[Phys-L] Still More ID

[JMGreen at SISNA.COM (Jim Green)]

> Maybe you should read something about ID and creationism and then
> perhaps you could criticize this thread from a position of knowledge
> rather than ignorance.

Well, Hugh, what seems plain to me is that some/most in this discussion
haven't any sort of clear idea what they are grumpy about.  No one has
outlined the points of ID that are in question.  It is the ignorance of the
discussion I am noting ---  the flailing and hand waving.  It is the
thought process I am focusing on.  This may be the longest thread in the
history of the Internet and it is apparent the participants have far to
much time on their hands.  I even wonder about myself -- Despite my being
retired, there likely is something better for me to talk about..

It strikes me further that physicists tend to relegate other programs in
the science division as trivial appendages and totally ignore programs
outside the division. The pompousness is pervasive.  Only traditional
physics should be taught in our schools they say.

Something Ludwik said has stuck with me:

> d) I am thinking about the evolution of the idea of "heat as a kind of
> substance (caloric)" to the idea of "heat as a form of energy."

These ideas were promoted by Empedocles some 2500 years ago and have stuck
with us since ---- we call it science after all.  Empedocles was a rich
bored nut who strutted about wearing a purple robe and declared himself
divine.   Sound familiar?

Since then we have gone through "fire," frigicals, caloric, and now
"energy"  All dead wrong   All "testably" wrong.   All absurdly wrong.  But
because a "scientist"  -- ie a physicist -- said this , it is taught in
school.  We include a section in our texts which decries caloric and then
go right on using the concept.  We seem totally unable to shake poor ol'
Empedocles.  Because this is "science."

Yet when a fellow comes along and looks at the massive complications of
biology and says something like well evolution may explain much of this
mess but I think I see the hand of some sort of extra-terrestrial
influence; I think we should explore this, physicists raise their ire and
start to worry about their traditions -- most of which are wrong -- and
raise concerns that this idea may cause political turmoil and perhaps lead
us into international wars.

Doesn't anyone see anything silly in this view?

This is the most unscientific position one could take.

We embrace the idea of strings but show fear when an extra-terrestrial
influence is suggested.

What is wrong with us?

Jim

Jim Green
mailto:JMGreen@sisna.com
http://users.sisna.com/jmgreen