Howard wrote: "I have no reason to doubt your account. And if
Schafersman's words were in print you would have every right to quote
them in print as his personal sentiments. Would you, however, feel
justified in rewording them into an abrasive style and then ascribing
them to "the Darwinian establishment"? "
I retrieved part of what I had written about Schafersman back in 1997.
Note that this part of my paper was reviewed by him before I submitted it
for publication. Here is what I wrote:
"In his paper, Schafersman develops the argument that, on a moral basis,
theists ought not "do science." Specifically, he asserts: "I believe
assuming the truth of naturalism only for the purpose of conducting or
believing science is a logical and moral mistake." Later, he expands on
this, by writing, "The moral entailment of ontological naturalism by
methodological naturalism does not create an ethical lapse among those
supernaturalists who assume methodological naturalism (for the purposes
of science), but something similar to an insincerity or want of courage.
. . .." ".
I think his paper still exists on the NTSE site.
My paper can be found on my web site at
http://www.burgy.50megs.com/ntseoad.htm
I presume Bill Dembski has seen my paper, as well as several by Dawkins,
who asserts that people (like both Bill and I, as well as a host of
others, are either stupid, ignorant or something else pejorative (I don't
have the exact quote at hand, but I'm sure you've seen it. And it is
clear that the above from Schafersman suggests (does not directly accuse)
that both Bill and I, as well as you and others on this list, have either
insincerity or a want of courage. Again, this is not uttered by
Schafersman pejoratively; I would think that not even Dawkin's statement
is made maliciously, but that both are their honest expressions of how
they view scientists who are theistic, and that necessarily includes TEs.
I will concede that Bill Dembski could have worded his statement somewhat
more carefully, but as a statement of fact I think it is quite
unassailable.
John Burgeson (Burgy)
http://www.burgy.50megs.com
(science/theology, quantum mechanics, baseball, ethics,
humor, cars, God's intervention into natural causation, etc.)
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