Then you should sign up for the Steve list. They're trying to get 900 qualified evolution supporters with names that are variants of "Steven" — I think they should aim for a nice round one thousand.
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« Denmark is now on my list of emigration destinations | Main | Apparently, we hate Wisconsin even worse than the Dakotas »
Are you a scientist? Are you named Steve or Stephanie?
Posted on: September 8, 2008 12:14 PM, by PZ Myers
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Comments
Posted by: drew | September 8, 2008 12:19 PM
I thought NCSE did this already. I'm almost certain I heard Eugenie Scott talking about this in a presentation.
Posted by: Glen Davidson | September 8, 2008 12:24 PM
They could, maybe, make a list of biologists who oppose the flim-flam of anti-evolution--it is the list that matters. The Steve list has been more or less done to death, IMO.
Glen D
http://tinyurl.com/2kxyc7
Posted by: Sven DiMilo | September 8, 2008 12:24 PM
It's not that they already did it...it's that they're still doing it.
Wish I could participate.
Posted by: Drew | September 8, 2008 12:25 PM
Ahh I see now
Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp, KoT | September 8, 2008 12:26 PM
Same one.
Posted by: Geo-Steve | September 8, 2008 12:30 PM
too bad being in a PhD program doesn't count.... maybe in a few years...
Posted by: Sven DiMilo | September 8, 2008 12:35 PM
You mean, a list of biologists, period? You're pretty humorless sometimes, Glen. It's funny this way.Posted by: Glen Davidson | September 8, 2008 12:41 PM
Um, jokes get old.
It's not humorless to suggest that the same decade-old one not continue to be told.
Glen D
http://tinyurl.com/2kxyc7
Posted by: Brett Samsen | September 8, 2008 12:46 PM
We should badger Stephen Colbert to join the list. After all, he does have an honorary PhD from Knox College...
Posted by: Sven DiMilo | September 8, 2008 12:54 PM
Humor's in the eye of the beholder, I guess. Hell, I still get a grin out of "Who's on first?"
Posted by: I am so wise | September 8, 2008 1:05 PM
Has anyone given Steve Fuller a call? He's even better than a scientist, he's a philosopher of science.
Posted by: Luke | September 8, 2008 1:10 PM
First I've heard of this. Made me chuckle.
Posted by: Tony "Steve" Sidaway | September 8, 2008 1:13 PM
So, once we've done the Steves, let's move on to the Richards, the Pauls, the Michaels, the Dans...
Posted by: sjburnt | September 8, 2008 1:15 PM
Rats. I was well on my way to registering when the rules changed from "having a doctoral degree" to "scientist".
Why on earth would they disallow the juris doctorates?
(Go ahead, I deserve the lashings I am gonna get for this.)
;)
Posted by: SC | September 8, 2008 1:16 PM
So, once we've done the Steves, let's move on to the Richards, the Pauls, the Michaels, the Dans...
Or the Lisas, the Barbaras, the Abbies, the Rebeccas,...
Posted by: Lee Picton | September 8, 2008 1:20 PM
I think some have misunderstood. The Steve list has been around for awhile but a round 900 are wanted in time for the Year of Darwin; something about slogans and T-shirts, and NCSE is about five names short, I think.
Posted by: Sven DiMilo | September 8, 2008 1:21 PM
...the Svantes, the Anderses, the Nicoles...
and, here's an excuse to mention my all-time favorite name of a real biologist. (She's good, too; studies lungfish physiology and publishes well).
Posted by: kermit | September 8, 2008 1:24 PM
SC@15
Or the Lisas, the Barbaras, the Abbies, the Rebeccas,...
No, the first batch of lists would include the Stephanies, the umm, Richardines, The Paulines, the Michelles, etc.
The Steve list includes quite a few females - Steven or variations of Steven.
Posted by: SC | September 8, 2008 1:26 PM
Oh, the poor dear. Hope she has a good sense of humor.
Posted by: Carrie | September 8, 2008 1:27 PM
From the Project Steve introduction page:
From the FAQ:
Thanks for the link, PZ. We're definitely hoping to get to the big 1K, but we'll print "Over 900..." shirts first. Some of our Steves have been waiting a long time for theirs.
Posted by: SC | September 8, 2008 1:30 PM
No, the first batch of lists would include the Stephanies, the umm, Richardines, The Paulines, the Michelles, etc.
The Steve list includes quite a few females - Steven or variations of Steven.
I'm aware of that. Perhaps some women aren't thrilled at being variations on male theme in efforts called things like "The Steve Project." Richardines?
Posted by: Rey Fox | September 8, 2008 1:30 PM
"It's not humorless to suggest that the same decade-old one not continue to be told."
Of course it is, humor never ceases to be funny! Like all those catchphrases that circulate here endlessly! Slut! Cephalopods! Ilk! Trophy wife! They never ever cease to be funny!
