A column about Kansas Science Standards

EducationNews.org ^ | November 14, 2005 | State Board Chairman Steve Abrams, DVM

[b_sharp]

"Don't you find it strange that after generations being taught the TOE, the majority still aren't buying it? Wonder why?"

Not really. I know why most people in the US don't believe the ToE. They have fallen prey to unscrupulous snake oil salesmen that fill their heads with misinformation about the ToE.

[mlc9852]

"fill their heads with misinformation about the ToE."

Such as?

[b_sharp]

Some few anti-evo points of misinformation:

The difference between micro and macro-evolution is of type not degree.
The 2LoT prevents biological complexity
The genome refutes common descent
There is a limit to the degree of change in a population
There was a Cambrian explosion and it was unique.
There are no transitional fossils. There should be millions of fossils showing gradual change.
There should be large saltation events occurring in extant species.

There are piles more that can be viewed at talkorigins.org

[mlc9852]

The Cambrian explosion wasn't unique?

[aNYCguy]

So you equate humans with mice?

What an absurd response. I'll agree with Dimensio, you're shamelessly dishonest. No one could be quite that stupid, could they?

If someone said "Males exist. Females exist. Automobiles exist. Pigs exist." I'm sure you would say "So you equate men with pigs?"

[furball4paws]

So maybe the Hindus have a point. We are supposed to progress spiritually until we become one with the deity?

It is awful hard to picture God with a bad appendix, blown knee ligaments, hemorrhoids, bad vision, ulcers and Alzheimer's.

[mlc9852]

Chicken.

[mlc9852]

Do you believe humans are nothing more than well-evolved apes?

[Gone GF]

The main thing I see is that the Author suffers from a Surplus of Capital letters.

[Dimensio]

I'll agree with Dimensio, you're shamelessly dishonest.

Hey, I'm just the messenger. mlc9852 openly admitted it before I said anything.

[MeanWestTexan]

I don't know about the unity thing. That is pretty well contrary to the Scripture.

For one, the Resurrection is expressly bodily -- now how bodily,

And of course, Jesus (who is a facet of God) was fully man, and that includes all the "joys" of being a human from Acid reflux to Zits.

[furball4paws]

Well the unity business is a Hindu thing, but "made in a spiritual image of God" seems to me that when we go to Heaven we become one with God. Sometimes the similarity of religious thought around the world starting from different precepts is quite interesting.

[Coyoteman]

It is awful hard to picture God with a bad appendix, blown knee ligaments, hemorrhoids, bad vision, ulcers and Alzheimer's.

You want a design flaw? How about intractable pain, which serves no useful purpose but with no way to turn it down or off? Certainly not an example of good design there.

[furball4paws]

I've been considering a list of bad or at least non-ideal or non-intelligent designs. PH doesn't have such a list, or didn't a while back.

Think it's worthwhile to compile such a thing?

[Coyoteman]

Think it's worthwhile to compile such a thing?

Sure--we're a mess! Knees, lower back...

[Quark2005]

You want a design flaw? How about intractable pain, which serves no useful purpose but with no way to turn it down or off? Certainly not an example of good design there.

You're forgetting, all the design flaws didn't happen until the Fall...

[Dimensio]

Also, aren't the flaws a result of degeneration into increased entropy as a result of the second law of thermodynamics?

[Liberal Classic]

MR. GILLEN: Your Honor, I have one question, and that's this: By my reckoning, this is the 40th day since the trial began and tonight will be the 40th night, and I would like to know if you did that on purpose.

THE COURT: Mr. Gillen, that is an interesting coincidence, but it was not by design. (Laughter and applause.) With that, I declare the trial portion of this extended case adjourned.

LOL

[longshadow]

THE COURT: Mr. Gillen, that is an interesting coincidence, but it was not by design. (Laughter and applause.) With that, I declare the trial portion of this extended case adjourned.

The most telling part of that incident does not appear in the transcript, but rather in news accounts of the incident. The "laughter and applause" reportedly lasted 15 seconds. That's an eternity in comedic terms. The judge's closing quip put a defining exclamation point on how silly the premise of the design argument is, and represented a knife through the heart of the defense's case.

[Quark2005]

Also, aren't the flaws a result of degeneration into increased entropy as a result of the second law of thermodynamics?

Exactly. All the laws of nature are a divine gift except the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics - that's a punishment for talking to snakes.