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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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But it is neither as God nor as a man that Jesus must be regarded, but as a myth. No such person ever lived either as a human or divine existence. He is simply a creature of fancy, the fruit of the imagination. He is a character of the brain, the creation of religious genius.
[Lemuel K. Washburn, Is The Bible Worth Reading And Other Essays]
Polar lobes and trefoil embryos in the Precambrian
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« Oh, well, that's all right then. | Main | Who knew? »
Category: Creationism
Posted on: April 23, 2008 7:13 PM, by PZ Myers
You have rarely seen me say this, but…Texas did a good thing. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has voted against, I repeat, against approving the application from the Institute for Creation "Research" to issue degrees in Texas. The ICR will not be handing out Master of Science degrees in Texas.
Good work, Texans!
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Comments
Yay! I get to spend a few moments not apologizing for stupidity from my region!
Posted by: Bronze Dog | April 23, 2008 7:21 PM
This is one good step but I expect we'll be fighting the I.D. folks down here for quite some time.
Posted by: Texn Embsd by Bush | April 23, 2008 7:21 PM
Wow, more oppression.
I really wanted the creationists to find me a dinosaur to ride (no, we won't all settle for ponies).
What's next, are they going to begin teaching evolution in Texas, or has that completely disappeared under their own "academic freedom" law?
Glen D
http://tinyurl.com/2kxyc7
Posted by: Glen Davidson | April 23, 2008 7:22 PM
Thank God.
Posted by: James Goetz | April 23, 2008 7:22 PM
Texas better prepare for a rough hurricane season.
Posted by: Alex | April 23, 2008 7:25 PM
OT:
is it just me, or is Scienceblogs behaving a little hinky over the last half hour or so?
I keep getting long pauses and disconnects (only from scienceblogs).
Posted by: Ichthyic | April 23, 2008 7:25 PM
Me too Ichthyic.
Posted by: Alex | April 23, 2008 7:26 PM
From the linky: the proposed degree is inconsistent with Coordinating Board rules
which require the accurate labeling or designation of programs
Understated, but hilarious. I like it.
Posted by: Bouncing Bosons | April 23, 2008 7:27 PM
Ha! Nice try Texas! Florida, my state, is still in the lead to out dumb Arkansas and Alabama! Try to top that!
Posted by: firemancarl | April 23, 2008 7:33 PM
Yay! The world isn't completely insane!
Posted by: Alex | April 23, 2008 7:34 PM
Yay! Now I can feel a little pride again!
Break out the wine!
Posted by: Andrevian | April 23, 2008 7:42 PM
Yay Texas! :-)
Posted by: Stacy S. | April 23, 2008 7:42 PM
Did the board itself vote? Your post merely said that the folks on the Academic Excellence and Research said no, which normally would be a slam dunk. But I have no idea what the board itself is. If it is full of faculty from real universities like Texas, Rice, SMU, Baylor, Texas A&M, etc. then we have no problem, but if the recommendation came from folks like that, but the board itself is just a bunch of Perry's idiots, we still may see problems.
Posted by: freelunch | April 23, 2008 7:47 PM
I CAN HAZ SCIENCE DEGREE PLZ?!?
LOL NO!!!
Posted by: LOLcreationist | April 23, 2008 7:48 PM
Very nice work by Dr. Paredes.
Read the PDF starting on page 6. That's his explanation of his decision.
It sounds like someone was trying to fast-track acceptance the first time but Dr. Paredes caught it and sent them back for a proper review.
Check out some of the quotes from the ICR starting on page 8. From the course catalog
I especially like this one from on of the text books:
Dr. Paredes, thank you.
Posted by: ThirdMonkey | April 23, 2008 7:48 PM
There is still some sanity left in Texas. Don't backtrack now with some other absurdity.
Posted by: Holbach | April 23, 2008 7:49 PM
"Instead, it is a basic conclusion drawn from the biblical record of creation as written by the only One who was present, God himself."
I think it's amazing that we've actually got copies of God's handwriting. I wonder how big the crayon was.
Posted by: Sastra | April 23, 2008 7:52 PM
I also like that an approval is only temporary, so even if those fools somehow manage to get the board to overrule the decision of the committee, they _must_, yes, _must_ see accreditation from Southern Assoc. of Colleges and Schools or Texas pulls the approval. That is a very good rule.
