tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643715.post7183030310989592431..comments2023-06-09T12:46:12.932-04:00Comments on The Voice Of One Crying Out In Suburbia: Knuckle dragging Christians breeding like rabbitsArthur Sidohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03848508095612688493noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643715.post-75315392251195736782009-06-30T15:06:42.192-04:002009-06-30T15:06:42.192-04:00Just to clarify. As a Professor of evolutionary bi...Just to clarify. As a Professor of evolutionary biology, you would accept an answer from a student that rejects the theory of evolution? In other words, without a sample question to work with, an answer that was well reasoned that came to a conclusion outside of evolutionary theory would be an acceptable answer on a test?Arthur Sidohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03848508095612688493noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643715.post-16584084390285078122009-06-29T18:49:01.997-04:002009-06-29T18:49:01.997-04:00"What is inherently "less than Christian..."What is inherently "less than Christian" about making assumptions?"<br /><br /> Well, I think it's a little uncharitable, at best, to attribute a negative stereotype to somebody you don't know. Someone could read this and get the impression that it was me who'd made the "knuckle-dragging" comment, for example.<br /><br />"Can someone pass your class if they argue only the creationist position or must they be able to argue the evolutionary position in spite of their personal beliefs?"<br /><br /> The easy answer to this is ---- of course not, I'm teaching a science class. However, I'll take up the challenge a little more seriously.<br /><br /> You know, one thing that interested me about the Creation Museum is that they had a similar approach to the way that I teach myself: there are facts, and then there are the ways that those facts can be interpreted (note that the reporter didn't report that quote!) (Of course we have different interpretations, that goes without saying, but it's the method of inquiry that's important).<br /><br /> So I expect students to be able to separate out these issues (evidence vs inference) in their answers (the questions are in the form of short essays). If someone were to give me the evolutionary interpretation (which they'd have to do first, given that it's a science class), but then use those same facts to argue for a creationist interpretation, then I would judge the answer on how well they used the facts to make the interpretive argument, not on whether I agreed with their interpretation or not.<br /><br /> The issue here is that one doesn't have to agree with someone to have respect for the fact that their views are different. But in a science class, you have to be able to make a good argument (whether evolutionist or creationist --- I don't set easy questions that can be answered by polemics either way!)<br /><br />ChristineChristine Janisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643715.post-48544219486528933272009-06-29T16:35:29.564-04:002009-06-29T16:35:29.564-04:00Hi Dr. Janis,
Thanks for stopping by!
What is in...Hi Dr. Janis,<br /><br />Thanks for stopping by!<br /><br />What is inherently "less than Christian" about making assumptions?<br /><br />Can someone pass your class if they argue only the creationist position or must they be able to argue the evolutionary position in spite of their personal beliefs?Arthur Sidohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03848508095612688493noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643715.post-83441367386283541002009-06-29T13:08:07.212-04:002009-06-29T13:08:07.212-04:00Hey, guys, aren't you being a little less than...Hey, guys, aren't you being a little less than "Christian" in making all these assumptions about me? I just made an observation (about the relative rates of reproduction), that happens to be true! You're the ones who gave it the context.<br /><br /> While I'm certainly an evolutionist, I'm also one of the people who aided Marcus Ross in getting his PhD from URI (and have publicly defended that position). Students in my vertebrate evolution course get to view the creationist vs evolutionist debates on several topics (e.g., the evolution of whales). Of course, I support the evolutionist view, but I encourage students to read the literature seriously and to engage in actual debate (not to just dismiss the creationists as being ignorant). Nobody has to "believe" in evolution to pass my classes, they just have be able to present the arguments. <br /><br />Christinechristine janisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643715.post-61976278235916957192009-06-26T13:11:14.624-04:002009-06-26T13:11:14.624-04:00What is funny about ignert? Isn't that how you...What is funny about ignert? Isn't that how you spell it?<br /><br />:^)Arthur Sidohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03848508095612688493noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6643715.post-71495825086357991912009-06-26T12:28:40.246-04:002009-06-26T12:28:40.246-04:00Very funny....especially the word 'ignert'...Very funny....especially the word 'ignert'...love it.Dusty Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14038006740293111352noreply@blogger.com