Evolution Denialism
denialism | October 18, 2012
Every once in a while Everything is Terrible has a fun denialism-overlap as they show some ad for a terrible piece of quackery, or in this case a great cut of Ken Ham speaking nonsense to a group of very unfortunate children. This is child abuse. Not the creationism bit, but the embarrassingly-shoddy job he does presenting his evidence which seems to consist of poorly-drawn cartoons of men standing next to dinosaurs and an overhead projector.
denialism | August 24, 2012Timothy Egan nails it, the Republican caucus is composed of crackpots and cranks.
Take a look around key committees of the House and you’ll find a governing body stocked with crackpots whose views on major issues are as removed from reality as Missouri’s Representative Todd Akin’s take on the sperm-killing powers of a woman who’s been raped.
On matters of basic science and peer-reviewed knowledge, from evolution to climate change to elementary fiscal math, many Republicans in power cling to a level of ignorance that would get their ears boxed even in a medieval classroom. Congress incubates…
denialism | March 1, 2012About a month ago I asked if denialism is truly more frequent on the right or is it that the issues of the day are ones that are more likely to be targets of right wing denialism? After all, one can think of slightly more left wing sources of denialism like GMO paranoia, 9/11 conspiracies, altie-meds, and toxin fear-mongering. The mental heuristics that cause people to believe, and then entrench themselves, in nonsense seem generalizable to humanity rather than just those attracted to conservative politics. Why should those who identify as liberal be any different? Wouldn't they just…
sb admin | August 29, 2008So, McCain's picked a running mate. We don't know much about her, but she has advocated "teaching the controversy" when it comes to Creationism. I'm sure her views will become more clear over the next several weeks, and we'll let them speak for themselves. I'm simply interested in the idea of "teaching the controversy" (TTC).
First of all, I agree with the idea. A current events or social science class should delve into the details of the creationist cults and their assault on science. But I have a feeling that when theocrats talk about "teaching the controversy", that's not what they…
sb admin | August 28, 2008Perhaps I have delusions of grandeur, but after all, this is the (checking) 15th ranked science blog on teh intertubes. But despite my high profile, I've heard no responses to my challenge to the Creationism Cults.
Creation "science" to this point has been based on bizarre teleologic arguments and arguments from ignorance. I was kind enough to give them a real experiment to do.
If Creationism is true, the Deluge occurred at a know recent time and very small founder populations of animals are responsible for all life on Earth. Therefore, genomic analysis (mitochodrial, Y-chromosome, etc.)…
sb admin | August 17, 2008Answers Research Journal, the teleologic, Apologetic, unscientific screed put out by Answers in Genesis has so far done nothing resembling science. But I now have an idea for them, although I'm not sure if it's been proposed.
So far, their "research" has taken the form of trying to find "facts" to fit their conclusions that the Bible is an inerrant science and history text. Well, here's an idea for them. Since I'm not a biologist, it will ned some cleaning up.
Hypothesis: The Biblical Deluge occured at a certain time which is knowable from scripture. The events surrounding it is known…
sb admin | July 5, 2008When will the stupidity end?
Really. When?
As long as Conservapedia exists, the answer will elude us. The latest feculent flow of irrational idiocy concerns the Lenski Affair.
Just to remind you, a biologist named Lenski did a very cool experiment regarding evolution in E.coli. Some creationist cult leader was displeased. Since his god has apparently refused to smite the biologist, the cult leader has looked into legal remedies in the fight against biology. Apparently, his god isn't smart enough to have come up with evolution.
Now it appears that an open letter is being drafted to…
choofnagle | June 25, 2008This is fun. Someone's created a new NNDB mapper on the Discovery Institute. It's called Theocracy Now!
choofnagle | June 23, 2008Jon Hurdle reports in today's Times on nine Philadelphia-based institutions that are planning a "Year of Evolution" program for February 2009, to celebrate Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of The Origin of Species.
Check out the comments of Ken Ham, which I think are totally off message:
Ken Ham, the president of the Creation Museum, said he expected to see more pro-evolution events as the Darwin anniversary approaches. Mr. Ham said that in response his museum was planning its own exhibits on the origins of life.
"The culture war is definitely heating up," he said.
Mr. Ham, who also…
sb admin | May 15, 2008There's been much written around here about the NYT's David Brooks' foray in to non-materialist neuroscience. Well, today the letters to the editor are in, and some of them are interesting (although most aren't particularly sophisticated).
One in particular highlights some failures we've had as science educators (including a failure to educate editors):
To the Editor:
As an engineer, lawyer, computer programmer and Roman Catholic, I have a problem with the concept that the evolution of the species just happened. From an evolutionary perspective, we are probably somewhere in the chicken and…
sb admin | April 29, 2008Dear Floridians,
Greetings, and an early "hello"! I'm heading your way at the end of the week to spend my tourist dollars, and I can't wait to see you!
But first, some important business.