Posted by: freelunch | April 23, 2008 7:52 PM
great news for TX
Posted by: E. Beck | April 23, 2008 7:53 PM
Don't start gloating yet, Texans. There still is plenty of stupid down there. And you know they say everything is bigger in Texas.
Posted by: Larry | April 23, 2008 7:55 PM
Hurrah!!! The eyes of Texas are upon you....
Posted by: James F | April 23, 2008 7:59 PM
Good for Texas.
Now, while yawl cowboys don' thar are having a nanosecond of sanity, REHIRE CHRIS COMER!
Posted by: Mark A. Siefert | April 23, 2008 8:04 PM
Check out their website: http://www.icr.org/
Notice that they don't use the .edu domain...
You'll love this: https://www.icr.org/article/3749/
On evolution:
And
They also go on to attack Geology and Cosmology.
So PZ? Are you one of the protectors of the "trade secret" or just one of the poor fools that have been dooped?
Posted by: ThirdMonkey | April 23, 2008 8:06 PM
A small victory. But expect more fireworks when the revised state science standards go to the State Board of Education. That should happen around November. So fellow Texans, get ready for the battle. It will be worse than Florida.
Posted by: JJ | April 23, 2008 8:11 PM
I have a degree in biolog can I pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease know what the trade secret is?
Posted by: FutureMD | April 23, 2008 8:12 PM
Thanks TX. There's hope for us yet.
Posted by: Christianjb | April 23, 2008 8:16 PM
I bet there are a lot of Kent Hovinds and Liberty University boosters crying somewhere in utter defeat...(or maybe that's my optimism running wild) The battle is assuredly far from over, but decisions like this give me a little more faith in the ability of our system to keep mysticism and superstition out of the field of science. I only hope this ability perseveres until it is no longer necessary to defend science from such inappropriate and wholly destructive attempts to pervert and control its practice - if such a blissful era should ever dawn upon us.
Posted by: brokenSoldier | April 23, 2008 8:17 PM
About fleeping time something went right here!
JBS
Posted by: John B. Sandlin | April 23, 2008 8:17 PM
"Good for Texas.
Now, while yawl cowboys don' thar are having a nanosecond of sanity, REHIRE CHRIS COMER!"
Posted by: Mark A. Siefert
Here Here! Texas, you are only partially redeemed!
Posted by: chuckgoecke | April 23, 2008 8:19 PM
#6 Ichthyic | April 23, 2008 7:25 PM
I'm probably the oddball - I haven't had any issues on Science Blogs... But the Expelled movie blog isn't working for me.
JBS
Posted by: John B. Sandlin | April 23, 2008 8:20 PM
There's more.
Check this one out: https://www.icr.org/home/resources/resources_tracts_apollo/
Did you know that Evolution is supposed to explain the origin of the moon and the universe?
Creation scientists, based on the clear and unequivocal statements in the Word of God, and firmly supported by well-established natural laws and the failure of all theories on the evolutionary origin of the universe...
Thus, using special processes operating nowhere in the natural universe today, God created all the heavenly bodies, including the earth, the moon, the sun, and all the other objects in the solar system.
Hold on. You're saying that Creation science is supported by well-established natural laws but then you go on to say that God did it "using special processes operating nowhere in the natural universe today". Nice.
At least he doesn't try to claim that the moon landings never happened...
Posted by: ThirdMonkey | April 23, 2008 8:22 PM
This is indeed good news, but the Texas legislature might feel obliged to step in. It was good in Florida too, when the State Board of Education adopted some excellent statewide science teaching standards, but the Florida legislature is currently working on one of those Discovery Institute "academic freedom" bills. It just passed in the Florida Senate, and now the House will be dealing with it.
I've been blogging about it, and so has a fine outfit called Florida Citizens for Science, found here: http://www.flascience.org/wp/
Legislators are often far less science-literate than many state education boards. So it's not over in Texas.
Posted by: PatrickHenry | April 23, 2008 8:23 PM
I guess they'll have to go after Dr. Paredes job now.
