Comments on: Belated birthday fun

By: Arthur Brash

Arthur Brash — Sat, 02 May 2009 02:54:13 +0000

I think Bertrand Russel was the one to say “creationists make it sound like a theory is something dreamt up after a night of drinking.”

By: beautiful cynic

beautiful cynic — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 08:44:06 +0000

I think it comes from a misunderstanding of the word ‘theory’, as in the theory of evolution. People often think it synonymous with the word ‘idea’ or ‘opinion’, and in that context, talk of belief is understandable. Who says one idea or opinion is ‘better’ or ‘truer’ than another. (Yes there are examples, but you know what I’m getting at.) These people will often respond by saying “well it’s just a theory”… But they misunderstand the concept of scientific or mathematical theory. Which is partly society’s and the media’s fault, for falling into the same trap and using the same kind of language.

That, or those people are just maroons.

By: arthur brash

arthur brash — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 06:29:41 +0000

I still have issue with the terminology “believe in evolution.” Unfortunately this is likely a result of the theistic dogma that we “all believe _something_” as if that somehow validates their beliefs.

The whole thing is a bit like the argument to “simplify the English language” by removing apostrophes from it. To someone who doesn’t understand an idea, it’s easier to say “let’s change it” or “it takes more faith to ‘believe’ in evolution.” Without understanding the underlying issue, they have no idea what problems their idea would introduce into the whole system.

I am not sure where I am going with this, so I better quit before I get too far out there.