Irredeemably tainted words.

Loren Haarsma (lhaarsma@OPAL.TUFTS.EDU)
Thu, 09 Jan 1997 11:24:40 -0500 (EST)

I really enjoyed what Steve Jones wrote about "mediate creation," and I
agree with much of it.

But Steve's essay, and Jim's concurrence, on how the word "evolution" is
tainted beyond redemption got me wondering. Why stop there? What other
words are so tainted that we should stop fighting to redeem them from
anti-theistic metaphysical baggage, and simply eschew their use?

How about "mechanics" and "law"? Too closely associated with Deism and
Mechanistic Determinism.

"Chance" has got to go, obviously.

"Behavior" and "conditioning" were ruined by the Behaviorists.

"Logic" and "evidence" are too closely associated with Logical
Positivism.

And "quantum mechanics" has got too much of that New Age/Mysticism stuff
in it these days.

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