At 03:29 PM 3/10/00 -0500, Bertvan wrote:
>Tom:
> >No doubt there were folks who "feared" communism. But there were many
> >others (the majority, it seems to me) who soberly recognized the "naive,
> >impractical formulas" in communism, and simply rejected it. It also seems
> >to me that there are many (the majority, perhaps) who also soberly
> >recognize the naive, impractical (or theologically impoverished) features
> >of "creationism," and likewise reject that ideology. It has nothing to do
> >with fear. Your argument has no force against the latter group.
>
>Hi Tom,
>You are correct. But then I have no desire no expectation of "convincing"
>either group. I find it satisfying to express ideas and occasionally
>encounter someone willing to discuss them unemotionally. However I want to
>protest the notion that everyone who is skeptical of neo Darwinism is
>pursuing na•ve, impractical, theologically impoverished (whatever that means)
>ideas. I'm sure you don't believe that (I remember some of your former
>posts), but that is the impression most Darwin defenders like to promote.
In my experience, this impression is promoted by two extreme groups. One is a
very narrow set of neo-Darwinists that are sometimes referred to as
ultra-Darwinians
(Eldredge) and Darwinian Fundamentalists (Gould). This group is not
representative
of either evolutionists in general or even of neo-Darwinians. Trying to
promote them
as such is equivalent to those evolutionists who try to paint all opponents of
neo-Darwinism as YEC's.
The second group that promotes the impression you mention above are extremists
on the other side of the fence. Certain creationists who try to convince
the general public
that the "orthodox" scientific view is that of the ultra-Darwinians. It is
very convenient for them
if the public views them as somehow oppressed by "the elite", the high
priests of
science.
>
>Anything I say about this debate is in protest against those who claim
>materialism is the only legitimate scientific position. (There aren't many
>Young Earth Creationists on this list.)
>Bertvan
Brian Harper | "If you don't understand
Associate Professor | something and want to
Applied Mechanics | sound profound, use the
The Ohio State University | word 'entropy'"
| -- Morrowitz
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