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Author Topic:   What's the best strategy for defending evolution?
nator
Member (Idle past 2170 days)
Posts: 12961
From: Ann Arbor
Joined: 12-09-2001


Message 103 of 131 (291411)
03-02-2006 9:05 AM
Reply to: Message 12 by Gary
02-25-2006 11:44 AM


quote:
There have been some absolutely fascinating discoveries in evolution and developmental biology lately, why not make documentaries about stuff like that? I'm sure there is a market for this stuff, its just that people don't know they can become interested in it.
They are there.
It's called "PBS".

This message is a reply to:
 Message 12 by Gary, posted 02-25-2006 11:44 AM Gary has not replied

nator
Member (Idle past 2170 days)
Posts: 12961
From: Ann Arbor
Joined: 12-09-2001


Message 105 of 131 (291416)
03-02-2006 9:11 AM
Reply to: Message 31 by robinrohan
02-25-2006 1:42 PM


Re: What role should atheists play?
quote:
Actually, to be frank, I don't care if people accept evolution or not.
They might be better off not accepting it. It might get twisted around and perverted into another version of "social Darwinism." We don't want that.
Then they'd better not accept anything, because anything can get twisted around and perverted.
Best to just stay ignorant of everything.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 31 by robinrohan, posted 02-25-2006 1:42 PM robinrohan has not replied

nator
Member (Idle past 2170 days)
Posts: 12961
From: Ann Arbor
Joined: 12-09-2001


Message 106 of 131 (291419)
03-02-2006 9:24 AM
Reply to: Message 53 by Percy
02-28-2006 12:59 PM


Re: Ignore 'Em
quote:
We need a high school course whose description runs, "As you prepare to enter the real world, this course will teach you how to navigate the flim-flam that attempts to separate you from both your money and your reason."
I had a college course called "The Nature of Scientific Inquiry" which covered pseudoscience and logical fallacies.
Zhimbo taught a winter term class in undergrad called "Science and Unreason".
Since both of us have a long and abiding interest in such things, once we get settled somewhere, we plan on joining/starting a skeptic's group and hopefully getting such a topic going in the local schools.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 53 by Percy, posted 02-28-2006 12:59 PM Percy has not replied

nator
Member (Idle past 2170 days)
Posts: 12961
From: Ann Arbor
Joined: 12-09-2001


Message 107 of 131 (291424)
03-02-2006 9:38 AM
Reply to: Message 53 by Percy
02-28-2006 12:59 PM


Re: Ignore 'Em
quote:
I like these people no less for falling for these schemes, but despite how well I know them their experience provides me no insights as to why anyone could fall for them. It's a mystery.
I can't tell you how many times I've had the discussion about homeopathic remedies with people.
I also remember working with an otherwise bright woman who believed that the phone psychic experiences she had were authentic. Soon after our conversation, the Psychic Friends Network went out of business. I asked my coworker why it was that PFN didn't forsee their financial troubles, and she became genuinely angry with me.
Another coworker at the same place, another otherwise intelligent woman, adamantly insisted that one of the actors paying a "Munchkin" on The Wizard of Oz movie hanged himself on the set and that they were visible in the background in one of the shots.
I was very skeptical, so I investigated on the internet and found out it was an urban myth. I went so far as to find, and show her, a frame-by-frame of the scene in question. She was also quite annoyed and angry to be shown to be mistaken. One would have thought that she would have been relieved that this poor actor hadn't killed himself.
People are much more interested in feeling special than doubting that they are.
People are much more attracted to drama and excitement than the mundane and explained.
People would much rather feel right than actually go to the trouble of finding out if they are right.
People like certainty much more than doubt, they like comfortable lies much more than uncomfortable truths.
This message has been edited by schrafinator, 03-02-2006 09:39 AM

This message is a reply to:
 Message 53 by Percy, posted 02-28-2006 12:59 PM Percy has not replied

nator
Member (Idle past 2170 days)
Posts: 12961
From: Ann Arbor
Joined: 12-09-2001


Message 108 of 131 (291429)
03-02-2006 9:44 AM
Reply to: Message 58 by EZscience
02-28-2006 3:45 PM


I know what we need
We need another Sagan.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 58 by EZscience, posted 02-28-2006 3:45 PM EZscience has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 110 by EZscience, posted 03-02-2006 10:36 AM nator has replied

nator
Member (Idle past 2170 days)
Posts: 12961
From: Ann Arbor
Joined: 12-09-2001


Message 109 of 131 (291431)
03-02-2006 9:52 AM
Reply to: Message 66 by iano
03-01-2006 7:06 AM


Re: "Scientism" -as if that existed
You take what your doctor or lawyer says on faith?
What about if they said that they needed to cut off your nose because you had a cold?

