Darwin, religion and choice

[matgb]

Today is one of those birthday things. I knew it was coming up, because the BHA invited me to their annual event but a) I'd have had to pay and b) it was in London, so have fun all that do go, I'm sure it'll be good. Fortunately, bagrec reminded me this morning, so I half inched this image from him . Evolution was, I used to think, something that we generally all just accepted, sure, there were a few minority extremists that thought otherwise, but anyone with a decent education, including the entire Catholic Church, just know it to be real, right? Unfortunately the internet reveals this to be untrue, and that someone who is an avowed Creationist has a good chance at the Republican nomination (although no chance at the actual Presidency) is something that really does bother me. Fortunately, there are voices of reason out there, including my better half, and we all know what Theory means, etc, right? Ah well, if you need a bit more explanation, ask a skientist, I recommend Debi the evolutionary morphologist if you don't have another one handy. I'm sure her hangover will allow her to answer questions in her comments ;-)

In other news, Anonymous vs Scientology had a good weekend of protests it seems, deathboy went to the London protest and has a good report, and the Phoenix protest got /.ed. There's a little bit of me that dislikes the thing as a whole bunch of people, including people that have their own personal different brand of sky fairy, are ganging up on the Scientologists—I'm all for mocking all religions, but a dog pile seems a bit off when your allies are also batshit. Then I remember that they're Scientologists and that it's therefore OK anyway, right?

Last up, I've been promising various people for ages a post on markets, economics, and why I like them despite being a lot of a lefty, but while that's still on the planned list with a bunch of other stuff, Tim Harford continues his climb up my "top people" list by writing a post about why markets can at times fail, and how analysis of these "externalities" can help them get back on track and do a lot of good; "Green taxes" and similar are a method of dealing with externalities, and are generally much better than simply banning stuff.

Right, that's it for now, I have a fiancée to go snuggle for a bit before shrublette gets home...

Comments

[tyrell.livejournal.com]

Then I remember that they're Scientologists and that it's therefore OK anyway, right?

They're not just batshit, and it's not that they believe in a Sky fairy. They bug phones, brainwash, extort money, intimidate and isolate. (Also, Xenu volcanoes and body thetans).

You'd think people would stop arguing about evolution.

"Of course, like every other man of education and intelligence I do believe in organic Evolution. It surpises me that at this late date such questions should be raised." - Woodrow Wilson 1922.

[davegodfrey.livejournal.com]

It should be pointed out that between about 1880 and 1920 people were still arguing about how evolution happened, and Darwinism (i.e. Natural Selection) was somewhat eclipsed by ideas such as Orthogenesis, Mendelism, and other theories. It wasn't until the Modern Synthesis in the early 30s that we get the modern view of evolution, when genetics were finally successfully incorporated.

[tyrell.livejournal.com]

Sure, but apparently by then we had at least moved into science, and on from the giant and the cow.

[matgb]

Wilson is regularly good for a decent quote. Shame he managed to royally mess up the politics of most of central and eastern Europe for a century. Ah well.

Lots of crazy going on. I always liked the Thetans idea, just a damn shame Hubbard couldn't write for toffee, all his fiction was bad.

[tyrell.livejournal.com]

I think I read some of his ten-book sequence at one point, just to find out how it went. Turns out it was 'bad', and didn't actually have a point.

"You've got invisible bad bits stuck in you and they're making you ill/unhappy" is about as reprehensible and infantile as the doctrine of sin, and as original as 'elf-shot'.