Curious about silence?
Richard NeSmith (richardn@southconn.com)
Tue, 13 Aug 1996 20:18:35 +0000s-schim@students.uiuc.edu wrote:
>
> Richard NeSmith (richardn@southconn.com) wrote:
>
> > I was wondering why very little is ever said about Charles Darwin being
> > a graduate of Christ College, Oxford, I believe it was. And, on his
> > telling his professor botanist friend before the voyage that he did not
> > feel qualified to be the naturalist upon the Beagle. Are not these two
> > important points of interest when trying to interpret a man's ideas
> > nearly 150 years ago?
>
> Your subject line makes it seem like a sinister conspiracy. I really
> don't see your point...
>
> I wouldn't necessarily evaluate a man's ideas based upon where he
> graduated from university. Why do you think this is significant? Also,
> because someone expresses self-doubt at some point, doesn't mean they're
> not qualified. I think most biologists would agree that Darwin did a
> wonderful job aboard the Beagle since the ideas he developed on that
> trip revolutionized their discipline! Darwin was an excellent naturalist
> who published very well-received work on barnacles, earthworms, etc.
>
> I also find it odd (not necessarily speaking about the poster of the
> above message) that many young-earth creationists invest so much time
> and effort into trying to discredit Darwin. Modern evolutionary theory
> is quite different (almost 150 years of scientific advances) from the
> original ideas of Darwin (although much has been retained as well).
> Discrediting Darwin will in no way discredit evolutionary theory or make
> it go away.
>
> - Steve.
>
> --
> Steven H. Schimmrich KB9LCG s-schim@uiuc.edu
> Department of Geology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
> 245 Natural History Building, Urbana, IL 61801 (217) 244-1246
> http://www.uiuc.edu/ph/www/s-schim Fides quaerens intellectum
Mr. Schimmrich, I'm sorry I cluttered your mailbox. I thought this was a
"free-sharing, free-thinking" group of scientists. I obviously ruffled
your feathers...or maybe geodes. That was not my intention.
I appreciate your reply, however, it seems rather vicious. In fact, it
appears you are attacking me. Yes, when interpreting a man's work, it
does help to attempt to see where he is coming from. There was nothing
sinister about the inquiry. I just think it is odd that he graduated
from Christ College with a B.A. in Theology, that's all. Obviously, he
had perspective that many scientist would not have. If that is not
signficant, or at least odd in your eyes, then maybe you have a problem.
Too many times we hear someone bashed for their comments (especially on
this listserve), and frequently the come-back is, "Are you a ???
(geologist, biologist, etc.) with the assumption being that if you're
not then you could not possibly have anything intelligent to say. If
that is so, then Darwin was not a scientist, but rather a theologian.
Again, my inquiry. Would anyone like to comment on how Darwin's training
prepared/did not prepare him, what premise did he begin with...If such
questions are not legit for this listserve, then maybe I'm on the wrong
channel! In the future, Mr. Schimmrich, I would appreciate it if you
would exercise a little more professionalism when answering, rather than
using such a hostile approach (unless of course you own this list, of
which I would owe you an apology).
Richard