From: Michael Roberts (michael.andrea.r@ukonline.co.uk)
Date: Mon Oct 13 2003 - 14:46:38 EDT
> Josh,
>
> Perhaps Michael is the better person to comment,
> he having made the original comment about the Icons
> section on peppered moths being flawed. There is
> a great deal of information on the web, including
> extensive discussion on this listserve about this, are
> you willing to take the time to read it?
>
What I take exception to is the accusation that the photos of light moths
on sooty trees and dark moths on trees covered in lightcoloured lichen are
fraudulent. I have occasionally taken to moth-spotting in my gardens in NW
England and Wales on summer evenings and only managed to see a peppered moth
on one occasion. To catch one landing like that described above would be a
very rare event, so any one with any sense would realise that they were
pinned on to show the effect. For Wells or anyone else to accuse Kettlewell
of fraud is downright wicked, and as others have bought into that wickedness
and repeated the charge of fraud then I for one distance myself from them.
When Kettlewell did his survey in the 50s light moths were more common on
the Welsh borders and into Wales than in sooty Birmingham. Since then as
Birmingham has got less sooty they are more light ones in Birmingham.
The problem according to SAm Berry a geneticist in Christians in Science
(whose wife was at the ASA in aug) is that the whole situation is more
complex.
It is fair to say that Kettlewell's findings need considerable correction
but the accusation of fraud is simply evil.
For myself I have never found the Peppered Moth a good example to prove
evolution and wrote to the Guardian Newspaper in 1983 saying just that.
I cannot argue well on this subject as I am no biologist but I understand
enough to take umbrage at Wells in his Icons. As DI support Wells so much
then so much the worse for DI as I cannot consider their tactics as moral.
There is a big difference between arguing that someone is wrong (as I do to
Glenn and vice versa!!!!!) and saying they are dishonest.
Try searching the web for an article on the Peppered Moth by R J Berry (AKA
Sam) That would be a fine article but I cant find it.
What I am appealing for is straight and fair argument even where it is
mistaken but no distortion or false accusations. I can respect anyone who
strives to argue honestly as that is what the Lord wants more than anything
else. Allegations of fraud or questioned people's faith is just not on
Michael
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Mon Oct 13 2003 - 14:46:26 EDT