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Explanation of recent message.



I just sent a message to this list by mistake. In that message I
referred to the ongoing argument about how airplanes fly, and I stated
that Beaty is obviously getting "ticked at Denker."

Although I hadn't really intended that message to go to this list, I
guess it was serendipitous because it gives me the opportunity to
explain it, and also to thank all the people involved.

I had intended to send the message to a person on my campus who is
really opposed to using e-mail in which anything bad or controversial
or derogatory, etc. is said about anybody or anything. I was sending
several examples to this person to show how I have been involved in
some heated discussions on e-mail lists, and how some of those
discussions mention specific people and how it is clear that some
people indeed can get "bothered" by people they are arguing with....
YET...

(1) I have learned tremendously from this whole discussion. (2) I
think that even as we sometimes lose patience with each other, we still
are pretty civil, and we still show a great deal of respect even to
those we disagree with. So I was forwarding that kind of example to
this person when I didn't pay attention, and I sent it to the wrong
place.

So, although I apologize for the strangeness of that message, I want
everyone to know that I really have enjoyed this discussion and have
learned from it, and I have used it as an example of how even heated
debates are quite useful and not necessarily disrespectful, even if we
sometimes lose patience and get "ticked off" with some of the people we
communicate with. Although some people have worried that we get a
little out of line on this list, the only thing I've seen that wasn't
so cool was from the person (real/fictitious?) writing in the
creation/evolution chain. Up to this point, I think all of the
writings in the airplane thread have shown reasonable civility even
though some of us have gotten frustrated from time to time. I do not
think it was wrong that the discussion came to this list, or that it
has gone on for a long time. I have read everything William Beaty and
John Denker have written, both of them have made me think a lot, I have
contributed some messages myself. That's the way these things are
supposed to work.

I've ducked out of that debate because classes start Monday, and I
still have syllabi to write. I will be busy this term and may not
write very much (unless someone ticks me off and gets me going), but I
will certainly be reading the postings. Thanks to all for making this
list-service a great resource.


Michael D. Edmiston, Ph.D. Phone/voice-mail: 419-358-3270
Professor of Chemistry & Physics FAX: 419-358-3323
Chairman, Science Department E-Mail edmiston@bluffton.edu
Bluffton College
280 West College Avenue
Bluffton, OH 45817