Your representatives in the Florida House have just passed a so-called academic freedom bill. I strongly recommend a deep suspicion on your part regarding this bit of planned government intrusion into your children's academic future. It is up to you, through your elected Senators, to stop this misguided intrusion of politics into science. It would also be wise to reconsider those who voted "aye" when…
denialism | April 23, 2008I've been reluctant to write about Expelled from the perspective of their abuse of the memory of the Holocaust. Ever since I learned that they were going to recycle the ludicrous Darwin-caused-Hitler argument I've been sending out emails to asking other experts their take on whether or not it constitutes a serious affront. Now reading Orac's coverage of Art Caplan's review of Expelled I think it's something that needs to be discussed.
Let's start with very clear statements of fact that are at issue here.
1) The Holocaust was a direct result of racism and anti-Semitic hatred that existed…
sb admin | April 14, 2008If you haven't been keeping up, let me give you a quick heads up about this whole Expelled brouhaha.
A bunch of lying Creationist cultists decided to make a film whining about how oppressed Creationist "scientists" are. Ben Stein got involved somehow. They hoodwinked a bunch of real scientists into talking to them. They excluded any scientists who were religious but accept evolution. They hyped the film to evangelicals, but barred reviewer, journalists, or the scientists who are in the film from seeing it. They expropriated copyrighted material. They lied a lot.
But really, the…
sb admin | April 8, 2008So, Answers in Genesis cranked out the first issue of its new journal, and with all deliberate speed! It's remarkable. I'm guessing that creation research doesn't take quite as long as, say, real science. The pilot issue is a true testament to the idiocy of the Creation Cult. I guess we have to actually look inside this waste of electrons to see what's going on.
While it is true that no scientist with an intact cerebral cortex will take the Answers Research Journal seriously, still, it's hard to ignore. If this is the best shot the Creationist cults can do at making their point then I…
sb admin | March 21, 2008There's a new facebook group set up to protest Expelled.
I am ambivalent for the usual reasons---protest, and you give the reactionary religious cults more publicity, and an illusion of power. Fail to protest, and you appear to consent to their insanity.
I figure there will be protests either way, so go and chose your way...protest loudly, or protest silently. But please, at least let someone know what you think, even if it's just your friends or coworkers. I'm not one to keep my mouth shut, so I'm pretty sure I'll be pissing someone off.
sb admin | March 21, 2008You don't have to be stupid to join a cult (although it helps), but once you're in...
You see, PZ went to see Expelled. With some friends. No one of note really, just THE WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS ATHEIST!!!111!
And which one got tossed at the door? Take that, Dawkins! We grow good atheists right here in the Midwest!
But really, it's not just the funniest thing to happen in Minnesota since lutefisk. It shows how cults make you dumb. They discourage independent thought. Followers get their marching orders and, well, march without question. God forbid (irony intended) that you should…
denialism | November 30, 2007Let's talk about Uncommon Descent for a moment. One of the recurring complaints we've been hearing from the evolution denialists there is this refrain that whenever a evolutionary explanation for a result gets reevaluated, it's a sign that we "Darwinists" are somehow being dishonest and fitting any data to the theory of evolution. Evolution, therefore, isn't falsifiable. For example, two posts, one from BarryA, the other from O'Leary (commenting on this ARN nonsense, wrongly suggesting that results that falsify evolutionary theory have been discovered - like the recent hypothesis the…
denialism | November 13, 2007BarryA drops this idiot bomb on us:
Obviously, by definition, materialists cannot point to a transcendent moral code by which to measure moral progress. Indeed, it is difficult for them to account for moral progress at all because if materialism is correct, the "is" in a society defines the "ought."
Gosh, given that the cdesign proponentsists are all about science they do spend a hell of a lot of time criticizing materialism. Until they get their god-o-meter up and running it seems as though that this is a fundamental conflict between their stated beliefs and practice. But that's nothing…
denialism | November 10, 2007Mark at Boing Boing proposes an excellent new name for Intelligent Design creationists - "cdesign proponentsists". It's in honor of this wonderful observation from "Of Pandas and People" the creati ... I mean cdesign proponentsists textbook:
This is one of numerous examples of their dishonesty in suggesting that they're anything but creationists in disguise.
I like Mark's this idea, this should be their new name. It's a bit of a compromise. They don't want to be called creationists, and we don't want them to get away with lying. It's perfect!
Now as to the pronunciation. How about "see…
denialism | November 6, 2007Just giving everyone a heads up. If you're an atheist and you're starting to get a little demented make sure someone is there to protect you from religious people with an axe to grind. The story of the so-called turning of Antony Flew is sad, and really very cruel, as IDers and religious ideologues have clearly exploited a man in decline.
TWO YEARS LATER, Flew's doubts have disappeared, and the philosopher has a reinvigorated faith in his theistic friends. In his new book, he freely cites Schroeder, Haldane and Varghese. And the author who two years ago was forgetting his Hume is, in the…