Re: Dawkins dissembles?

From: Joel Peter Anderson (joela@umn.edu)
Date: Mon Jul 14 2003 - 11:16:10 EDT

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    > I don't have time at the moment to find the actual
    > research, but the survey I believe Dawkins is
    > referring to is the reproduction of the Leuba (1916)
    > survey done by Edward Larson, a historian at the
    > University of Georgia and Larry Witham, a journalist
    > from Burtonsville, Maryland.
    >
    > They randomly selected 1,000 scientists from the
    > reference book, American Men and Women of Science ñ a
    > modern version of the 1910 compendium that Leuba used.

    See http://www.exn.ca/Stories/1997/04/04/01.asp

    "Scientists still believe in God, survey shows"

    As I noted elsewhere (another listserv where the subject was raised):

    I'm amused by the choice of the self-aggrandizing term "bright". It
    brings to mind this joke:

       (http://www.joke-pictures.com/smartest_man_in_the_world.html)

    Smartest Man In The World

    A doctor, a lawyer, a little boy and a priest were out for a Sunday
    afternoon flight on a small private plane. Suddenly, the plane developed
    engine trouble.

    In spite of the best efforts of the pilot, the plane started to go
    down. Finally, the pilot grabbed a parachute, yelled to the passengers
    that they had better jump, and bailed out.

    Unfortunately, there were only three parachutes remaining. The doctor
    grabbed one and said "I'm a doctor, I save lives, so I must live," and
    jumped out.

    The lawyer then said, "I'm a lawyer and lawyers are the smartest people in
    the world. I deserve to live." He also grabbed a parachute and jumped.

    The priest looked at the little boy and said, "My son, I've lived a long
    and full life. You are young and have your whole life ahead of you. Take
    the last parachute and live in peace."

    The little boy handed the parachute back to the priest and said, "Not to
    worry, Father. The 'smartest man in the world' just took off with my back
    pack."

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