More Scientific Illiteracy
This example comes from a quote published in Northwestern University's "The Daily Northwestern."
In an article discussing a new evolutionary processes minor, a professor of religion was quoted as saying she was skeptical about both evolution and intelligent design theories because “Both of them are faith claims. It is a claim about a truth that cannot be proven scientifically.”
When ranking oxymorons, "proven scientifically" can be placed right up there near the top of the list. The illiteracy comes in not understanding that all scientific theories are provisional and must be continually validated against new information or a new understanding of old information. Therefore nothing can ever be "proven scientifically." Even the Theory of Gravity is provisional. The most science can say is that an accepted theory best explains the observations and evidence as they are understood. That could all change tomorrow.
The more consistent a theory is shown to be and the more evidence accumulated that substantiates the theory, the stronger becomes the presumption that the theory is accurate. However's it's like Zeno's Racetrack paradox; you can get closer and closer to the finish line, but you never quite make it all the way there.
That a university professor, even a professor of religion, doesn't understand this REALLY scares me!
Evolution has repeatedly been demonstrated as accurate in explaining biological diversity and science, through it's offspring technology, has repeatedly been demonstrated as accurate across a wide spectrum. Intelligent Design on the other hand doesn't even leave the starting gate. It explains nothing; it simply relies upon GOD DID IT. You will notice that I'm not buying the Discovery Institute's oft expressed disclaimer that the intelligent designer need not be a god. If not a supernatural entitity, then who the hell designed the intelligent designer?
In an article discussing a new evolutionary processes minor, a professor of religion was quoted as saying she was skeptical about both evolution and intelligent design theories because “Both of them are faith claims. It is a claim about a truth that cannot be proven scientifically.”
When ranking oxymorons, "proven scientifically" can be placed right up there near the top of the list. The illiteracy comes in not understanding that all scientific theories are provisional and must be continually validated against new information or a new understanding of old information. Therefore nothing can ever be "proven scientifically." Even the Theory of Gravity is provisional. The most science can say is that an accepted theory best explains the observations and evidence as they are understood. That could all change tomorrow.
The more consistent a theory is shown to be and the more evidence accumulated that substantiates the theory, the stronger becomes the presumption that the theory is accurate. However's it's like Zeno's Racetrack paradox; you can get closer and closer to the finish line, but you never quite make it all the way there.
That a university professor, even a professor of religion, doesn't understand this REALLY scares me!
Evolution has repeatedly been demonstrated as accurate in explaining biological diversity and science, through it's offspring technology, has repeatedly been demonstrated as accurate across a wide spectrum. Intelligent Design on the other hand doesn't even leave the starting gate. It explains nothing; it simply relies upon GOD DID IT. You will notice that I'm not buying the Discovery Institute's oft expressed disclaimer that the intelligent designer need not be a god. If not a supernatural entitity, then who the hell designed the intelligent designer?
posted by Alencon at 7:30 PM
3 Comments:
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