Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Intelligent design [was] old news to Darwin
Chicago Tribune ^ | 13 September 2005 | Tom Hundley

Posted on 09/13/2005 4:15:07 AM PDT by PatrickHenry

So what would Charles Darwin have to say about the dust-up between today's evolutionists and intelligent designers?

Probably nothing.

[snip]

Even after he became one of the most famous and controversial men of his time, he was always content to let surrogates argue his case.

[snip]

From his university days Darwin would have been familiar with the case for intelligent design. In 1802, nearly 30 years before the Beagle set sail, William Paley, the reigning theologian of his time, published "Natural Theology" in which he laid out his "Argument from Design."

Paley contended that if a person discovered a pocket watch while taking a ramble across the heath, he would know instantly that this was a designed object, not something that had evolved by chance. Therefore, there must be a designer. Similarly, man -- a marvelously intricate piece of biological machinery -- also must have been designed by "Someone."

If this has a familiar ring to it, it's because this is pretty much the same argument that intelligent design advocates use today.

[snip]

The first great public debate took place on June 30, 1860, in a packed hall at Oxford University's new Zoological Museum.

Samuel Wilberforce, the learned bishop of Oxford, was champing at the bit to demolish Darwin's notion that man descended from apes. As always, Darwin stayed home. His case was argued by one of his admirers, biologist Thomas Huxley.

Wilberforce drew whoops of glee from the gallery when he sarcastically asked Huxley if he claimed descent from the apes on his grandmother's side or his grandfather's. Huxley retorted that he would rather be related to an ape than to a man of the church who used half-truths and nonsense to attack science.

The argument continues unabated ...

[snip]

(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: anothercrevothread; crevo; crevolist; crevorepublic; enoughalready; thisisgettingold
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 1,081-1,1001,101-1,1201,121-1,140 ... 1,501-1,515 next last
To: ml1954
Not really. You must "hear" the Word and be convicted.

bluepistolero

1,101 posted on 09/15/2005 2:53:55 PM PDT by bluepistolero ("They are so black?" You mean there are degrees?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1100 | View Replies]

To: bluepistolero
Dr. Eckleburg is a fine Christian and has already stated several times that he is not what some here are trying to smear him as

But I would be interested to know, what exactly it is you believe what it is she is being 'smeared' with?

The topic of the thread is (well, was, at any event) the consideration of 'Intelligent Design' as a challenge to current scientific theory of evolution. Dr. E. introduced a quote from Calvin (some hundreds of posts back), which introduced, by degrees, a consideration of theocratic government, such as Calvin helped introduce to Geneva.

Many (myself included) are of the opinion that theocracy is one of the dangerous forms of government from which the Founding Fathers took pains to protect the new republic, while others (such as Dr. E, and I presume yourself) take an opposing view. All of which is interesting--but where is the 'smear' to which you refer?

1,102 posted on 09/15/2005 2:57:34 PM PDT by SeaLion ("Belief in a cruel God makes a cruel man" -- Thomas Paine)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1096 | View Replies]

To: bluepistolero
You must "hear" the Word and be convicted

Convicted?

Really? Like, "Book him, Dano, word-hearing one"?

1,103 posted on 09/15/2005 3:00:01 PM PDT by SeaLion ("Belief in a cruel God makes a cruel man" -- Thomas Paine)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1101 | View Replies]

To: SeaLion; bluepistolero; xzins
it would be a dreadful thing for 'EVERYONE' to believe in 'my' God.

Fascinating. Perhaps you believe it's good there are pockets of anti-Semitism and communism and barbarism, too, throughout the world because it would be a "dreadful thing" for all the nations to become democratized.

1,104 posted on 09/15/2005 3:00:41 PM PDT by Dr. Eckleburg (There are very few shades of gray)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1089 | View Replies]

To: Dr. Eckleburg
Fascinating

Ole Mr. Spock couldn't have said it better it would be a "dreadful thing" for all the nations to become democratized

Big time category error there, Doc--you will have to do much, much better than that!

That wouldn't cut it in Rhetoric 101, frankly I'm disappointed by you here

1,105 posted on 09/15/2005 3:06:36 PM PDT by SeaLion ("Belief in a cruel God makes a cruel man" -- Thomas Paine)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1104 | View Replies]

To: SeaLion; bluepistolero

Really? Like, "Book him, Dano, word-hearing one"?

I don't want to hear the Word if I'm going to get convicted.

1,106 posted on 09/15/2005 3:07:05 PM PDT by ml1954
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1103 | View Replies]

To: ml1954
I don't want to hear the Word if I'm going to get convicted

LOL. What appears to be advocated here is a political system whereby you would be convicted for rejecting some theocrat's notion of ultimate truth

Pretty scary, if you ask me

1,107 posted on 09/15/2005 3:09:21 PM PDT by SeaLion ("Belief in a cruel God makes a cruel man" -- Thomas Paine)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1106 | View Replies]

To: bluepistolero
No, little lap dogs have been around forever, since ancient China, at least

Would it do any good for me to point out that we specifically breed "little lap dogs"? "Intelligent Design" (if you will) has produced creatures that cannot survive without, as you say, doting old ladies.
1,108 posted on 09/15/2005 3:12:07 PM PDT by Vive ut Vivas
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 968 | View Replies]

To: Dr. Eckleburg
He has already "shown up for work" and completed His assignment.

Then He's gone and not available to run the government.

He's never been not "in charge," regardless of who and what rails against that fact.