Posted by: Steve Fisher | April 23, 2008 8:30 PM
I don't know if the Lege will step in. Texas may be God-sotted, but it is also pretty willing to spend a bit for its premier state universities. The critical juncture in which the Lege would have to intervene would be to abolish the requirement that this school apply for accreditation with Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
I suspect that the idiots at ICR didn't notice that this was a requirement for approval or they would never have put themselves in this position. There probably are a few marginal colleges that have been accredited with the 'real' accreditation organizations, the regionals, but not many. None of those schools ever put disdain for knowledge in their charter, though.
If it weren't so embarrassing for Texas, I would love to see what SACS would do to ICR in their response to ICR's attempt to get real accreditation.
Popcorn please.
Posted by: freelunch | April 23, 2008 8:39 PM
I think it's amazing that we've actually got copies of God's handwriting. I wonder how big the crayon was.
Could God make a crayon so big even he couldn't color inside the lines with it?
Posted by: Ichthyic | April 23, 2008 8:44 PM
Hmm.
Our standards have been forced painfully low for us to be celebrating a no-brainer decision like this.
Hurrah! We got through another day without losing our fingers at the sawmill!
Posted by: Hank Fox | April 23, 2008 8:45 PM
Huzzah!
Posted by: waldteufel | April 23, 2008 8:50 PM
O/T, but important --
Here's the problem WRT the "vaccines and autism" nonsense: The antivaxers are better at getting their message out.
Try Googling "vaccines autism" sometime, which is probably the extent of the research Obama's, Clinton's and McCain's people did. The first three links are antivax garbage links; the CDC pages don't show up until links four and five, sandwiched between more antivax woo. And the CDC's first site doesn't say flat-out that there is no link; it just says that there's no evidence for it but because parents are concerned they're still studying it. So the CDC and Obama are actually on the same page here.
Posted by: Phoenix Woman | April 23, 2008 8:53 PM
Ok, I take back most of the negative things I said about Texas. Let's hope this decision is the rule and not the exception.
Posted by: DB | April 23, 2008 8:58 PM
yay!
Thank Darwin!
Posted by: Pwnagepanda | April 23, 2008 9:02 PM
"yay!
Thank Darwin!"
Even though you hate Him, Jesus still loves you.
Posted by: Matt | April 23, 2008 9:04 PM
Sorry I meant the Flying Spaghetti Monster! Freudian slip?
Posted by: Matt | April 23, 2008 9:05 PM
Don't celebrate so soon.
We here in the Lone Star State know that no good deed (against the xian right) goes unpunished. Gov. Rick "ID" Perry will work his magic somehow, someway to undermine anything that conflicts with his Bushie agenda.
And then there's Hagee, McCain's batshit fundie.
That second shoe will be dropping soon enough....
Posted by: Jsn | April 23, 2008 9:09 PM
McCain seems to be surrounded by batshit fundies and corrupt party hacks -- including his financial advisor and predicted choice for Secretary of Treasury, Senator Phil Gramm (R-TX):
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0308/9246.html
One can only hope his entire footwear collection falls out of the closet soon enough...
Posted by: brokenSoldier | April 23, 2008 9:29 PM
Hillary Clinton is going to be president. I am not for her at all. However, she will be our next president.
You read it first on this Blog. It's not a good guess either.
Posted by: Julie | April 23, 2008 10:02 PM
Creation Research . . . what're they researching ?
Cake? Paintings ? Baroque Music ?
Oh wait... it's that invisible dragon thingy, isn't it ?
Posted by: DLC | April 23, 2008 10:14 PM
Rest not on these laurals...there is still much work to do! We could only wish this was some kind of victory. Unfortunately, it isn't, nothing but a minor skirmish...the somnambulists surround us...but I have god's word we'll achieve our goal soon. May the force be with you all!
Posted by: Rick Schauer | April 23, 2008 10:51 PM
From the wikipedia article on the ICR:
"Some creationists are opposed to the ICR. Gary North "opposes the ICR on the grounds that they" acknowledge the second principle of thermodynamics..."
When I think I can't be any more shocked by the level of cretinous stupidity, something like this comes up...
Posted by: Etha Williams | April 23, 2008 11:13 PM
@#19 LOLcreationist:
You inspired me:
http://s246.photobucket.com/albums/gg81/diftorhehsmusma/?action=view¤t=Picture4.png
Posted by: Etha Williams | April 24, 2008 12:08 AM
Wait a second, its only the Higher Education Coordinating Board that's voted against it, not the full board.
