Re: [asa] Coyne vs Collins

I like this one:

"And I am not a "new atheist": I'm what Anthony Grayling calls a
 naturalist."

Jerry Coyne has no problem labeling Ken Miller a creationist, yet bristles
when others refer to him as a new atheist. Sorry, but when someone waters
down definitions to attack Miller, and then spouts New Atheist talking
points, and joins a socio-political crusade with Myers and Dawkins as allies
(both publicly admit they have an agenda), then there is nothing wrong with
referrnig to Coyne as a New Atheist. Is there something about Coyne that
would cause us to question whether he is truly a New Atheist? What would
that be?

-Mike

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ted Davis" <tdavis@messiah.edu>
To: <asa@calvin.edu>; <wybrowc@sympatico.ca>
Sent: Wednesday, April 29, 2009 7:01 PM
Subject: [asa] Coyne vs Collins

> Cameron,
>
> You now have your wish. Now, it's Collins' turn to be trashed by Coyne,
> the
> sancitmonious atheist whose charming views you already know well enough.
> We
> all knew this would be coming, once Collins stopped working for the
> federal
> government and started his own religion/science ministry. Coyne continues
> to pretend that not having any answers (when it comes to the big
> questions,
> he ain't got 'em) is a better answer than having some that he can't stand.
> The spirit of what Collins (and other Christian thinkers, TE or ID or
> otherwise) is doing -- taking the big questions seriously and offering
> answers from a religious perspective -- is ironically much more scientific
> than what Coyne is doing. Or, not doing. Probing for something deeper is
> what science is really all about. Admitting our ignorance and limited
> knowledge in the process -- yes, that's scientific too, but the refusal to
> take those big questions seriously, the constant refrain that nothing
> really
> means anything, is not in keeping with the scientific spirit.
>
> http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2009/04/29/shoot-me-now-francis-collinss-new-supernaturalist-website/
>
> When I heard Collins speak last evening, incidentally, I don't recall him
> trashing ID. He briefly noted why he thought it wasn't the right view to
> defend, but his focus for the evening was all positive, about what his
> plans
> were and why he is so passionate about doing this.
>
> Ted
>
> To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@calvin.edu with
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Received on Wed Apr 29 22:29:49 2009