Then He's in charge NOW and there's no need to mess with the government.

1,109 posted on 09/15/2005 3:13:18 PM PDT by VadeRetro (Liberalism is a cancer on society. Creationism is a cancer on conservatism.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1044 | View Replies]

To: SeaLion

You're quoting Spock and sending me back to school. LOL!

I guess you can't answer the question.


1,110 posted on 09/15/2005 3:13:52 PM PDT by Dr. Eckleburg (There are very few shades of gray)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1105 | View Replies]

To: Dr. Eckleburg
Thank you, God.

Oh, and don't call me that! My real name isn't even Godfrey.

1,111 posted on 09/15/2005 3:14:10 PM PDT by VadeRetro (Liberalism is a cancer on society. Creationism is a cancer on conservatism.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1044 | View Replies]

To: SeaLion
It's late--and a thread on science vs. pseudo science has fizzled into a weird little pulpit for some very strange stuff indeed.

Well, it is the first time I've heard soi disant Christians advocating what, in the absence of answers to questions posed, still appears to me indistinguishable from the political program of the Taliban.

So...time to say good night

1,112 posted on 09/15/2005 3:14:30 PM PDT by SeaLion ("Belief in a cruel God makes a cruel man" -- Thomas Paine)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1105 | View Replies]

To: js1138
Such people, at various times, have claimed that God ordered them to kill all the inhabitants of cities, stone women, kill old women accused of withcraft, and torture heretics.

Yep. True, hackle-raising creepy.

1,113 posted on 09/15/2005 3:16:39 PM PDT by VadeRetro (Liberalism is a cancer on society. Creationism is a cancer on conservatism.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1052 | View Replies]

To: Dr. Eckleburg
I guess you can't answer the question

Ahh, you've popped in as I was signing out.

No, my dear, as my previous posting made clear, the difficulty is that you have not posed a question, but posted a rhetorical category error. You have substituted variable 'God' with incorrect category values 'anti-Semitism' etc.

Naughty you.

Must try harder

1,114 posted on 09/15/2005 3:19:39 PM PDT by SeaLion ("Belief in a cruel God makes a cruel man" -- Thomas Paine)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1110 | View Replies]

To: SeaLion

What appears to be advocated here is a political system whereby you would be convicted for rejecting some theocrat's notion of ultimate truth

Pretty scary, if you ask me.

At first I though it was a typo. But since there was no correction you may be right.

All I asked was how bluepistolero knew the Bible was the word of God. Maybe just asking the question is grounds for conviction. That is scary.

1,115 posted on 09/15/2005 3:20:57 PM PDT by ml1954
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1107 | View Replies]

To: ml1954; SeaLion; bluepistolero
Maybe just asking the question is grounds for conviction.

con·vict Audio pronunciation of convicted ( P )

Pronunciation Key (kn-vkt) v. con·vict·ed, con·vict·ing, con·victs v. tr.

1. Law. To find or prove (someone) guilty of an offense or crime, especially by the verdict of a court: The jury convicted the defendant of manslaughter.
2. To show or declare to be blameworthy; condemn: His remarks convicted him of a lack of sensitivity.
3. To make aware of one's sinfulness or guilt.

I don't agree with bluepistolero's position, but it looks like he was speaking of definition #3 when he said "convicted", not #1.

1,116 posted on 09/15/2005 3:28:19 PM PDT by Quark2005 (Where's the science?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1115 | View Replies]

To: Quark2005

I don't agree with bluepistolero's position, but it looks like he was speaking of definition #3 when he said "convicted", not #1.

Or he meant both. He hasn't bothered to clarify.

1,117 posted on 09/15/2005 3:32:58 PM PDT by ml1954
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1116 | View Replies]

To: Quark2005
At one point I said that IF he were a Christian Reconstructionist he was equivalent to a KKK member. Since he deduced from my post that I called him a KKKer, I have to believe he is sympathetic to their cause. Actually it would be an insult to KKK members to call them Reconstructionists. Christian Reconstruction is worse.
1,118 posted on 09/15/2005 4:04:01 PM PDT by js1138 (Great is the power of steady misrepresentation.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1116 | View Replies]

To: SeaLion; bluepistolero; xzins

This is a simple question and you're making it far too difficult.

You say you believe in a God, but you do not believe everyone would be better off by believing in and acting in accordance with that same God.

I assume you believe in the republican form of government we presently enjoy. Would the rest of the world be better off believing in and acting in accordance with your concept of liberty and democracy, or not?

You seem to be denying any absolute in life, albeit religious or political. The fact you stumble over this simple hypothetical tells me you just don't like where the question leads you.

Me, either.

I cannot imagine belieiving in a God whom I would not wish for everyone to enjoy, nor a government I would not offer as a goal for all to reach.


1,119 posted on 09/15/2005 4:17:04 PM PDT by Dr. Eckleburg (There are very few shades of gray)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1114 | View Replies]

To: js1138; Quark2005; bluepistolero; xzins
ROTFLMBO!

Your insipid link is from an ultra-liberal, socialist website from Canada no less -- ComeOfAge.net, "Humankind Come of Age."

"Humankind," instead of that mean old sexist patrilineal "mankind."

1,120 posted on 09/15/2005 4:52:40 PM PDT by Dr. Eckleburg (There are very few shades of gray)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1118 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 1,081-1,1001,101-1,1201,121-1,140 ... 1,501-1,515 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson