Evolution, development, and random biological ejaculations from a godless liberal
PZ Myers is a biologist and associate professor at the University of Minnesota, Morris.
…and this is a pharyngula stage embryo.
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The central problem of Christianity is: if the Messiah has come, why is the world so evil? For Judaism, the problem is: if the world is so evil, why does the Messiah not come?
[Seymour Siegel]
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Category: Evolution
Posted on: November 24, 2007 12:24 PM, by PZ Myers
Today is the 148th anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life. Enjoy those Thanksgiving leftovers!
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Comments
Good idea! I will heavily party today in remembrance of Darwin's great work!
Booze & Techno!
Posted by: Ced | November 24, 2007 12:42 PM
http://economistsview.typepad.com/economistsview/2007/11/faithful-to-sci.html?cid=91064360#comment-91064360
A decent liberal economist at the University of Oregon needs a little help understanding a 'faith in science' article from the NYT. He asked for help, so please wander over. Both PZ and I are old Ducks, so we surely want y'all to do everything you can to educate one of our own. Politely, of course.
Posted by: Desert Donkey | November 24, 2007 12:47 PM
I'm raising a glass of Tiger beer in Aberdeen, Scotland.
Cheers!
Posted by: MH | November 24, 2007 12:58 PM
The Davies article is on my list. I'll probably get to it tomorrow -- my plate is a little full right now.
Posted by: PZ Myers | November 24, 2007 12:59 PM
You mean, an _additional_ excuse to party. Go KU!
Posted by: Josh Charles | November 24, 2007 1:06 PM
A toast!
Well, some toast, anyway--with butter and Favoured Races Preserves.
Mmmmmmmmm.....
Posted by: Anon | November 24, 2007 1:30 PM
Well now! I knew today was cool, being my birthday, but I didn't know it was that cool. Thanks for pointing it out. I've already celebrated the one, but I guess I'll have to head out again and celebrate the other now.
It's a tough job but someone's got to do it...
Posted by: Pete | November 24, 2007 2:17 PM
I've always been a bit unimpressed by Davies. I thought the article was rather muddled. It seems to say that 'SCIENCE' has the origins of the universe & its constants & laws all wrapped up, at least for those who have faith in it. Then he argues against that.
I don't think most people involved in science have that kind of faith in 'SCIENCE'. If anything, that view of 'SCIENCE' is unscientific, & if anyone holds it, then it's not scientists, but more likely critics of science.
Posted by: Richard Harris | November 24, 2007 2:21 PM
Bastards! I'm sick today with something that seems like the flu (or Yellow Fever). So, there will be no celebrating here other than a cup of tea while my bloodshot eyes are fixed to the TV as I watch the latest Battlestar Galactica episode.
Still, for what it's worth, Yay Darwin!
Posted by: Dan | November 24, 2007 3:26 PM
This is just awesome. I cannot wait for Darwin Day.
Posted by: Moridin | November 24, 2007 3:41 PM
I'm eating a turkey sandwich right now... and it's Goooooood...!
Posted by: Inoculated Mind | November 24, 2007 4:22 PM
Weeiirrrrd... this morning I was reading Carl Zimmer's Evolution, a recent birthday gift, & the chapter was on Darwin's adventures on the Beagle and the Galapagos Islands. Got me thinking about "secular holidays" nonbelievers could celebrate... and it turns out today is one! I'll take it as a sign from the universe telling me there is no god after all!
Posted by: Will E. | November 24, 2007 5:25 PM
Hey PZ, this post was greenlit on Fark:
http://forums.fark.com/cgi/fark/comments.pl?IDLink=3224644
You may (or may not) find the current discussion amusing...
Posted by: Heather | November 24, 2007 6:21 PM
We're gonna party like it's 1859.
Posted by: Laser Potato | November 24, 2007 6:51 PM
Do you need an excuse to party?
Posted by: David Marjanović, OM | November 24, 2007 7:03 PM
No, but a couple days off work here and there would be nice.
Posted by: Will E. | November 24, 2007 7:20 PM
But seriously, I wonder if there's a calendar of scientific achievements? One with relevant birthdays, events, discoveries, books published, etc.? One that doesn't list religious holidays at all? Hmmm...
Posted by: Will E. | November 24, 2007 7:42 PM
Yes -- I'm pleased to share a birthday with this particular book. It's almost as much fun as celebrating Newtonmas every December 25th!
Posted by: Warren | November 24, 2007 8:45 PM
It's the 25 and I'm still celebrating. It's that good....
Two years from now, I expect all the posts here to be drivel and full of typos from intoxication.
Posted by: Michael X | November 25, 2007 6:18 AM
I think that a lot of religious apologists are projecting when they talk about "science" in the fashion that Davies did -- they treat it as some sort of autocratic cult.
Some people have objected to this celebration as the sort of thing that creationists will snicker over: "Their Bible is the Origin of Species!"
However, creationists are simply projecting their Bible worship onto us; they may find it difficult to understand anything else.
Posted by: Loren Petrich | November 25, 2007 9:36 AM
Damn, and I missed the celebrations. No wonder my Darwin bobblehead* was shaking his head at me.
* I don't know if they still have these, but the folk at the Southern Illinois, Carbondale (the Salukis) had these done up and they are excellent. Definitely not the cheapo type of bobblehead that discerning folk would be embarrassed to display. The proceeds go toward their Darwin Day activities.
Posted by: Mike from Ottawa | November 25, 2007 3:06 PM
Eat, drink, and become less hairy. Go evolution!
Posted by: Ziraffa | November 25, 2007 8:28 PM
So it's the 150th in a couple of years - we should start planning the big celebrations now!
Posted by: Paul Crowley | November 26, 2007 4:42 AM
Darwin- It's the Natural Selection!
Posted by: Mooser | November 26, 2007 2:24 PM