Re: [asa] Re: Evangelicals, Evolution, and Academics Introduction now available

Hi Steve,
   
  Yes, I'm prepared to engage the conversation, since it is 'evolution' that you are speaking about. I wonder however, which evolution and whose evolution you are addressing? This is rather important to declare up front!
   
  First, could you please clarify why in the "introductory post" the terms 'biological evolution' and 'evolutionary science' (in other places you call it 'the science of evolution') appear to be synonymous. Are they meant to be the same thing or does your blog openly recognize the wide variety of ways 'evolution' is used theoretically outside-of-biology, outside of natural science? Is biology in your opinion 'the most important science'? (For example, you speak of "evolving theology," but I'm pretty sure you just mean that "theology changes" and not that theology is a 'biologically evolving' thing.) This is rather important for defending (e.g. Dawkins) or rejecting (Ted Davis, George Murphy, David Campbell, et al. at ASA) the 'warfare thesis,' the latter which it seems is really the primary point of your blog to object to. Evolutionary theories are conveniently used as a kind of buffer (especially for natural scientists) for the anti-warfare perspective, in the sense that
 many who promote them tend to ignore the human-social realm almost entirely.
   
  Would this be accurate of your position - human-social science doesn't matter to evolution at all? Are you a natural scientist, Steve Martin?
   
  Second, connected with the first, why have you not invited anyone who studies evolutionary psychology, evolutionary economics or evolutionary sociology, which constitute a significant part of the contemporary academy, to your 'team'? Doesn't this guarantee a partial view of evolution, denying the possibility of comprehensiveness? Is evangelism profitted by stacking the odds?
   
  Douglas Hayworth: evolutionary biologist (Washington University), Stephen Matheson: biology (Calvin College), Keith Miller: geology (Kansas U.), Dennis Venema: biology (TWU), Ted Davis: HPS (Messiah College). It seems to me this biology-first, geology-second approach is almost as confused, perhaps even moreso than the IDM, which is in 'insisting' that 'ID begin in biology' (Dembski). Ted Davis' HPS could help to balance things, but his is admittedly more history than philosophy of science. The absence of a social-humanitarian thinker is abundantly TELLING.
   
  In your blog you write: "this type of investigation requires specialization in biology, geology, genetics, biochemistry, paleontology, anthropology, theology, history, history of science, philosophy, philosophy of science, and biblical studies to name but a few of the disciplines." Those disciplines you haven't named have voices too! What do the human-social sciences have to say about evolution??
   
  Why not invite a real challenge for evangelicals and get-outside of a biology-first and geology-second defense of evolutionism, promotion of evangelicalism? I suggest you will achieve little of significance if you deny voices that are far more important in this discourse than those defending 'pure' natural science. Otherwise it must be a 'small world after all' to defend evolution these days in America (even as a Canadian!).
   
  Thanks for responding and clarifying,
   
  Gregory

   
  "It’s still unclear whether mainstream evangelicalism will ever accept the possibility that TE proponents can even legitimately use the label Evangelical...The current relationship between evolution and evangelicalism can best be characterized as warfare." - Steve Martin
   
  Yet another -ism..., which may sometimes seem quite ideologically un-Christian?
   
  
Steve Martin <steven.dale.martin@gmail.com> wrote:
     
  Oops .. it would be helpful if I spelled the title correctly, that is Academics not Academica

  On 5/18/08, Steve Martin <steven.dale.martin@gmail.com> wrote:
Hi all,

First, I should note that I was inadvertently expelled from the ASA list for the last 6 weeks – none of my posts made it through. But this was simply a technical glitch in the software implemented at Calvin College for our mailing list. I'm hoping this is now fixed (Thanks Terry!). Disclaimer: I do work for one of the world's largest software companies, so my complaints about perceived software quality are probably considered hypocritical in the extreme.

Two months ago I invited list members to contribute a post for my blog series on "Evangelicals, Evolution, and Academics". The series kicked off today (here is for the introductory post) and will include contributions from 5 list members (Keith Miller, Dennis Venema, Stephen Matheson, Douglas Hayworth, and Ted Davis) as well as authors Richard Colling and Gordon Glover. You are welcome to join the conversation.

thanks,
  
Steve Martin (CSCA)

       
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Received on Sun May 18 17:56:22 2008