Posted by: catta | September 8, 2008 1:55 PM
Sarcasm, on the other hand, gets old pretty fast.
Posted by: Tony Sidaway | September 8, 2008 2:12 PM
Lee Picton | September 8, 2008 1:20 PM #16
I think some have misunderstood. The Steve list has been around for awhile but a round 900 are wanted in time for the Year of Darwin
And if they don't get 900, they will have failed proving that evolution is false!
Posted by: Eric | September 8, 2008 2:20 PM
Is this old news?
Biologists on the Verge of Creating New Form of Life
http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/09/biologists-on-t.html
Posted by: Stephen Johnson | September 8, 2008 2:39 PM
Speaking as a Steve on the list (and living in Kansas, to boot). My understanding was that this was intended as a tongue-in-cheek response to The Discovery Institute's "Scientific Dissent From Darwinism" list.
The reasoning went along the lines of - we could put together a list of all the scientists who consider evolution to be a proper scientific theory, but that list would get very big, very fast, so how about limiting it to a single name. "Stephen" (and variations thereon) was chosen to honor Stephen Jay Gould.
Stephen (NCSE Steve #598)
Posted by: Bill Dauphin | September 8, 2008 2:44 PM
What, you mean Sven isn't Swedish1 for Stephen?
1 Please forgive me if I've guessed the wrong Scandinavian heritage for you (or if I'm wrong in attributing any Scandinavian heritage to you).
Posted by: Sven DiMilo | September 8, 2008 2:54 PM
I'm Swedish all right--half, anyway--and so's "Sven," but alas, 'tis a nom de net. My real monicker's not even close to qualiying.
Posted by: Qwerty | September 8, 2008 2:56 PM
I am neither a scientist nor a Steve, but I am sure that there are enough to hit the 1,000 mark. It sure makes the few hundred that support ID look foolish.
Posted by: Alcari | September 8, 2008 3:00 PM
Thanks for the link, PZ. We're definitely hoping to get to the big 1K, but we'll print "Over 900..." shirts first. Some of our Steves have been waiting a long time for theirs.
Shouldn't those be "Over 9000!!!" shirts?
Posted by: SC | September 8, 2008 3:06 PM
"Stephen" (and variations thereon) was chosen to honor Stephen Jay Gould.
Ah. Well, that makes sense, then. Carry on.
/steps down off soapbox
Posted by: windy, OM | September 8, 2008 3:14 PM
Sven is not from Stephen, it's an ancient word for young man or male virgin...
Posted by: Bill Dauphin | September 8, 2008 3:27 PM
I didn't actually think it was; I was joking... though obviously not obviously enough. (Note to self: Lay in supply of emoticons!)
Posted by: windy, OM | September 8, 2008 3:45 PM
I guessed you were joking, but couldn't resist commenting on the linguistic aspect anyway... I think David Marjanović has been a bad influence on me!
Posted by: Sven DiMilo | September 8, 2008 3:46 PM
Huh. Coupla problems here, Houston...Posted by: The Chemist | September 8, 2008 3:54 PM
Then they get the Steve list all mixed up with the Adam list, and suddenly they're propounding the Adam and Steve theory of human creation.
Posted by: SC | September 8, 2008 4:03 PM
*notes for future mockage*
A good influence! I love those comments!
Posted by: Owlmirror | September 8, 2008 4:14 PM
Interestingly, "sveinn", from which "Sven" derives, is also the source of "swain", as in a lover (and not a fighter?). Although there is also a cognate with "swan", a shepherd or pigherder; a farm laborer.
Posted by: Steve Sque | September 8, 2008 4:15 PM
A long-time lurker on this blog (great blog, by the way), I finally decided to comment after seeing this post.
I'm a Steve on the list, I have the T-shirt, and in fact here's a photo of me modelling said fashion item next to the grave of Alfred Russell Wallace, co-discoverer of evolution, in my home town of Broadstone, Dorset, U.K.
Posted by: Copernic | September 8, 2008 4:25 PM
From Wiki,
We (or NCSE) should not forget the other forms of "Steve"
Stepan - Russian, Czech,
Esteban - spanish
Estéfano - portuguese
Kepano - Hawaiian
Etienne (really?) - French
Istefanos - Turkish (any biologists left in Turkey?)
Stefan - Swedish
スティーブン、スティーブ - Japanese
and of course ஸடீபன் for our Tamilese biologists
Posted by: windy, OM | September 8, 2008 4:44 PM
Noted, in case I ever get around to starting "Project Sven"* ;)
*that is, collecting names and addresses of virginal male biologists for unstated, possibly sinister purposes
Posted by: Bill Dauphin | September 8, 2008 4:59 PM
Copernic (@40):
What? No Klingon?
Posted by: Raynfala | September 8, 2008 5:07 PM
Alcari (@30)
"What 9000?"
