Comments by PMartin

Comment #260724 by PMartin on October 6, 2008 at 12:32 am

"Julian Barnes, an atheist turned agnostic"? OK, perhaps this is covered in the book - which I haven't yet read - but there's nothing I can see in the article that suggests that Barnes is still anything but an atheist. In fact, Keilor seems to contradict himself in the first sentence. Barnes is just acknowledging that he can now see why the idea of a god might be comforting.

All together now: "But that doesn't mean it's true".

Or am I missing something?

But we can be sure that at least one spokesman for the other side will quote out of context with some degree of glee.......

2. Teachers should tackle creationism, says science education expert

Comment #246233 by PMartin on September 12, 2008 at 2:19 am

PCK, I think I agree with your interpretation. The article is, after all, a story, and the first sentence has been chosen because it is contentious!

And yet... the Reverend Professor insists that science teachers should see Creationism as "an alternative World View".

If someone said to me and my classmates: "I'm here to teach you the best explanation we have of how the universe and we came to be, built on an ever-increasing and meticulously compiled catalogue of evidence. But I respect your completely different World Views, unsupported as they are by any evidence", I would think "what a hypocritical dickhead. If he can say that with a straight face, how can I trust anything he tells me?"

3. Talk at today's meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science

Comment #246213 by PMartin on September 12, 2008 at 1:40 am

Donald : "Richard, you are an FRS. Do the Fellows have any means to influence who the RS employ - especially for such an important post as 'Director of Education'"?

Good question, Donald. Perhaps the Society would like to explain the reasoning behind such an appointment. Maybe they thought a defector would give them fresh insight, but ..... has he defected or is he a double agent?

I'd be happier if Professor Michael Reiss was "previously an ordained etc etc."

4. The Group Delusion

Comment #121821 by PMartin on February 4, 2008 at 7:54 am

Son of God Delusion ?

A bit late for a suggestion, but I couldn't resist:

God Delusion 2: The Second Coming

5. The real danger in Darwin is not evolution, but racism

Comment #115377 by PMartin on January 24, 2008 at 5:45 am

Einstein's Theory of Special Relativity

Fair enough - perhaps not a good example to choose, and I missed an earlier comment (101 by CJ22 that made the same point anyway.

And on reflection, pointing the dunderheads to a more modern account won't necessarily work. Look what they try on with "The Selfish Gene".

Sigh.

6. The real danger in Darwin is not evolution, but racism

Comment #115364 by PMartin on January 24, 2008 at 5:17 am

Yes, we're dealing with some serious rubbish here, but still. Isn't it simply true that there are some dodgy elements to Darwin's writings, however luminous the main theme is?

Maybe we are a bit too prone to eulogise Darwin and drag him into the conversation. And once you do, that lets guys like this launch into ad hominem attacks, or perhaps more accurately attacks on Darwin's personal interpretation of his theory.

But that isn't our modern theory of evolution. It's moved on and been enriched and buttressed beyond measure over the past 150 years. It can stand on its own two feet (or lobopods or..)

Perhaps we should move on. Perhaps we should discipline ourselves to pay our respects to the man in private, but retire Darwin's name from public use. Then, if we need to give it a more human face, we can choose some more recent contributors who not only carry less antique racial baggage, but who are also responsible for the immense evolution of the theory itself since it first appeared.

It's just good marketing. After all, no-one calls Relativity "Einsteinism".

7. Vatican slams California firm's cloning experiments

Comment #114054 by PMartin on January 21, 2008 at 9:25 am

Hmm. How oxymoronic to see "leading" and "Vatican official" in the same sentence......

8. Evolution Booklet

Comment #35572 by PMartin on April 27, 2007 at 4:09 pm

Bit disapointed with his cop-out on language. It surely isn't just a cultural phenomenon; Pinker has coverd this beautifully.

9. The Video: Bill O'Reilly Interviews Richard Dawkins

Comment #34840 by PMartin on April 25, 2007 at 12:30 pm

It may be unfashionable to worry about it, but isn't O'Reilly just plain RUDE? He goes to the trouble of inviting someone who deserves at least some respect, and then he doesn't let him get a word in edgeways. Richard Dawkins would have been well within his rights to close off with something along the lines of

"I'll send you a video of a chat I had with a Bishop recently. You might watch it and learn how to have a civilised conversation with someone. Your conduct isn't exactly an advert for your tolerant religion, is it?"

Tosser. The interview should go in at least the "Bad" section of TGTBATU.

10. Does Evolution Select For Faster Evolvers? Horizontal Gene Transfer Adds To Complexity, Speed Of Evolution

Comment #19848 by PMartin on January 30, 2007 at 9:15 am

"We know that the majority of the DNA in the genomes of some animal and plant species -- including humans, mice, wheat and corn -- came from HGT insertions,"

Whoa! Can someone help me out here?

1. Is the suggestion here that HGT is the PREVALENT mechanism that generates the genetic diversity selection acts on, or have I missed the point?

2. If so, is that in terms of frequency, impact on the phenome, or what? If HGT is as frequent as it seems to be, it doesn't seem surprising to me that it is much more effective than random mutation - after all, you're more likely to get a result shoving a complete tested subroutine into your program than a random string of ones and zeroes.

3. Is there somewhere where those interested can go to get a good account of HGT and its place alongside genetic drift, mutation and sexual selection as an engine of change? It seems rather significant - could it possibly change our view about how one species apparently gives way to another. Could HGT resurrect (no offence intended!) the corpse of macromutation with a shiny new badge?
Thanks.