutionists seem so desperate to deny creationists and ID'ers a forum and to debate the science. It is a dead giveaway about whose "science" is really the house of cards.

[connectthedots]

one Web site that lists companies looking for workers in biotechnology has more than 600 hiring scientists in California and more than 240 in Massachusetts. Kansas has 11.

There are three kinds of escalating lies: Ordinary lies; damn lies; and, statistics. This is the latter.

To trot out such a lame statistic serves only to discredit the author.

How many companies were hiring scientists prior to the state of Kansas making their minor change in curriculum?

[MissAmericanPie]

Science isn't left or right? Buwahahahaha

[woodb01]

"Where science gets done is where wealth gets created...

What kind of nutty, fruitcake, go eat your fruit loops comment is that? Is this guy a madman?

That's like saying "where bread, milk, and meat are consumed is where wealth gets created!

That's just nutty. The Soviet Union and Nazi Germany both had MASSIVE scientific programs and scientific expenditures, NEITHER of them prospered. What was that guy smoking other than more of his SSECULAR FUNDAMENTALISM!

CREATION - EVOLUTION

[doc30]

"Will Mom or Dad Scientist want to live somewhere where their children are less likely to learn evolution?"

I work in industrial R&D in FL. I can speak to experience that it is very difficult to get research scientists with families to move to this state because of the poor reputation, nationally, of the schools here, in particular how well science is taught. We've actually hired people to work here who leave their families up north just because of the school systems. If you don't have a reasonablely strong elementary and high school education in place, you simply have a hard time attracting research organizations and talent to your area.

[Recovering_Democrat]

"Maybe that's fine for the grownups who'd rather stay home, but it seems like a raw deal for the 14-year-old girl in Topeka who might have gone on to find a cure for resistant infections if only she had been taught evolution in high school."

Nothing like hyperbole in an editorial. ;-)

[Fester Chugabrew]

Hmmm. The National Center for Science Education. Aren't these the same people who call an "Academic Freedom Act" an "Antievolution Bill?" They might need some help with nomenclature. Can't even get their labels right. Methinks they are more interested in politicizing science than defending it. Just like yourself.

[gusopol3]

Here's evolution's bottom line : Without the Cretans who continue to hold out in the best intellectual fashion they can for belief in the Creator, these United States would decades ago have evolved into just another Euro-weenis socialist nation. Do you need elaboration or can you get past your condescending arrogance long enough to acknowledge the truth when it busts you in the chops? Remember it was Godless Communism that the troglodytes defeated.

[Elsie]

I know, I know, the Times is a commie rag. But science isn't left or right, and there's nothing patriotic about ignorance. This is a good article.

Politics seems not to matter to Evo's, as long as the 'correct' take on Origins is spouted.

Witness what has been piled on Ann Coulter lately!

[Elsie]

but it seems like a raw deal for the 14-year-old girl in Topeka who might have gone on to find a cure for resistant infections if only she had been taught evolution in high school."

BooHoo!!

(Or just plain BOO!)

"The end of civilization as we know it - if SO many people as ignorant of the PROPER way Evolution works!"