Liberating biology from a Procrustean bed of dogma (even the evos are abandoning the HMS Beagle!!!)

Science Literature (ARN) ^ | September 25, 2009 | David Tyler, Ph.D.

[GodGunsGuts]

In a Commentary essay, Carl Woese and Nigel Goldenfeld provide an analysis of biological thought that differs profoundly from that presented by those celebrating the Bicentenary of Darwin's birth and, incidentally, the recently published AP Biology Standards.

"This is the story of how biology of the 20th century neglected and otherwise mishandled the study of what is arguably the most important problem in all of science: the nature of the evolutionary process. This problem [ . . ] became the private domain of a quasi-scientific movement, who secreted it away in a morass of petty scholasticism, effectively disguising the fact that their primary concern with it was ideological, not scientific."

The authors want to see biology liberated "from the Procrustean bed of dogma on which it has been cast for so long". A radical overhaul is warranted. The issues are comparable to...

[GodGunsGuts]

Ping!

[GodGunsGuts]

So much for Dobzhansky’s dictum that “Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Except in the Light of Evolution”!

[BlueDragon]

It's too bad one can't convert this into a tagline [from the linked article];

"What makes the treatment of evolution by biologists of the last century insufferable scientifically is not the modern synthesis per se. Rather, it is the fact that molecular biology accepted the synthesis as a complete theory unquestioningly - thereby giving the impression that evolution was essentially a solved scientific problem with its roots lying only within the molecular paradigm."

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Creationists celebrating the new leaders of evolutionary biology?

God only knows what's going on.

[babble-on]

I think they’re counting on no one’s reading the article...

[GodGunsGuts]

Notice the understatement? That paragraph has evo-religion written all over it!

[antiRepublicrat]

From “Science Literature (ARN)”

Congratulations, sounds like you got a real science site doubting evolution!

Oh, wait:

ARN = Access Research Network

Formerly known as Students for Origins Research, a neo-creationist group.

Currently it is essentially an arm of the Discovery Institute’s CSC, ID’s main proponents.

Almost had me there.

[GodGunsGuts]

Did you happen to read the paper they are doing the literature review on???

[Behemoth the Cat]

Please present a plausible mechanism of achieving drug resistance by microorganisms within the creationist dogma.

[chuckles]

...."Please present a plausible mechanism of achieving drug resistance by microorganisms within the creationist dogma."....

Please inform yourself of the arguments before opening your pie hole to show how much you are in the dark.

If you hit someone in the nose every day, how long does it take for them to duck and run when they see you coming? That isn't evolution. Evolution is when they turn into a bear and eat you.

[rsquare]

So, micro organisms have reasoning intelligence?

[OldGuard1]

Please present a plausible mechanism of achieving drug resistance by microorganisms within the creationist dogma. That's called microevolution. In fact, microbes are designed specifically for that purpose. The genes that control surface protein expression and metabolism are separate from the main DNA of the organism, in little rings called plasmids. These mutate very rapidly in a controlled manner to change up the properties of the cell, in a manner similar to how the human immune system works. Quite to the contrary, bacteria use a wide variety of methods try to defend their chromosomal DNA from mutation and repair damage that occurs. Oh wait, I thought evos were the ones who were supposed to know about biology, and we were supposed to be a bunch of ignorant fools?

[goodusername]

“So much for Dobzhansky’s dictum that “Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Except in the Light of Evolution”!”

—Why? I don’t see anything in the article actually attacking or disagreeing with Darwinism, let alone evolution.
It appears to be an article attacking reductionism and dogma. Other than being a bit melodramatic and pretentious, I don’t have an issue with anything in the article. Maybe I’m missing something, but I’m not sure what you see as so significant in the article.

[tpanther]

From “Science Literature (ARN)”

Congratulations, sounds like you got a real science site doubting evolution!

Oh, wait:

ARN = Access Research Network

Formerly known as Students for Origins Research, a neo-creationist group.

Currently it is essentially an arm of the Discovery Institute’s CSC, ID’s main proponents.

Almost had me there.

---

Yeah....riiiiiiight...almost had ME there!

That’s a pretty cute set-up.

No one can question or challenge evolution unless they’re evolutionists? Is that about how it works?

Like the article explains, that’s not science, that’s dogma/ideology.

This reminds me of the people questioning zerrhoid that get shouted down as racists...

so how exactly DOES one challenge the annointed one if they happen to be white?

I’m still waiting on answers to both questions!

[tpanther]

Well...I for one am just stunned at your conclusions.

[tpanther]

So, micro organisms have reasoning intelligence?

Huh?

[GodGunsGuts]

So now you too agree that “Neo-Darwinism cannot deliver answers, because its vision of biology is fundamentally flawed”?

[GodGunsGuts]

Funny thing is, the literature review is about the growing number of evos who are challenging the neo-Darwinian synthesis!!!

[tpanther]

I think they’re counting on no one’s reading the article...

Actually...funny you mention, because alot of closet liberals have indicated they don't bother reading the articles while attacking them.