Latest Challenges to the Teaching of Evolution

National Geographic, Discovery, Scientific American, or any of the "mainstream" (recognizable even if never read as casually as in the waiting room of a doctor who should tell you what's wrong with you and your belief in the supernatural cannot cure you, but, of course, wouldn't dare) periodicals do not get feedback on those like PSXXX who put eye tracks all over their printing while looking at the pretty pictures. Unless he or anyone reading would be able to write an intelligent letter to the editor questioning the facts in the article. I'm sure if PSXXX did write, it would be tossed, basketball style, into the round file with the rest of the drivel. Frankly, I doubt that round file (including the recycle bin on the magazine's computer) fills up too often as most of these people would realize they are making a fool of themselves before they put pen to paper or write a letter to the editor online or post to any forum. Obviously, there are still those exceptions. Sigh.

Where was that paragraph from? Is that part of Palin's book?

Yes, the passages are in Palin's new book. Not the part McCain is disturbed about, of course (Oprah asked her at the end of her interview this week if she had to worry because of the rumor that Palin was getting a talk show and her coyly air-headed reply).

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/15/books/15book.html

Palin's answer about evolution is very vague. Depending on how you read it, she might be a theistic evolution adherent, or even a Deist (although I doubt it, more likely she's a raving lunatic creationist trying to be politically coy, but ya never know).

I have studied Darwin at some length ci. Over many years. NG articles are essentially entertainment. They talk down to their audience as a matter of course. Otherwise they would have no audience.

Science doesn't come shrink-wrapped in easily digestible packets.

Imagine if you can that consciousness consists of what one is aware of at any moment. The preconscious is the resevoir of what is available to consciousness in terms of memory and ideas. You are not conscious at this moment that I am still holding 2nd place in the NFL game. At this moment you are conscious of it because I just shone a light on it.

I'll pass over your unconscious if it's alright with you.

When you read an article a light is shone on an area of your preconscious and brings it into consciousness. It is the same with me of course but I have much more of my preconscious lit up when I am reading such a thing than I suspect you do. And I'm reading it with all the connections it contains in my preconscious that I can concentrate upon in mind.

Hence, for example, I might read an article about rut in higher animals and lingerie shops are in the lit up area as well as the idea of our common ancestor or property relations, the type of advertising decorating the article and the flattering language being used. And many other things. I am not reading simply in order to be appraised of the information it contains without reference to other information I have at my disposal.

By only having one area of the preconsciousness existing in consciousness one could probably argue any damn thing at all.

In this respect such articles are necessarily very superficial. Possibly disgracefully so if the writer knows about what I'm saying which he ought to do. By that I mean if he knows that his readers will take the limited and superficial information tailored to the policy of the owners of the magazine in question and employ it to argue for a drastic and most radical change in our settled cultural practices which are the real things being ignored.

Replacing the religious priesthood with a scientific one is just such a radical change.

I read it as a fundamentalist Christian trying to look halfway "with it," which seems impossible for Mrs. Palin -- her staccato, hesitant, slow-motion drawl when in a personal interview is comical. That is until one realizes there are NASCAR Republicans who are buying this small town innocent crap.

"
I have studied Darwin at some length ci.
"

Pardon me if I guffaw and chortle. Give me just a moment. There; I'm fine again. Okay. Proceed.

Don't be silly Ed. Nobody takes any notice of that sort of stuff.

Are they those guys who engineer production cars to go very fast and who decorate them with sponsors logos and drive them at ridiculous speeds and pull all the pretty go-getting chicks?

Sorry Ed. I ought to have said nobody with a semblance of intelligence.

What "stuff" are you talking about, spendi? You're the one who seems oblivious about evolution/science/evidence as presented by scientists, NG, and some members on a2k.

I bet you wear a red nose and yellow shoes to the pub, spendi.

That'll be yellow nose and red shoes.

The actual NASCAR fan who would cheer on Palin's thoughts on evolution on her own level:



Fit's right in with the "two pints" at the pub.

The "stuff" was obviously Ed's ridiculous snort.

I'm not oblivious about the things you mention. I just don't see them in isolation as I explained a little more scientifically earlier. From what I have seen of lumberjacks they look to be conservative types and the trees they cut down are what the paper is made of that NG inserts ink patterns into for your edification.

And the first serious use of the technique was to print Bibles.

I have seen people on A2K talking expertly about Napoleon's campaigns without the slightest reference to the hay the horses were foddered with. Unfoddered horses are a bit of a liability on military campaigns.

Ed is just mad at me because he's in 27th in the NFL game standings. Which is last. The relegation zone in properly organised sporting leagues.

Facts are not a subject of the will, spendi. One cannot say that if the facts lead to a conclusion that one does not like, the facts must be rebelled against.

spendi wrote:

Yes, you are! It's obvious from your many postings about the subject.

I don't take football that seriously, spendi. I don't know from week to week which teams are doing well, with a very few exceptions. I only participate in the thread because I respect john and have affection for the other players.