Title: Re: paleonet Fwd: Re:
anti-evolutionism
At 6:24 PM -0800 2/4/03, Jere H. Lipps wrote:
I forward this response to the posting
about Professor Dim's situation from Eugenie Scott of the National
Center for Science Education. She handles lots of these issues
and is right up on them. She certainly has lots of experience
dealing directly with creationism and the attempts to legitimize
it.
Note that Michael Dini spells things out
very clearly on his web page, and that accepting (please don't say
"believe...") evolution is only one criterion. This
guy is good. We're talking truth in advertising here.
http://www2.tltc.ttu.edu/dini/
Here is a paragraph from Prof. Dini's webpage that I have not
heard or seen quoted:
Good medicine, like good biology, is based
on the collection and evaluation of physical evidence. So much
physical evidence supports the evolution of humans from non-human
ancestors that one can validly refer to the "fact" of human
evolution, even if all of the details are not yet known. One can deny
this evidence only at the risk of calling into question one's
understanding of science and of the method of science. Such an
individual has committed malpractice regarding the method of science,
for good scientists would never throw out data that do not conform to
their expectations or beliefs. This is the situation of those who deny
the evolution of humans; such a one is throwing out information
because it seems to contradict his/her cherished beliefs. Can a
physician ignore data that s/he does not like and remain a physician
for long? No. If modern medicine is based on the method of science,
then how can someone who denies the theory of evolution -- the very
pinnacle of modern biological science -- ask to be recommended into a
scientific profession by a professional scientist?
Yup. This guy is good.
Bill
--
-----------------------------------------------
William P. Chaisson
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
University of
Rochester
ph 585-275-0601
Rochester, New York 14627
USA
fax 585-244-5689
http://www.earth.rochester.edu/chaisson/chaisson.html