As previously mentioned on PT, the editors of Scientific American, the august popular science magazine that is over 100 years old, recently caved to creationist/IDist arguments. The editors report in next month’s issue: “Okay, We Give Up.” They are opening their pages to creationism/intelligent design and numerous other attempts to substitute wishful thinking for scientific facts.
29 Comments
bill · 27 March 2005
Ya gotta love April.
Years ago I was ready to book a vacation to San Serif.
http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/aprilfool/comments/860/
Alas.
bill
Steve Reuland · 27 March 2005
Hey, don't knock Sans Serif. It's a very well-rounded place, and it's geography lacks many of the harsh, jutting features that make other places difficult to travel through. It's a nice place to go golfing.
[/glen branch mode]
Sleepy head · 28 March 2005
Great White Wonder · 28 March 2005
Great White Wonder · 28 March 2005
Great White Wonder · 28 March 2005
I propose that Pastor Ray's quote be turned into a permanent banner for this blog.
Bayesian Bouffant, FCD · 28 March 2005
Descent & Dissent · 28 March 2005
Mike · 28 March 2005
Scientific American used to be a good higher-level science magazine. If you can find copies of it from before about 1960 or so in a library, it's worth reading. Since then, they've become a Popular Science lookalike.
I'm all for having them run ID articles - just so long as they get the same peer review that any other scientific article would get - or the same fair and balanced treatment that Bjorn Lomborg got.
John A. Davison · 28 March 2005
I, for one, am delighted to see that Scientific American is seeing that which Gould, Mayr, Dawkins, Provine and their many followers were congenitally incapable of seeing. It is about time.
"Ask not for whom the bell tolls.
It tolls for neo-Darwinism."
John A. Davison
John A. Davison · 28 March 2005
I, for one, am delighted to see that Scientific American is seeing that which Gould, Mayr, Dawkins, Provine and their many followers were congenitally incapable of seeing. It is about time.
"Ask not for whom the bell tolls.
It tolls for neo-Darwinism."
John A. Davison
Gary · 28 March 2005
You're joking, right Mr. Davison?
John A. Davison · 29 March 2005
Gary
It's Dr. Davison and I am deadly serious.
Donald · 29 March 2005
It's Dr. Davison and I am deadly serious.
"Dr." as in Dr. Pepper or Dr. Demento, right? Col. Sanders, maybe? Phony honorifics rule.
Michael I · 29 March 2005
So, Dr. Davison, which of the following is correct:
1) You have not read the Scientific American editorial.
2) You have read the editorial and are incapable of distinguishing an April Fool's joke from a serious column.
3) You were just kidding when you said you were serious.
Barry in Portland · 29 March 2005
Dr. Davison is running for Governor in Vermont. See http://www.uvm.edu/~jdavison/
Emanuele Oriano · 29 March 2005
Does his platform consist entirely of quotes from deceased former governors?
Gary · 29 March 2005
Doctor Davison forgive me, I stand corrected. However, I have difficulty crediting that anyone with half a nickel's worth of that sense which we call humor or any appreciation of irony whatsoever would have missed the fact that this editorial was an April Fool's joke. The fact that, at the end, it is pretty much baldly stated to be one, coupled with the fact that it is a Scientific American tradition of some years' standing would have tipped off most people. Certainly most Doctors, I should think.
Gary
John A. Davison · 29 March 2005
Gary
I never even bothered to read it. I just assumed that even Scientific American would have come to its senses some day. Well if Scientific American hasn't seen the light yet, it will within a very short period of time. There is now and never was a role for chance in either ontogeny or phylogeny. They have both been driven by endogenous predetermined information front-loaded into probably several separately created ancestral forms.
Referring to ontogeny and phylogeny, Leo Berg said it all:
"Neither in the one nor in the other is there any room for chance."
Nomogenesis, page 134
He also suggested the following:
"Organisms have developed from tens of thousands of primary forms, i.e. polyphyletically."
Nomogenesis, page 406
Who can prove otherwise? Certainly not I.
So much for Darwinism, the biggest hoax in the history of science.
John A. Davison
Great White Wonder · 30 March 2005
Davidson, you are the expert on hoaxes, especially after your involvement in the sordid Hydrick affair.
You, Fran and Cathy Lee should be forever ashamed of yourselves.
http://www.mukto-mona.com/Special_Event_/rationalist_day/psychic_confession.htm
I won't bring up the distasteful episode where you guys aired that ridiculous "cabbit" footage. Shame on you John!
John A. Davison · 30 March 2005
GWW
I used to get phone calls from adoring young women who would ask "Are you John Davidson the singer and actor? I used to answer, "No my dear, I am John Davison, whose primary enjoyment is harming young minds like yours with the truth about the biggest hoax in the history of humankind.
John A. Davison · 30 March 2005
GWW
I used to get phone calls from adoring young women who would ask "Are you John Davidson the singer and actor? I used to answer, "No my dear, I am John Davison, whose primary enjoyment is harming young minds like yours with the truth about the biggest hoax in the history of humankind.
John A. Davison · 30 March 2005
GWW
I used to get phone calls from adoring young women who would ask "Are you John Davidson the singer and actor? I used to answer, "No my dear, I am John Davison, whose primary enjoyment is harming young minds like yours with the truth about the biggest hoax in the history of humankind.
Doug · 31 March 2005
If anyone can direct me to other sites which specialize in refutations of the ID argument, I would be grateful.
SteveF · 31 March 2005
So witty he said it thrice.
Russell · 31 March 2005
Mellow · 1 April 2005
Will Scientific American also cave in to intelligent astronomy?
John A. Davison · 2 April 2005
Commenting on marsupial and placental saber-toothed cats:
"The skulls of carnivorous marsupials and of true carnivores show an extremely surprising similarity in overall habitus and, in particular, in the unusual overspecialization of the upper pair of canines. The similarities in form are present even in such details as the structure of the large flange on the lower jaw, DESIGNED to guide and protect the upper canines."
Schindewolf, page 261, (my emphasis)
The above with the accompanying figure but without the emphasis is from "A Prescribed Evolutionary Hypothesis," Rivista di Biologia, forthcoming.
So much for those who deny Intelligent Design.
John A. Davison
Arromazam · 5 April 2005
You guys are too funny!
especially, Dr. Pepper/Davison
Keep it up!!