Today, Marcus Ross is speaking at Temple University on the topic of geology and the Cambrian Explosion [Marcus Ross and Peter Dodson at Temple University]. Recall that Ross is a Young Earth Creationist: he believes that the Earth is less than ten thousand years old. Appearing on the same stage as Ross is the paleontologist Peter Dodson from nearby University of Pennsylvania. Dodson will present the case for rationality.The talks are being organized by a group of student societies under the title DECIDE FOR YOURSELF: Evolution and Intelligent Design. Tomorrow night it's the turn of Michael Behe, speaking on biology, plus someone who they've recruited to represent the side of rationality in the field of evolution. I know for a fact that several people have turned them down (including me). This is a Discovery Institute dog-and-pony show. Paul Nelson will be the final speaker, on philosophy, a week from today. Nelson is also a Young Earth Creationist. (No one has yet been selected to present the rational case for philosophy, as far as I know.)
Students have every right to sponsor such events even if it's under the false impression that there's a legitimate scientific debate over the age of the Earth. However, I seriously doubt that it will be attended by people with an open mind. If anyone goes to the lecture, please send a report.
The fact that students have a right to invite IDiots on to their campus does not mean we have to defend their decision. I think they are being very naive and uneducated. As far as I'm concerned, it speaks badly of Temple University that groups of students such as Temple University Chemistry Society, Geology Society, and the Philosophy Society would even consider listening to Young Earth Creationists. What in the world are they thinking?
4 comments :
It boggles my mind that seemingly educated people can believe in this garbage. I remember reading something several months back regarding Liberty University having this bunk lining their halls and this an accredited university, although in my mind a disgrace to reputable universities the world over.
To start, your judgmental and self-righteous words have proven to me that your whole position is without credibility as you refused to attend Temple's event. Perhaps the success of Behe's rational thought proved to be too daunting of a task for someone to oppose? I for one, as a Temple student, applaud and am thankful for those who organized this event. The tension between evolution and intelligent design is one which deserves attention at the collegiate level even while professors, such as yourself, may intentionally fail to address it in the classroom. I hope your words of attack in calling me and my peers "uneducated" and "naïve" does not hold in your own classroom. Heaven forbid one of your own students comes to you with questions that may go against your own intellectual and personal beliefs.
I attended the discussion between Ross and Dodson and was thoroughly impressed with the amount of respect maintained even during some tough questions. I, like you, was hesitant of Ross' position as his Young Earth position is one I respect but do not agree with. However, Ross was professional and respectful enough to give an overview of the geological aspects which support ID without the use of his own personal view of the earth's age. Dodson himself admitted he had no qualms with those points Ross touched upon.
The students who attended this lecture were and are anything but close-minded. While some who attended may have already held certain beliefs, many of us took the night as a chance to entertain thoughts we may not have heard before. This discussion was not so much about getting answers, but rather the rare opportunity to re-evaluate one of the biggest questions of our society - Where do we and our earth come from? It was refreshing to see students being challenged in the same room together – it rarely happens from an unbiased standpoint in the classroom. I talked with friends after the discussion, and all of us were appreciative of the students and professors who organized this event despite the dismissive and haughty attitude of those such as yourself.
Feelings of intellectual superiority can halt the progress and challenging of society's accepted standards in many areas – including that of science. Sadly, those too stubborn to stand in the same room with those they may disagree with accounts for many of the unjust statements and assumptions that occur in the scientific realm as well as others. Please take these words of an "uneducated" student and consider them the next time you may be asked to attend such an event. If you are so adamantly against those such as Ross, I would think you would love the opportunity to educate us "naïve" students???
Perhaps I'm wrong….
Education is all about learning stuff - stuff we like, stuff we don't like. The student can't pick and choose the history he likes. The student cannot abandon learning about communism because he lives in a democracy. Here in the Decide Event, the students chose to intensify their education about a very public issue. The core issue was evolution vs. intelligent design. (The age of the earth was not a chief element of the event nor the presentations.) We are to be commended not castigated about being open to this issue. We are students, learning, processing, not closing our minds down and picking and choosing what we should learn or not learn.
Because you chose not to participate, is it really right to take potshots at students from the web? Are you in a superior position professionally, educationally, or morally to condemn the students and therefore the other professional educators under whose approval and encouragement the students are working? Your intolerant conceit is more disagreeable than the students' supposed ignorance.
The student cannot abandon learning about communism because he lives in a democracy.
Could you provide a list of top tier universities which force students to take courses on communism? Thank you.
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