lip@amid..ARPA (Loren I. Petrich) (03/14/89)
We unsubscribed to talk.origins here at the Lab because of
shortage of disk space to store messages. I wonder what response I got
to my last posting there (just as we had unsubscribed?) some weeks
ago. It featured a discussion of the rock group Devo, and their pet
hypothesis of "de-evolution". After living through the Vietnam War and
Kent State, they seized upon the hypothesis that we are descended from
a tribe of brain-eating apes. Thus, they concluded that we are
descended fron the apes, and have been descending ever since :-). This
belief they expressed in the song "Jocko Homo", the words of which I
included in my posting. I also commented that it is unnecessary to
believe in a Cosmic Purpose in order to give ourselves something to
live for -- we can create our own purposes.
Part of my purpose in posting to talk.origins was to show that
the Fundamentalist dichotomy between "evolution science" and "creation
science" was a false one (like the choice they always pose between
their God and the Devil), by displaying a wide range of hypotheses
that fall into neither category. Here is a summary:
The Gosse Hypothesis: the Universe was constructed to _look_
very old
Lamarckism: the inheritance of acquired characteristics
Orthogenesis: internal-force-driven evolution
Cuvierism: pseudo-evolutionary creationism over geological time
XGE's (Exogenous Genetic Engineers): visitors from our future
or from another planet perform genetic engineering on Earth life, thus
driving evolution
Hoyle's Variant: these XGE's are interstellar cloud-beings who
contribute improved genes by way of viruses
Hoerbigerism: The Moon is only the last of the Earth's
satellites; the rest have spiraled in and contributed to the Earth's
strata.
The Devo Hypothesis: we are descended from a tribe of
brain-eating apes
It is evident that an "equal time" curriculum should include
at least some of the above hypotheses in addition to the standard
picture of Darwinian evolution.
I also pointed out that the Bible contains not one, but two
different creation stories, Genesis 1 ("six days") and Genesis 2
("Adam and Eve").
For all these postings, I got a much bigger response from the
evolution side than the special-creation side; I barely got a response
from the latter side about XGE's, although the XGE hypothesis was
clearly counterevidence to one of the creationists' cherished dogmas,
that the only "designer" that life can have is the God they believe
in. I hope that someone would be willing to take up my cause and
harangue them about XGE's until they start taking the possibility
_very_ seriously.
Last, but not least, I would like to congratulate Jim Meritt
for his unflinching rationalism through all the months he has posted
in talk.origins. _Someone_ has to fight this fight.
-------------
Loren Petrich, the Master Blaster
lip@amid.s1.gov
lip%amid.s1.gov@and.s1.gov
lip%amid.s1.gov@mordor.s1.gov
(whichever one works)jwm@stdc.jhuapl.edu (Jim Meritt) (03/14/89)
I decided to cross post this back to talk.origins due to an inability of Loren to get there. (if you have other things you would like over there, let me know) In article <24032@mordor.s1.gov> lip@s1-amid.UUCP () writes: } Part of my purpose in posting to talk.origins was to show that }the Fundamentalist dichotomy between "evolution science" and "creation }science" was a false one (like the choice they always pose between }their God and the Devil), by displaying a wide range of hypotheses }that fall into neither category. Here is a summary: } } The Gosse Hypothesis: the Universe was constructed to _look_ }very old } Lamarckism: the inheritance of acquired characteristics } Orthogenesis: internal-force-driven evolution } Cuvierism: pseudo-evolutionary creationism over geological time } XGE's (Exogenous Genetic Engineers): visitors from our future }or from another planet perform genetic engineering on Earth life, thus }driving evolution } Hoyle's Variant: these XGE's are interstellar cloud-beings who }contribute improved genes by way of viruses } Hoerbigerism: The Moon is only the last of the Earth's }satellites; the rest have spiraled in and contributed to the Earth's }strata. } The Devo Hypothesis: we are descended from a tribe of }brain-eating apes } } It is evident that an "equal time" curriculum should include }at least some of the above hypotheses in addition to the standard }picture of Darwinian evolution. } } I also pointed out that the Bible contains not one, but two }different creation stories, Genesis 1 ("six days") and Genesis 2 }("Adam and Eve"). } } For all these postings, I got a much bigger response from the }evolution side than the special-creation side; I barely got a response }from the latter side about XGE's, although the XGE hypothesis was }clearly counterevidence to one of the creationists' cherished dogmas, }that the only "designer" that life can have is the God they believe }in. I hope that someone would be willing to take up my cause and }harangue them about XGE's until they start taking the possibility }_very_ seriously. } } Last, but not least, I would like to congratulate Jim Meritt }for his unflinching rationalism through all the months he has posted }in talk.origins. _Someone_ has to fight this fight. Thanks much - I try. }Loren Petrich, the Master Blaster }lip@amid.s1.gov }lip%amid.s1.gov@and.s1.gov }lip%amid.s1.gov@mordor.s1.gov }(whichever one works) The above was test data, and not the responsibility of any organization.