Comments on: Uncompromising http://www.mahablog.com/2007/09/09/uncompromising/ Exposing the ugly truths about the Bush Administration. Sun, 07 Sep 2008 14:51:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1.3 by: The Mahablog » Free to Be http://www.mahablog.com/2007/09/09/uncompromising/#comment-373464 Sun, 04 Nov 2007 20:43:08 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/09/09/uncompromising/#comment-373464 [...] But this takes us to one more point about right-wing rhetoric — the extent to which righties have adopted liberal rhetoric to defend illiberal views. For example, creationists have adopted “liberal” language about “inclusiveness” and “balance” to argue for teaching creationism in science class. Human rights are the most liberal of all liberal values. There’s a kind of evil genius at work when “rights” become an instrument of oppression. Spotlight [...] […] But this takes us to one more point about right-wing rhetoric — the extent to which righties have adopted liberal rhetoric to defend illiberal views. For example, creationists have adopted “liberal” language about “inclusiveness” and “balance” to argue for teaching creationism in science class. Human rights are the most liberal of all liberal values. There’s a kind of evil genius at work when “rights” become an instrument of oppression. Spotlight […]

]]> by: Uncompromising ¦ Political news - democrats republicans socialists greens liberals conservatives http://www.mahablog.com/2007/09/09/uncompromising/#comment-333415 Sat, 20 Oct 2007 03:43:28 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/09/09/uncompromising/#comment-333415 [...] Original post by mahabarbara@gmail.com (Barbara O’Brien) [...] […] Original post by mahabarbara@gmail.com (Barbara O’Brien) […]

]]> by: JoeBuddha http://www.mahablog.com/2007/09/09/uncompromising/#comment-279421 Mon, 10 Sep 2007 20:46:06 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/09/09/uncompromising/#comment-279421 Why not include Creationism in Science Class? We could also include Phlogistion Theory, Flat-Earth, Phrenology, and Spontaneous Generation. While we're at it, why not confront the Germ Theory of Disease? Surely there's a better explanation than invisible animals running around in our blood! Don't these theories have every bit as much supporting evidence as Creationism? Why not include Creationism in Science Class? We could also include Phlogistion Theory, Flat-Earth, Phrenology, and Spontaneous Generation. While we’re at it, why not confront the Germ Theory of Disease? Surely there’s a better explanation than invisible animals running around in our blood! Don’t these theories have every bit as much supporting evidence as Creationism?

]]> by: Erin http://www.mahablog.com/2007/09/09/uncompromising/#comment-279395 Mon, 10 Sep 2007 16:20:51 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/09/09/uncompromising/#comment-279395 You know, I'm sure plenty of students (and probably their parents, too) also leave English class thinking Dickens was a hack but you don't see a lot of whining about "academic freedom" in English classrooms when kids are made to read <i>Great Expectations</i>. For some reason, we're supposed to roll over and let things that are not science be taught in science classrooms for the sake of "academic freedom." It's not about choice. School is not about choice, especially these days with NCLB and everyone having to teach to the tests. As it is, kids are free to leave English thinking Dickens was a hack, but can you imagine the uproar if a group of anti-Dickens people started campaigning and getting legislation passed that demanded that, instead of reading Dickens, students used English class time to do math problems? You know, I’m sure plenty of students (and probably their parents, too) also leave English class thinking Dickens was a hack but you don’t see a lot of whining about “academic freedom” in English classrooms when kids are made to read Great Expectations.

For some reason, we’re supposed to roll over and let things that are not science be taught in science classrooms for the sake of “academic freedom.” It’s not about choice. School is not about choice, especially these days with NCLB and everyone having to teach to the tests. As it is, kids are free to leave English thinking Dickens was a hack, but can you imagine the uproar if a group of anti-Dickens people started campaigning and getting legislation passed that demanded that, instead of reading Dickens, students used English class time to do math problems?

]]> by: Ian http://www.mahablog.com/2007/09/09/uncompromising/#comment-279387 Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:23:57 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/09/09/uncompromising/#comment-279387 "the more options the more better" ... sure, and every scientific option about evolution shoukld be taught in school. There's plenty of controversy, plenty of options ... there's punctuated equilibrium, there's phyletic gradualism, and so on. "Creation science", however, to include that subset known as "Intelligent Design", is not one of those options. It'd be like teaching in histiory class that the south actually WON the civil war in a stunning upset, merely because there's a lot of people who wish it were so. -me “the more options the more better” … sure, and every scientific option about evolution shoukld be taught in school. There’s plenty of controversy, plenty of options … there’s punctuated equilibrium, there’s phyletic gradualism, and so on.

