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NottyImp
Skeptic Friend
United Kingdom
143 Posts |
 Posted - 03/18/2002 : 10:50:32
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Is Richard Dawkins right to cede the debate against Creationism in British Schools to the "middle ground" of Old Earth Theist Bishops and centrist liberal opinion?
(amended to "theist bishops").
Edited by - NottyImp on 03/18/2002 12:31:53
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Lars_H
SFN Regular
Germany
630 Posts |
Posted - 03/18/2002 : 11:08:14 [Permalink]
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I am afraid I did not fully understand either your question or Dwakins article.
Where do the Old Earth Creationist get into the debate? Dawkins mentions them only as a neglible minority of what he calls Old Earth Theist. I personaly would not even lump the Old Earth Creationists into that group.
Neither the Anglican Church nor the Roman Catholic church is creationist.
If you meant to ask wether it is a good idea to let the Church handel that one, I would say yes.
They have much more to lose in this then the scientific community. They also show that one can believe in God and accept evolution at the same time. This way no idiot can convince the media that it is scientific evolution or religion.
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Piltdown
Skeptic Friend
USA
312 Posts |
Posted - 03/18/2002 : 12:28:56 [Permalink]
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I voted yes. This is not what we would do, or have been doing, here in the US; but the UK is a very different situation and Dr. Dawkins is right on the scene. The biggest difference is the relative strength of the fundamentalist community compared to that of more moderate religionists. In the US, the fundies are a major force in religion and politics, in the UK they are a fringe element even within the religious community. Further, the religious community as a whole is not as influential as it is here, not by a long shot. Young Earth Creationism is basically a religious rather than a scientific issue. In the US, the yec's political strength has forced us to go beyond that and confront the issue on scientific grounds. This is really a concession in the debate, one that we would have avoide making if we could have. Professor Dawkins and the British scientific community have not been forced to make that concession. I think, on the whole, he is wise to leave it to the religious authorities for the time being. They are still in a good position to head off fundy influence, something their counterparts in the US lacked the strength to do. If they fail, the British scientific community can move the debate to a new level, as we have been forced to do here.
Abducting UFOs and conspiring against conspiracy theorists since 1980. |
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NottyImp
Skeptic Friend
United Kingdom
143 Posts |
Posted - 03/18/2002 : 12:32:56 [Permalink]
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quote:
I am afraid I did not fully understand either your question or Dwakins article.
Where do the Old Earth Creationist get into the debate?
A good point - I have amended the poll accordingly.
"Specialisation is for insects." Robert A. Heinlen |
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Trekkie
New Member
USA
7 Posts |
Posted - 08/05/2002 : 23:29:20 [Permalink]
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Yes, I think he is right to cede this argument. His attitude that evolution implies atheism is very similar to the creationist stance and about as helpful, and his opinion that the "why are we here" and "what's the purpose" quesions shouldn't even be asked is too extreme. It isn't up to scientists to start dictating what may or may not be done in philosophy.
I think he's right to campaign against faith-based schools, though. The problem with Emmanuel College was bad enough; I don't see faith-based schools leading anywhere except intolerance. As he said about Emmanuel College, they'll just end up turning out better educated bigots.
To boldly go... |
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Trekkie
New Member
USA
7 Posts |
Posted - 08/05/2002 : 23:30:28 [Permalink]
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Yes, I think he is right to cede this argument. His attitude that evolution implies atheism is very similar to the creationist stance and about as helpful, and his opinion that the "why are we here" and "what's the purpose" quesions shouldn't even be asked is too extreme. It isn't up to scientists to start dictating what may or may not be done in philosophy.
I think he's right to campaign against faith-based schools, though. The problem with Emmanuel College was bad enough; I don't see faith-based schools leading anywhere except intolerance. As he said about Emmanuel College, they'll just end up turning out better educated bigots.
To boldly go... |
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