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Re: [Phys-l] Richard Dawkins Answers Reddit Questions



So ALL of the (expletive deleted), godless atheists who are going to rot in hell are liberal Democrats? Anyone who voted for a Republican (and all Republicans) are anti science, religious nut cases? I really am on the verge of quitting this list because of all the name calling, blanket characterizations, snide and sarcastic responses to legitimate posts, etc. The mean-spirited characterizations I've been reading here fit NOBODY I know. Mostly what I'm seeing are attempts to ridicule those with different ideas and different political (even religious) viewpoints. If it continues--I for one, am gone.

Richard W. Tarara
Professor of Physics
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, Indiana
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Free Physics Instructional Software
www.saintmarys.edu/~rtarara/software.html
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----- Original Message ----- From: "John Mallinckrodt" <ajm@csupomona.edu>


I strongly agree with everything John Clement says here with one important exception. Like John, I believe we do a grave disservice to science by saying transparently ridiculous things like "there is no evidence for Intelligent Design." Those who subscribe to ID see virtually nothing BUT evidence for their beliefs. The only relevant point is that ID is manifestly NOT science because it is inconceivable that anyone would ever find evidence AGAINST it.

The only point of disagreement I have is with John's claim that it is a "mislabeling" to call science "liberal." I could take the sarcastic, if not also defensible, position that "reality has a liberal bias," but I will note only that science requires above all intense skepticism, openness to new data, and willingness to change one's viewpoint in the face of evidence against one's cherished positions, traits that I have no trouble whatsoever characterizing as "liberal." I don't deny the existence of "religious scientists," but I would maintain that anyone who brings traditional religious habits and "ways of knowing" into the lab with them, at the very least operates under a very significant handicap.