Early morning light works magic on the scene across the street this morning, with foreshortened view of Eastern Minerals bucket loader in the foreground, Meridian Street Bridge to East Boston in the middle ground and Mystic River Bridge to Boston and mysterious Charlestown bulk-storage buildings in the background. The origin of waterfront businesses parallels the origin of species, with those commodities -- in this case oil, salt and who know's what -- that find a niche surviving while others perish.
Did you know that 30% of our fellow citizens told Gallup pollsters that Darwin's theory of evolution is "just one of many theories and has not been supported by the evidence"? After we finished gagging, we were encouraged to learn that another third -- who apparently know something about the scientific method -- consider evolution "a scientific theory that has been well supported by the evidence." As for the final third, they say they "don't know enough to say."
We would say that two thirds of the respondents don't know enough about anything to say anything about anything. As a youngster fascinated with scientific theory and field study -- steeped in both original and textbook sources -- we fell hard for Darwin's brilliant derivation of the theory of "natural selection." The tale of his Voyage of the Beagle occupies a place of honor on our bookshelf, as does Origin of Species. As an innocent young thing, we assumed that any educated person would feel as we did and looked forward to a future of intelligent discourse. But no. Most people are too ignorant -- either literally and/or willfully -- to even begin to understand the elegance of scientific thought.
Gee, Sissy, if I didn't know better, I would have thought you were a blue-stater disparaging those ignorant morons who don't agree with you. In all honesty, that is what you come across like in this post. I agree with the theory of natural selection, but it is still an unproven theory, tho widely accepted by those in the field. That means there are others who can disagree and if they provide evidentiary arguments, they shouldn't be dismissed as too stupid to grasp scientific thought.
BTW, while I believe natural selection does impact species evolution over time, I do not believe any amount of time or natural selection will make a 1-celled slug into a human being. To me, it's like saying a rock, over time & with the right weather and atmospheric conditions, can become the Golden Gate bridge. It can become alot of things over time, but it aint ever going to be the GGB, and it will always still be a rock. Unless some force applies intelligent design theory to it over time. Hmmmmmm......
Posted by: Michael | November 24, 2004 at 02:45 PM
Well, I disagree with your assessment, Michael . . . One doesn't PROVE scientific theories . . . One attempts to DISPROVE them . . . But I appreciate your engagement in the discussion.
Posted by: Sissy Willis | November 24, 2004 at 04:25 PM
Love the pictures of man's works. Only man can make a bridge.
Posted by: Walter Wallis | November 25, 2004 at 01:33 AM
True. Has anyone DISPROVEN the alternate theory of intelligent creation?
Neither theory we discussed has been proven or disproven, so assailing those of one or the other theories is not a good practice for the open and thinking mind. Thats my only point.
I enjoy your observations and find I share in 99% of your views. Just noticed some "blue state" tinged transgressions I thought you might like to be made aware of.
Hope your Thanksgiving was a good one, and am glad your cat came home safely. Keep up your good work here.
Posted by: Michael | November 29, 2004 at 02:52 PM
Intelligent creation is not a scientific theory. It is a faith-based theory, which has no place in a scientific curriculum. I do appreciate your comments, Michael, and thank you for your civility in expressing your disagreement with my thinking and your kind thoughts about a pussycat. All best to you.
Posted by: Sissy Willis | November 29, 2004 at 06:56 PM
Sissy,
I think you are wrong to state it is not a scientific theory. The big-bang theory of the universe very much plays into the theory of intelligent design. And you can't find a scientist alive or dead who can show or explain what would cause slugs to jump across species and genera boundaries to become human. In fact, I don't think there is any case evidence of any jump across species boundaries in the anals of evolution or natural selection. There is evolution and natural selection within species, but not into another. Point me to the documentation if I am wrong, because I am not a scientist.
However, I will need to do some research on it's basis as a scientific theory and get back to you. It may take me some time.
In the meantime, be open-minded to those who "theorize" differently, but stay "red".
Posted by: Michael | November 30, 2004 at 02:24 PM
I think it is fair to say that the only way one could believe in ID as a viable alternative to evolution is to be profoundly ignorant of both. ID is a made up idea with zero supporting evidence, only unfounded speculation. Evolution is a sound scientific theory that has been reinforced with every later discovery. ID has nothing to do with science, fact or truth. It is a cheap way to get across the message "god did it" without mentioning the name. First you prove the existence of god, then we can talk about what he may or may not have done. Cart before the horse and all that...
Posted by: Black | August 06, 2005 at 11:54 PM
"Has anyone DISPROVEN the alternate theory of intelligent creation?"
Of course no one has 'disproven' ID. It CAN'T be disproven. This is why it isn't a valid scientific hypothesis in the first place. The 'barrier to entry' in a scientific debate is that your hypothesis must have a clearly modeled 'false' state. i.e. it must be Falsifiable.
The only way to ‘prove’ ID false is to ask the Intelligent Designer.
And around and around we go.....
Posted by: Michael | October 03, 2006 at 04:48 PM