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To: Dr. Frank
Where did you get this misapprehension of yours?

From what you said to me:

So? It's perfectly reasonable to single out special topics for such reminders if they are especially politically sensitive to the point where many people don't seem to realize the status of the theory as a theory. As is the case with evolution.

That was in response to my saying "only evolution is singled out for the label". That you adopted a different position in other posts is as may be, but that is what you said to me.

The "difference in treatment" exists only in your head, and doesn't come from anything I wrote.

You also said:

"Evolution is a theory" is a true statement. Who cares what my "intention" is for saying this, if it's true?

I suggest you reread what I said about the slanting of news, and reevaluate whether it's relevant to this discussion.

390 posted on 12/14/2002 7:05:12 PM PST by Physicist
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To: Physicist
That was in response to my saying "only evolution is singled out for the label". That you adopted a different position in other posts is as may be, but that is what you said to me.

Ok, touche :) I was wrong here. (I've written a lotta posts on this thread.)

For the record: I'd have disclaimers for all theories, if I had my druthers. But if they want to single out evolution in particular, I think that's entirely reasonable. (Why? Because evolution is a politically-charged issue, and there are many overzealous folks on the "scientific" side who are so defensive for some reason that they resist even saying that it's a theory. cf. this thread, and your own comments, if you don't believe me. The result of this zealotry is that the idea trickles down to regular folks that EVOLUTION IS A SCIENTIFIC FACT, which - I hope you'd agree - is a misstatement of the situation. To single out evolution would be merely an attempt to correct this on the part of regular folks.)

Furthermore, I don't think "why only evolution?" is all that good of an argument against such a disclaimer in the first place. (Why only Hussein?) It just doesn't get you very far. Truth is truth. Telling kids "evolution is a theory" is THE TRUTH, dammit.

Also: maybe other theories do have such disclaimers in the regular text of the book already; we don't know. This would make it a moot point.

Finally, I still don't see why "intentions" even belong in these considerations. The best way to frame what you are saying would be to say that,

You agree that evolution is a theory, but you don't like their "intentions" for wanting to say so, therefore you oppose putting this disclaimer in books.

The preceding sentence doesn't sound like the type of thing that belongs in a scientfic or academic discussion to me.

398 posted on 12/14/2002 8:26:00 PM PST by Dr. Frank fan
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