> Steve says:
> > Arthur Chadwick wrote:
> > > It means we should reconsider all of our philosophical bases.
> > And it seems as if many evangelical Christians only want scientists to
> > examine theirs and many scientists only want evangelical Christians to
> > examine theirs and no one's willing to examine their own!
> You are so right. When I asked a week ago if anyone was willing to do so,
> all I heard was silence. And all I asked was for someone who believed in
> evolution to share with me what they perceived to be the weaknesses of
> *their* brand of evolution. My reason for asking is transparent. I would
> like to know how well those who hold to evolutionary doctrine understand the
> weaknesses of their positions. I guess I will have to go back and read
> Kerkut again. I suppose I didn't really expect a response.
I didn't immediately respond to your post last week because (aside from
being generally too busy), I thought this had been pretty thoroughly
covered recently.
I've been "reconsidering my philosophical bases" in earnest since joining
this discussion group. I've posted a few lists of "perceived
[philosphical and theological] weaknesses" of both evolutionary
creationism and progressive creationism (check the January '96 archives).
I pretty much agree with Mike Behe on what are the scientifically weakest
points of macroevolutionary theory (development of irreducible complexity,
etc.) and I included those in my _World_&_I_ article. I've even suggested
a few scientifically testable predictions (using present-day equipment and
techniques) which would cause me to switch my prference from EC to PC
(check the November '95 archives).
That's hard work --- not so much to personally consider these issues, but
to elucidate them in a public forum! I don't take silence from discussion
group members as lack of understanding or willingness to examine
weaknesses; I take silence as general agreement for what's already been
said recently.
I hope that gives you some hope.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Your denial of my victimhood |
is lowering my self-esteem!" | Loren Haarsma
--Calvin (_Calvin_and_Hobbes_) | lhaarsma@opal.tufts.edu