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chaloobi
SFN Regular
1620 Posts |
 Posted - 01/19/2005 : 13:36:22
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Here's a take on the question even the Fundies probably haven't thought about. What happens if they get what they want, evolution is purged from our primary and highschool system, replaced with a religous belief instead?
Now, recognize that evolution is the cornerstone of the entire field of biology, of bio-medical science, genetics, the whole ball of wax. If we turned our back, as a nation, on the eduction of biological science in favor of religous beliefs, what would the consequences be?
I'll edge out on a limb and suggest, if you assume universities still taught the truth, the result would likely be fewer students going into biology programs because they would be put off by evolution in college classes. And if universities did teach creationism, then it's easy to speculate the progress of the science of biology in the US would halt, or nearly halt. I would think that, eventually, there would be pressure on universities to change their programs though . . . .
You know it really is unthinkable that would happen here. It would have to be in the wider context of the establishment of a virtual theocracy in the US. I know there are many would would welcome such a thing, but most of us wouldn't. Right?
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-Chaloobi
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2005 : 13:40:53 [Permalink]
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It's worse than that, Chaloobi. If we're going to posit the teaching of young-Earth creationism, we also wind up without physics, astronomy, cosmology or geology students (just to name a few fields).
And like in the Simpsons, we might wind up with groups of people storming observatories with pitchforks and torches, as those places would be involved in teaching "lies." |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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BigPapaSmurf
SFN Die Hard
3192 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2005 : 13:49:09 [Permalink]
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| I would say its more likely than say, reason winning out. Of course I would take it much farther, IMO they are likely totally take control not just the science class. |
"...things I have neither seen nor experienced nor heard tell of from anybody else; things, what is more, that do not in fact exist and could not ever exist at all. So my readers must not believe a word I say." -Lucian on his book True History
"...They accept such things on faith alone, without any evidence. So if a fraudulent and cunning person who knows how to take advantage of a situation comes among them, he can make himself rich in a short time." -Lucian critical of early Christians c.166 AD From his book, De Morte Peregrini |
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beskeptigal
SFN Die Hard
USA
3834 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2005 : 14:05:15 [Permalink]
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Well, for a time, the collective knowledge base of the country will suffer, but science will recover. History has many examples of such events.
It seems absurd that with the current state of genetic research, we're still arguing this nonsense. |
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9688 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2005 : 15:21:00 [Permalink]
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It will increas the risk of having a Religious President reasoning "Kill'em all, and let God sort them out" then launch a holy war against the infidel Middle East.
Maybe even drop The Bomb on them, but that's less likely. I see it as more likely a muslim fundamentalist group retaliating by detonating one on US soil.
"The WTC 9/11 attack didn't humble America as intended, maybe a nuke will." that is how I think the Muslim fundies will think.
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Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder. |
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Rubicon95
Skeptic Friend
USA
220 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2005 : 15:32:28 [Permalink]
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DR. Zaius and the council.
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Dude
SFN Die Hard
USA
6891 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2005 : 15:32:58 [Permalink]
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quote:
Well, for a time, the collective knowledge base of the country will suffer, but science will recover. History has many examples of such events.
And most of them take decades to centuries to overcome.
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Ignorance is preferable to error; and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing, than he who believes what is wrong.
-- Thomas Jefferson
"god :: the last refuge of a man with no answers and no argument." - G. Carlin
Hope, n.
The handmaiden of desperation; the opiate of despair; the illegible signpost on the road to perdition. ~~ da filth |
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard
USA
4907 Posts |
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Starman
SFN Regular
Sweden
1613 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2005 : 01:25:16 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by chaloobi
Here's a take on the question even the Fundies probably haven't thought about.
...
You know it really is unthinkable that would happen here. It would have to be in the wider context of the establishment of a virtual theocracy in the US. I know there are many would would welcome such a thing, but most of us wouldn't. Right?
I don't think that the USA will ever turn into a taliban like state, but add a few fundies to the supreme court and Iran is not far away. |
"Any religion that makes a form of torture into an icon that they worship seems to me a pretty sick sort of religion quite honestly"
-- Terry Jones |
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beskeptigal
SFN Die Hard
USA
3834 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2005 : 01:54:19 [Permalink]
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| So should we worry more about judge appointments or talk of attacking Iran? |
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Starman
SFN Regular
Sweden
1613 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2005 : 02:09:45 [Permalink]
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I meant that the political system of Iran is not far away.
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2005 : 02:33:59 [Permalink]
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If such a thing should happen, and at the moment I don't think it will, then Europe and China, and concievably India, will take the forefront in scientific thought and progress. Possibly Canada too, will benefit as dedicated American scholars migrate north to study unrestricted.
Science as a whole will not be affected beyond having to leave our once fair shores as a wise rat deserts a sinking ship.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
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Starman
SFN Regular
Sweden
1613 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2005 : 02:43:19 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by filthy
If such a thing should happen, and at the moment I don't think it will, then Europe and China, and concievably India, will take the forefront in scientific thought and progress. Possibly Canada too, will benefit as dedicated American scholars migrate north to study unrestricted.
Sweden and I guess several other countries has benefited a lot from emigrating academics from Iran.
(Unfortunately many of these people have been unable to compete fairly in the job market, so at least here they could have been treated and much better and made a large contribution to our society.) |
"Any religion that makes a form of torture into an icon that they worship seems to me a pretty sick sort of religion quite honestly"
-- Terry Jones |
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astropin
SFN Regular
USA
970 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2005 : 10:39:46 [Permalink]
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| If that did happen, I would also leave. |
I would rather face a cold reality than delude myself with comforting fantasies.
You are free to believe what you want to believe and I am free to ridicule you for it.
Atheism:
The result of an unbiased and rational search for the truth.
Infinitus est numerus stultorum |
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chaloobi
SFN Regular
1620 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2005 : 11:01:32 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by beskeptigal
So should we worry more about judge appointments or talk of attacking Iran?
Absolutely. |
-Chaloobi
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chaloobi
SFN Regular
1620 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2005 : 11:04:00 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by filthy
If such a thing should happen, and at the moment I don't think it will, then Europe and China, and concievably India, will take the forefront in scientific thought and progress. Possibly Canada too, will benefit as dedicated American scholars migrate north to study unrestricted.
Science as a whole will not be affected beyond having to leave our once fair shores as a wise rat deserts a sinking ship.
Don't forget Japan and S. Korea. It's absurd to think that the nation in whose universities the rest of the world comes to study is actually having to deal with creationism being taught as science in it's public schools. I'd laugh if it wasn't actually happening. |
-Chaloobi
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