This message is a reply to:
 Message 66 by iano, posted 03-01-2006 7:06 AM iano has not replied

nator
Member (Idle past 2170 days)
Posts: 12961
From: Ann Arbor
Joined: 12-09-2001


Message 111 of 131 (291452)
03-02-2006 10:40 AM
Reply to: Message 110 by EZscience
03-02-2006 10:36 AM


OT, briefly
quote:
...hope all is well at the deli...
Me too.
I live in New England as of 2 weeks ago.
I had to say goodbye to the Deli.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 110 by EZscience, posted 03-02-2006 10:36 AM EZscience has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 114 by Percy, posted 03-02-2006 10:55 AM nator has replied
 Message 124 by jar, posted 03-02-2006 7:14 PM nator has replied

nator
Member (Idle past 2170 days)
Posts: 12961
From: Ann Arbor
Joined: 12-09-2001


Message 112 of 131 (291453)
03-02-2006 10:41 AM
Reply to: Message 110 by EZscience
03-02-2006 10:36 AM


Re: I know what we need
quote:
And relatedness to apes definitely qualifies as an 'uncomfortable truth' for biblical literalists.
I wonder at that.
I mean, apes are so cool.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 110 by EZscience, posted 03-02-2006 10:36 AM EZscience has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 113 by EZscience, posted 03-02-2006 10:48 AM nator has not replied

nator
Member (Idle past 2170 days)
Posts: 12961
From: Ann Arbor
Joined: 12-09-2001


Message 115 of 131 (291499)
03-02-2006 1:17 PM
Reply to: Message 114 by Percy
03-02-2006 10:55 AM


Re: OT, briefly
Hanover.
Omniverous and I were chatting the other night and we both expressed interest in a EvC New England picnic this summer.
Interested?

This message is a reply to:
 Message 114 by Percy, posted 03-02-2006 10:55 AM Percy has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 116 by Percy, posted 03-02-2006 2:25 PM nator has not replied
 Message 117 by FliesOnly, posted 03-02-2006 4:11 PM nator has not replied

nator
Member (Idle past 2170 days)
Posts: 12961
From: Ann Arbor
Joined: 12-09-2001


Message 119 of 131 (291554)
03-02-2006 4:54 PM
Reply to: Message 118 by Percy
03-02-2006 4:23 PM


EVERYBODY should come if they can
Oh my, EVERY EvC-er who cares to come is invited, for heaven's sake.
It's just that, I think, quite a few of us live in New England.
Well, Percy, if you're too scared, then me Zhimbo and Omni and Flies will just have a picnic without you and we can speculate on if you are the wierd guy who keeps driving by, really slowly, holding up his copies of Origin of Species and the KJV of the Bible.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 118 by Percy, posted 03-02-2006 4:23 PM Percy has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 120 by mark24, posted 03-02-2006 6:14 PM nator has replied

nator
Member (Idle past 2170 days)
Posts: 12961
From: Ann Arbor
Joined: 12-09-2001


Message 125 of 131 (291584)
03-02-2006 7:37 PM
Reply to: Message 120 by mark24
03-02-2006 6:14 PM


Re: EVERYBODY should come if they can
Believe me, I'd jump at the chance to live in the old one.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 120 by mark24, posted 03-02-2006 6:14 PM mark24 has not replied

nator
Member (Idle past 2170 days)
Posts: 12961
From: Ann Arbor
Joined: 12-09-2001


Message 126 of 131 (291585)
03-02-2006 7:39 PM
Reply to: Message 124 by jar
03-02-2006 7:14 PM


Re: I'm not OT, I'm ignoring Creationists.
I think it's sometime in July, and it should last just long enough to keep the grill lit.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 124 by jar, posted 03-02-2006 7:14 PM jar has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 127 by subbie, posted 03-02-2006 7:47 PM nator has replied

nator
Member (Idle past 2170 days)
Posts: 12961
From: Ann Arbor
Joined: 12-09-2001


Message 128 of 131 (291593)
03-02-2006 7:52 PM
Reply to: Message 127 by subbie
03-02-2006 7:47 PM


Re: I'm not OT, I'm ignoring Creationists.
since when does it need to be warm out for anyone to get lit?

This message is a reply to:
 Message 127 by subbie, posted 03-02-2006 7:47 PM subbie has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 129 by subbie, posted 03-02-2006 7:56 PM nator has not replied

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