Posted by: Reginald Selkirk | September 8, 2008 5:17 PM
Scott hatfield attends heretics barbecue
Posted by: Stephanie | September 8, 2008 5:33 PM
That's a shame. I need a couple more years for a Ph.D!
Posted by: Cris | September 8, 2008 5:39 PM
Reminds me of Bruce McCulloch's song. "These are the Daves I know, I know, these are the Daves I know."
Posted by: Steve_C | September 8, 2008 5:46 PM
NO. YES. DAMN.
Posted by: nanoAl | September 8, 2008 5:47 PM
this isn't the first time I've wished my name was steve...
come to think of it, i don't even have my phD yet. time to go somewhere else to put myself on a list :(
Posted by: Black Centaur | September 8, 2008 5:59 PM
Woo Hoo!
I'm a Dr Steve and I'm a scientist.
I've just signed up.
God! it's been 8 years since I even looked at my thesis and I think I could still write the abstract from memory!
Posted by: Doubting Foo | September 8, 2008 6:02 PM
Does "computer scientist" qualify me?
I also stayed at a Holiday Inn Express recently.
Posted by: Dark Jaguar | September 8, 2008 6:10 PM
Old joke? First I've heard of it. It's funny because it's completely bizarre.
These are the Steves I know I know, these are the Steves I know. These are the Steves I know I know, these are the Steves I know. Some of them are Steven, but most of them are Steve. They all have their own hands but they come from different moms.
Posted by: Kel | September 8, 2008 6:14 PM
If only my name was Steve instead of Kel... and computer science counted.
Posted by: Kseniya | September 8, 2008 6:18 PM
Project Kseniya is alive and well. Working on double-digit membership, even as we speak.
I always figured "Sven DiMilo" was a good-looking, though armless, love god.
Posted by: Sven DiMilo | September 8, 2008 6:30 PM
You're about 33% correct.
And I have arms.
Posted by: Kseniya | September 8, 2008 6:35 PM
You mean not a masculinized quasi-anagram of Venus [DiMilo]?
Posted by: Owlmirror | September 8, 2008 6:38 PM
As a non-cephalopod, are you not mostly 'armless?
Ow. I think I sprained something there....
Posted by: Sven DiMilo | September 8, 2008 6:41 PM
Oh, I've got tentacle envy for sure.
And yes, my fictive middle initial is U.
But enough about me...anybody here namned Steve?
Posted by: David Marjanović, OM | September 8, 2008 7:00 PM
Come, come to the dork side of the farce.
(Not my idea.)
YA RLY. Es became é a couple of hundred years ago, and the p --> b --> v must have disappeared sometime.
Though all this is so little obvious that people tend to be named Stéphane nowadays. The female form, historically Étiennette, was replaced by Stéphanie longer ago.
Maybe, but that's a Christian name. Turkish-speaking Christians are very rare.
Posted by: negentropyeater | September 8, 2008 7:09 PM
Etienne is not much in use nowadays.
Stephane is much more frequent.
Posted by: negentropyeater | September 8, 2008 7:17 PM
sorry, cross-post
Posted by: Reed A. Cartwright | September 8, 2008 7:30 PM
There is some confusion about who qualifies. The list was initially focused to biologists and other scientific fields connected to evolution. However, from looking at the list in its current form, there are plenty of people from the humanities on it.
Posted by: Steve Sauve | September 8, 2008 8:22 PM
Well, I don't have my PhD just yet...
Damn.
Posted by: James F | September 8, 2008 8:41 PM
I personally recruited three Steves to the list, I'll see if I can find some more....
Posted by: commissarjs | September 8, 2008 11:42 PM
Sadly I'm an engineer with the middle name of Stephen. Close but no cigar.
Posted by: Bueller007 | September 8, 2008 11:46 PM
They reached 900 three days ago.
Here's the press release.
http://www.ncseweb.org/resources/news/2008/ZZ/222_project_steve_n__900_9_5_2008.asp
Posted by: Steve Norley | September 9, 2008 1:46 AM
(smug on) I've been on the list for a few years now and have already worn out my second T-shirt. Even better than the T-shirt is the publication "The Morphology of Steve" (Annals of Improbable Research, July-August 2004). Being a co-author of a paper along with two Nobel Laureates plus Stephen Hawking makes for great bragging*.(smug off)
*If only I could achieve that with a 'real' paper.
Posted by: Zarquon | September 9, 2008 1:55 AM
When the list reaches nine billion, one by one the stars go out and the universe ends...
Posted by: Steve | September 9, 2008 2:33 AM
I'm a Steve and a PhD, but it's in accounting. Not sure if that would qualify as related to biology.
Posted by: reverted | September 9, 2008 3:32 AM
Yeah, but there may be a silver-lining around that cloud, Zarquon!
Read Asimov's short story, The Last Question. hehe ;)
Posted by: Glenn Branch | September 11, 2008 8:10 PM
The Steveometer is now at 930. Keep those Steves coming!