[Phys-L] Re: [SPAM-4.611] Re: THE WEDGE STRATEGY of The ID Movement

[twayburn at WT.NET (Tom Wayburn)]

On the other hand, you have to have faith in science.  You must have
unshakeable faith that the laws of physics will not change appreciably
between Akron and Toledo nor between Tuesday and Thursday - moreover that
they remain the same regardless of who is testing them.  People who believe
in the miracles ascribed to Jesus or the party tricks of Moses must not
believe in the laws of physics.

That is not to say that, for all practical purposes, most of the wisdom of
the biblical scholars might as well be true.  The biblical story is a
metaphor.  It is belief that it is literally true that does most - but not
all - of the harm.  The three major lessons, for me, of the Bible are: (i)
some things never change, people are the same now as they were then; (ii)
one has to think about what to do at every instant as "circumstances alters
cases"; and the third item escapes me just now.

Tom Wayburn, Houston, Texas





----- Original Message -----
From: "Rick Tarara" <rtarara@SAINTMARYS.EDU>
To: <PHYS-L@LISTS.NAU.EDU>
Sent: Friday, October 14, 2005 7:54 AM
Subject: Re: [SPAM-4.611] Re: THE WEDGE STRATEGY of The ID Movement


> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "James E Mackey" <jmackey@HARDING.EDU>
>
> >  And BTW what's wrong with faith?
>
> Nothing or a whole lot--it depends.
>
> If faith helps one to live in harmony with others (including those who
> don't
> believe) and does not interfere with one's other intellectual activities
> (such as doing science), then nothing.
>
> If faith convinces one to strap 10 pounds of C5 to one's body and enter a
> crowded market to ignite it (or to fly an airplane into an occupied
> building) then there is a whole lot wrong.
>
> If I profess a deep and devout faith in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny,
> how seriously will I be taken by my colleagues?  Will they trust that I
> can
> keep that 'irrational' faith out of any 'rational' scientific work I
> do--and
> can I?  It seems to me that good science requires being extremely
> skeptical,
> while having a strong faith requires just the opposite.
>
> Rick