"The full Board is scheduled to vote on the recommendation of the AER Committee at the April 24, 2008 Board meeting."
Posted by: Sigmund | April 24, 2008 12:30 AM
as freelunch and sigmund point out, the full board doesn't vote till the 24th according to the pdf linked to
Posted by: j a higginbotham | April 24, 2008 1:15 AM
"When I think I can't be any more shocked by the level of cretinous stupidity, something like this comes up..."
Gary North is probably the most evil person in America, so it doesn't surprise me at all that he's also among the stupidest.
Posted by: DCN | April 24, 2008 2:16 AM
Score. I guess I can assum all that praying to Darwin every night payed off. People can stop laughing at us texans...for now...
Posted by: PirateHooker | April 24, 2008 3:09 AM
Awesome, I always assume the worst from my home state. I guess random chance dictates that they get things right now and again.
Posted by: John Wilder | April 24, 2008 6:28 AM
I'm from Texas. Born and raised. Left and stayed gone for ten years. What the fuck was I thinking when I came back here? I wanted so much to go back to Europe! Stuck here now and worried about the education my grandchildren are going to get, or not get. I could have stayed in Washington State, or gone just about anywhere. I really need to check on the status of the bills they had up last year that violated church/state separation with regard to education and government/public property.
Posted by: Angel Rose Young | April 24, 2008 7:02 AM
Minor caveat: The full Board votes today, April 24th, but is expected to follow the recommendations of the committee and Dr. Paredes:
www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/5724786.html
The ICR has been asking for prayers:
www.christiantoday.com/article/texas.creation.college.to.defend.science.degrees/18151.htm
... so I guess we'll have a chance to see what the efficacy of praying amounts to.
Posted by: John Pieret | April 24, 2008 7:32 AM
Final vote today. Hope for the best.
And then, send a thank-you note to the Texas Freedom Network and to Texas Citizens for Science.
Posted by: Ed Darrell | April 24, 2008 8:41 AM
"I guess they'll have to go after Dr. Paredes job now."
I don't think so since he ended what I think is, overall, a good response with a hat tip to religion (probably to keep his job):
"In recommending against approval of the ICR program, I am not questioning the validity of religious belief as a means of comprehending the world and universe around us. As far as I know, science has no answer [Yet] to the question of how life on earth began or how the Big Bang was initiated some 14 billion years ago. [But someday we will and won't that be cool to hold up to cdesign proponentsists?] Believers of many faiths might well attribute both these astonishing events to the intervention of a great Creator. [PANDER] It is entirely possible that science may never answer these fundamental questions and that, in these and other instances, religious belief supersedes science. [/PANDER] But religious belief is not science. Science and religious belief are surely reconcilable but they are not the same thing.
This is good news but I still swear I will not die in Texas.
Posted by: Todd | April 24, 2008 9:39 AM
It just makes me happy that my state (SC) has stayed out of the batshit fundie news as of late.
Don't you worry, we'll be back.
Way to go out on a limb
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp | April 24, 2008 10:10 AM
I'm afraid that comment #59 is right; they'll be back. I am referring to religion and the ICR, though. They tried getting further into the education system. They failed this time, but I bet they'll just regroup and try something new.
Posted by: Ted Goas | April 24, 2008 11:13 AM
Ironically, the only words that come to mind are:
Thank God.
Posted by: Elyse Hart | April 24, 2008 11:49 AM
The list of players in Texas:
1) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. This agency approves new degree-offering programs for universities and trade schools. (UT, A&M, Baylor, dental assistant training, etc.)
2) The Texas State Board of Education. This agency (members elected from districts, 8 non-creationists and 7 creationists with a creationist chairman appointed from those 15 by the creationist governor) will approve K-12 education standards. They recently approved an elective Bible course for high schools.
3) The Texas Education Agency. This state agency will ensure (or not) that the K-12 standards and testing are enforced.
Posted by: onein6billion | April 24, 2008 12:45 PM
I think I'd rather have Halliburton running Treasury than Phil Gramm - the expectation of honesty is higher.
I must be delusional again - I thought that McCain might be honest (or at least choose honest people). Whoops.
Posted by: Hap | April 24, 2008 12:53 PM
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/5728581.html
The board voted and agreed with the recommendation today.
The ICR can go
Posted by: freelunch | April 24, 2008 9:15 PM