Biology textbook hearings prompt science disputes [Texas]

Knight Ridder Newspapers ^ | 08 July 2003 | MATT FRAZIER

[AndrewC]

But of course that means that it must have evolved and was not designed.

Repeating "it" will not correct the logical error of non sequitur (but may upset the Knights who say Ni). Yersenia Pestis has flagellar genes. It does not have a flagella.

[ALS]

Speaking of logical errors, what do you think of this doozy?

"I've long though[t] any theism is just an elaborate exercise in reification or anthropomorphization - hence my atheism."

[jennyp]

Repeating "it" will not correct the logical error of non sequitur (but may upset the Knights who say Ni). Yersenia Pestis has flagellar genes. It does not have a flagella.

Who said anything about Yersinia pestis? I was thinking of E. coli & H. pylori, as mentioned here.

[AndrewC]

Who said anything about Yersinia pestis?

You missed my point. YP has a designed(you disagree)item which it does not use. Did the E.coli always have that item which it does now use?

[jennyp]

Speaking of logical errors, what do you think of this doozy?

"I'm deeply troubled."

[jennyp]

Sorry, still not following you.

[ALS]

so was darwood

[AndrewC]

The argument can be made that an innocuous or unused designed item could develop into a hurtful item if the circumstances warranted that action. IOW "So if the deadly flagella came about as part of The Fall, then it was part of corrupt nature taking its course, and not because of any affirmative, positive step that God made. But of course that means that it must have evolved and was not designed." is flawed.

[jennyp]

aHA, there's your "out"!

[f.Christian]

ken norton chuck norris evander holyfield george foreman grill placemaker !

[AndrewC]

aHA, there's your "out"!

FlAWed .^logic used against sOMEone, HAs always been tHAt someone's "out".

[ALS]

And the really nutty thing about atheism is that it must study and immerse itself into the very thing it claims doesn't exist, in order to find its logic, which is, of course, illogical.

Atheism is just another escape mechanism like drugs, booze, self-flagellating homosexuality, and the like. Only, if it ever actually allowed anyone to escape their latent tendencies they wouldn't remain to be so obsessed with something they don't even believe exists.

[Junior]

Dead thread placemarker.

[ALS]

post #202 lives

[general_re]

The "error" was Adam's sin.

Ah, yes - the old "look what you made Me do to you" defense, beloved of wife-beaters everywhere ;)

More seriously, I am reminded of a thread not too long ago where the discussion turned to whether a being who created evil could be fairly described as "perfectly good". John Stuart Mill found it impossible to reconcile those two beliefs, and so he proposed that God was, in fact, perfectly good, but less than omnipotent, and so did not create evil, but was equally unable to prevent it from arising.

[AndrewC]

John Stuart Mill found it impossible to reconcile those two beliefs, and so he proposed that God was, in fact, perfectly good, but less than omnipotent, and so did not create evil, but was equally unable to prevent it from arising.

Well, Mr. Mill was using something other than the Bible for his source since Isaiah makes it clear that God did create evil. And, a strange thing about evil is that it is like sewage. (paraphrasing what I have heard)Add a drop of sewage into a glass of water and the water becomes sewage. Add a drop of water into a glass of sewage and it is still sewage. Likewise, let a good man do an evil act and he becomes evil. Let an evil man do a just act and he remains evil.

[MitchellC]

Chomsky makes that argument but not everyone accepts it.

Chomsky? *immediately reconsiders position*

What knowledge do you claim that people are created with? You must have some idea just to make the claim. (Note that reflexes do not count.) How many cells does an embryo need to actually have such knowledge?

I assume that we have some sort of moral instinct already imprinted in our being; it has more to do with the soul than the number of brain cells.

[MitchellC]

The verse from Isaiah about God creating evil, IIRC, is talking about 'evil' in the sense of 'physical disaster' - not in the sense that God somehow contradicted his own nature to create the opposite.

[AndrewC]

The verse from Isaiah about God creating evil, IIRC, is talking about 'evil' in the sense of 'physical disaster' - not in the sense that God somehow contradicted his own nature to create the opposite.

The words used in the verse in Isaiah for create and evil, are the same words used in Genesis for the Creation and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

bara' -- create

ra` -- evil

(the transliterations are from the Blueletterbible)

[MitchellC]

Here's an article discussing this verse, and why 'evil' should be taken to mean 'disaster' and not 'immorality.'