“Creation science”, however, to include that subset known as “Intelligent Design”, is not one of those options.

It’d be like teaching in histiory class that the south actually WON the civil war in a stunning upset, merely because there’s a lot of people who wish it were so.

-me

]]> by: Stella http://www.mahablog.com/2007/09/09/uncompromising/#comment-279371 Mon, 10 Sep 2007 10:54:06 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/09/09/uncompromising/#comment-279371 I'm with Cindy Duckett in Wichita: "The more options, the better." Doesn't that mean teaching critical thinking? I'd like to see inclusion of different ideas of government as well as an examination of the work of school boards. Everybody has a different perspective on history, right? I’m with Cindy Duckett in Wichita: “The more options, the better.” Doesn’t that mean teaching critical thinking? I’d like to see inclusion of different ideas of government as well as an examination of the work of school boards. Everybody has a different perspective on history, right?

]]> by: lucidity http://www.mahablog.com/2007/09/09/uncompromising/#comment-279301 Mon, 10 Sep 2007 04:35:55 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/09/09/uncompromising/#comment-279301 Why can creationists like Richard Colling never get it through their thick skulls that natural selection is <i>not</i> a random process? Isn't the word <b>selection</b> kind of a tip-off? Why can creationists like Richard Colling never get it through their thick skulls that natural selection is not a random process? Isn’t the word selection kind of a tip-off?

]]> by: Swami http://www.mahablog.com/2007/09/09/uncompromising/#comment-279270 Mon, 10 Sep 2007 03:16:54 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/09/09/uncompromising/#comment-279270 <i> The situation may be expressed by an image: science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind. </i> Yeah, but he's not talking about the every knee shall bow,and every tongue confess type religion. I think it's a more liberal and generous application of the concept of religion. The situation may be expressed by an image: science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.

Yeah, but he’s not talking about the every knee shall bow,and every tongue confess type religion. I think it’s a more liberal and generous application of the concept of religion.

]]> by: Sachem http://www.mahablog.com/2007/09/09/uncompromising/#comment-279267 Mon, 10 Sep 2007 02:04:01 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/09/09/uncompromising/#comment-279267 Science can only be created by those who are thoroughly imbued with the aspiration toward truth and understanding. This source of feeling, however, springs from the sphere of religion. To this there also belongs the faith in the possibility that the regulations valid for the world of existence are rational, that is, comprehensible to reason. I cannot conceive of a genuine scientist without that profound faith. The situation may be expressed by an image: science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind. 1939 address to Princeton Theological Seminary Einstein Science can only be created by those who are thoroughly imbued with the aspiration toward truth and understanding. This source of feeling, however, springs from the sphere of religion. To this there also belongs the faith in the possibility that the regulations valid for the world of existence are rational, that is, comprehensible to reason. I cannot conceive of a genuine scientist without that profound faith. The situation may be expressed by an image: science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.

1939 address to Princeton Theological Seminary

Einstein

]]> by: Marshall http://www.mahablog.com/2007/09/09/uncompromising/#comment-279257 Mon, 10 Sep 2007 01:41:29 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2007/09/09/uncompromising/#comment-279257 These are not just abstract arguments about belief systems, but have a direct effect on all of us. In Galileo's time, Italy was the scientific powerhouse of Europe. The Catholic Church wrecked that, and the scientific revolution largely moved to the Protestant lands to the North, much to Italy's detriment. Now, in our country, in our time, our scientific leadership is visibly slipping away. This is not likely to affect science much, but the consequences for the long term health of our country may be just as severe. These are not just abstract arguments about belief systems, but have a direct effect on all of us. In Galileo’s time, Italy was the scientific powerhouse of Europe. The Catholic Church wrecked that, and the scientific revolution largely moved to the Protestant lands to the North, much to Italy’s detriment. Now, in our country, in our time, our scientific leadership is visibly slipping away. This is not likely to affect science much, but the consequences for the long term health of our country may be just as severe.

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