Re: [asa] Discovery Institute against harmonizing?

Contrary to Gregory, I see David as being extremely able to speak
about evolution. What I am not certain about is what evolution across
the board refers to. Teaching that science and religion can be
reconciled seems like a truism to me. In fact, religion which ignores
science, or worse, contradicts it, suffers from a violation of the
wise words of St Augustine. Sure, evolution may have some indirect
consequences but is it up to schools to address the problems some
people have with the concept of evolution?

On Dec 11, 2007 11:09 PM, Gregory Arago <gregoryarago@yahoo.ca> wrote:
> The problem is, David, that you have not spoken (and from all indications
> cannot) speak 'objectively' about evolution across the board. At best you
> can speak of a stronger or weaker consensus, or 'normal science' in Kuhnian
> terms, specifically in one or two or a few or even perhaps more than a few
> scientific fields. Thus, when you speak of the 'natural sciences' (e.g.
> biology, chemistry, geology, anatomy, physiology, etc.) of evolution, you
> may find a high level of harmony (even in America, among natural scientists,
> both theists and non-theists alike).
>

Science is all about inequality of access and oppression. We are
teaching the best understanding of science and not the runner ups of
most if not all scientific concepts. There may be a limited
controversy surrounding evolutionary theory, mostly by design. Should
we teach the poor arguments proposed by the Discovery Institute in
schools? I see them not dissimilar from the global warming deniers
since in both cases dubious 'science' is combined with dubious
theology.

>You cannot dictate the discourse without smuggling in oppression and
inequality of access, even if just in the language. This is what I
have been charging natural scientists, >particularly those at ASA, but
also elsewhere, with doing in the 'controversy' surrounding evolution.

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Received on Wed Dec 12 11:37:22 2007