I wish they'd stop framing it in terms of "believing" in evolution.

Nobody talks about "believing" in Ohm's Law or germ theory or the Standard Model of physics. I haven't heard anyone speak of DNA as requiring "belief" even though it is a pivotal part of the mechanism of Natural Selection which, upon its discovery, served to further reinforce the ideas introduced by Darwin.

Instead of being addressed, the solid scientific facts and theories that evolution is connected to are ignored (or handwaved away) because the ideologues attacking evolution are unable to understand them. They attack evolution as if it is everything, when in fact it is merely the toe of a giant that their minds are too small to see... even though the giant's hand runs the world around them in plain daylight, from the structural engineering in their homes, to the circuitry in their cellphone, to the geology that found the petrochemicals that powers their car.

We need to stop framing scientific things in ideological language, and science needs to downplay and ignore any perceived teleological implications surrounding evolutionary theory. (On a side note, I think Dawkins is being somewhat counter-productive in this respect.)

Either one comprehends why such theories are currently the most accurate descriptions of reality, or one does not.

I find it mind-blowing how badly US education must have failed in order for this evolution issue to be anything more than fringe lunacy.

Posted by: Frenetic | January 12, 2008 1:43 AM

I agree that it is mind blowing how what should be a fringe issue like Area 51 or Loch Ness is actually a mainstream (even majority) belief in this country but I don't think the blame lies in the education system. For all it's faults, the education system cannot teach people something they refuse to believe.

If you've ever seen the U.K. report on the "Creationist Museum" you'll remember a lady who said she was a university grad who was pleased to see this new museum show the origins from a biblical standpoint. SHe said in college they tried to tell her evolution was the explanation but she didn't buy it.

If someone believes they're God's little poodle, no matter of evidence will ever change their mind.

I wonder when P.J. will try to jump ship and try to pass himself off as a liberal, like Andrew Sullivan? I don't mind them changing sides but why do we keep listening to them as pundits when they have been so wrong about so many important things? I wouldn't trust them to cover high school football.

Thanks for posting these!

Can you post the video where he interviewed people about their candidate choices? Thanks!

I wonder when P.J. will try to jump ship and try to pass himself off as a liberal

I wouldn't trust them to cover high school football.

As long as the Democrats are seen as the pro-government party, no amount of Patriot Acts, Gitmos, foreign wars, etc. will peel most libertarians away from the GOP. The does seem strange to me, since dying in a war, being phone-tapped without a warrant, or being held as an enemy combatant without any judicial check at all (even if you're a citizen) seems to be a bigger abridgement of my freedom than having to pay Social Security tax instead of paying into an IRA.

O'Rourke is one of those funny people who can say ordinary things and cause me to laugh.