All,
I apologize for combining several responses, but if I put them in
individual e-mails, there will be dozens(of complaints). There is a little
something here for everyone.
Politics and religion are statistically the two things people get most
excited about in "debates". It makes perfect sense for vehemence to be
expressed in countering "incorrect" opinions.
Allow me to clarify the expressed perception of scientific theory.... A
scientific theory, whether or not you get some secret thrill or intrinsic
understanding out of referring to it as "JUST a theory", is considered
correct until proven wrong. Not necessarily authoritative, complete, or
infallible, but theoretically correct. You test a theory in the attempt to
prove it wrong, and in failing to prove it wrong, you do exactly the
opposite.
Evolution has been proven over and over again by every experiment that has
been applied to the theory. Thousands of scientists work daily to stretch
its boundaries and test its explanatory limits. They have not yet been
found. Unfortunately we no longer elevate scientific theories to laws, no
matter how much evidence there is for them. Despite the fact that we must
technically call it such, most biological scientists do not consider it a
theory any longer.
We also need to keep in mind, that ID is not a scientific theory! It is a
philosophical point of view. It is not scientifically testable, nor does it
seek to prove itself wrong. The two are therefore incompatible, not only as
theories, but also as lines of logical discussion. Anyone who "reconciles"
the two, no matter what form that reconciliation takes, is doing justice to
neither. The big bang, evolution, gravity or whatever does not need to be
reconciled with faith to make them "complete", nor does faith need to
incorporate science. Conflict between the two is asinine, but communion
between the two is normal and natural for human beings of normal
intellectual capacities.
Marta is correct in her assertion. Scientists do not think they are
scientifically compatible. Underscore scientifically. It is possible
however for any individual to reconcile their personal philosophy on faith
with science if you choose to do so in your purely internal dialog with
spirituality. That does not make it scientifically worthy, unless you are
by chance a research psychologist.
As to the insanity..... No, we can not stop it. We are human beings. Chris
is right though, in that the movie will be boring, prove nothing, and not
likely make the ripples hoped for. It is none the less the principle of the
thing we are discussing, not the reality. He is also right in that it is
all very cool, and you should all go to Vegas at least once. I have already
been on that pilgrimage, although I would not mind another go at the
blackjack tables.
Mark Janzen
Registrar/Collections Manager
Edwin A. Ulrich Museum of Art
Martin H. Bush Outdoor Sculpture Collection
Wichita State University
(316)978-5850
Rebecca
Fitzgerald
<rafitzgerald@COM To
CAST.NET> [log in to unmask]
Sent by: Museum cc
discussion list
<[log in to unmask] Subject
SE.LSOFT.COM> Re: ID Movie at Smithsonian
06/01/2005 06:42
AM
Please respond to
Museum discussion
list
<[log in to unmask]
SE.LSOFT.COM>
Isn't it amazing how vehemently some folks resist any thinking that runs
counter to their own? If science truly has a question for everything, then
perhaps the Smithsonian is correct, why not show the ID movie and promote
open discussion. After all, it is valid science to consider a theory until
it can be disproved. To my knowledge evolution is just such a
theory...widely held, but never proven. Hmmm...
By the way, it is unfortunate that your elevated response sank into
vulgarity.
Becky Fitzgerald
Executive Director
Susquehanna Museum
-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf
Of Stephen Nowlin
Sent: Wednesday, June 01, 2005 12:51 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: ID Movie at Smithsonian
Rebecca Fitzgerald said:
> Bottom line - if we only believed those things that could be proven, our
> lives would certainly be dreary little affairs, wouldn't they?
If we were to discard all those human beliefs for which there is no real
evidence, we would have truly rid ourselves of "life's dreary little
affairs."
Not to paint you with this broad brush, Rebecca -- my apologies. But your
comment above reminds me of how I've often heard supernaturalists deride
science for the arrogance of "having an answer for everything." But in
fact, science has the opposite -- a question for everything, and relatively
few answers. That makes for an incredibly tantalizing and mysterious
world
to behold. ID, on the other hand, is really thinly disguised Creationism
which purports to know everything about human origins, not to mention the
how-and-why of the cosmos. In fact, in an odd way, because of science we
know "less" than any earlier time in human history when the answers (for
everything) came from religion. The attempt to insert ID into the
elevated
discourse of naturalism is meant to cloak it with the appearance of being
an
equal partner with science in explaining the world. It isn't, and the
Smithsonian's implied endorsement will only suggest that the science world
acquiesces to such an illusion of equality. The Creation Institute knows
this, and their PR people are no doubt having orgasms over it.
Stephen Nowlin
Director, Williamson Gallery
Art Center College of Design
http://www.xrl.us/stephennowlin
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