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Evolution Revisited
Darwinian man, though well-behaved,
At best is only a monkey shaved.
— William Gilbert, Princess Ida
It is with as much embarrassment as pundits are able to muster that I am forced to acknowledge that the Texas Board of Education may now consider itself vindicated by none other than some school administrators in a town in what is one of the more enlightened (but for its choice of Senator) states in the country. It was but a few weeks ago that this writer mocked Texas for having adopted standards for its science textbooks that contradicted any notion that evolution had affected the board’s members.
Confronted by evolution and global warming the Texas board insisted that its textbooks examine “all sides of scientific evidence” which includes the notion that the earth is but 6000 years old, give or take a couple hundred. The Discovery Institute that doesn’t discover contemporary truths, trumpeted what it called a “huge victory for those who favor teaching the scientific evidence for and against evolution.” Dr. Don McLeroy, a dentist and probably a very good one, who headed the Texas Board of Education at the time of this triumph of rhyme over reason described the decision as winning “the Grand Slam and the Super Bowl.” Not content with such hyperbole he went on to say that: “Our science standards are light years ahead of any other state when it comes to challenging evolution.” The school administrators responsible for the Weston Intermediate School, though probably not sympathetic with the successes of the Texas board, have shown that they are sensitive to the feelings of those who are troubled by the thought that they have evolved from forms they find not pleasing to contemplate. Our teacher about evolutionary matters in the Weston Connecticut school district is Mark Tangarone, a teacher in the Talented and Gifted Program (TAG). .
Mr. Tangarone has been a teacher in the Weston school system for the last 17 years. His last day of teaching in the district will take place on the last day of the current school year. Mr. Tangarone is leaving because of evolution. His problems with the concept began in 2008.
In 2008 he created a program around the fact that Lincoln and Darwin were born on the same day in the same year. A part of the program dealt with Darwin’s journey to Australia and Asia and included a discussion about evolution. Mr. Tangarone submitted an outline of the program to Dr. Mark Ribbens who was then the school’s principal. Dr. Ribbens rejected the proposed program because of its discussion of evolution. In an e-mail, a medium that is an obvious result of evolution, Dr. Ribbens way gave evolution credit for being a “robust scientific theory” that nonetheless provided a philosophically unsatisfactory explanation for the diversity of life.” He went on to explain that evolution “touches on a core belief-Do we share common ancestry with other living organisms? What does it mean to be a human being. . . . I know personally that I would be challenged in leading a 10-year old through this sort of discussion while maintaining the appropriate sensitivity to a family’s religious beliefs or traditions.” Dr. Ribbens concluded by saying evolution was not age appropriate for Mr. Tangarone’s students and said “TAG topics need to be altered this year to eliminate the teaching of Darwin’s work and the theory of evolution.” Defending Dr. Ribbens, John Drummond and Carolyn Vinton, the Weston curriculum instructional leaders, said that the schools address evolution in what they call a “developmentally appropriate manner”. The lessons are taught in kindergarten and grades 3, 8 9 and 10, as the students themselves are evolving.
Mr. Tangarone appealed Dr. Ribbens’ decision to the Assistant Superintendent, Tom Scarice who rejected the appeal. On February 12, 2010, Mr. Tangarone sent a letter to the school board announcing his retirement because of the censorship of his proposed program. Jerry Belaire, the school superintendent, said that the dispute had nothing to do with teaching evolution but said the 17 year veteran teacher was a disgruntled teacher who did not like being supervised and had been disciplined for attendance issues and insubordinate conduct, charges denied by Mr. Tangarone.
Many Weston parents, having evolved more than the members of the administration, have expressed concern and the school board has vowed to examine the circumstances surrounding the resignation. Dr. Ritter, meanwhile, has apologized for his e-mail to Mr. Tangarone saying: “Some of the things I said were written in the heat of the moment and could be wrong. If so, shame on me.” To that one can only add shame on the administration that attempted to cover up a patently absurd decision by attempting to impugn the integrity of Mr. Tangarone. As the president of the school board said, speaking of Mr. Taggarone: “On a personal note, both of my children were fortunate to have Mark, and this is a real loss for our system.” That observation suggests that Weston may yet prove itself different from, and further evolved than, Texas.
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89 Comments so far
Show AllIt is astounding that this is up for debate.
It looks like proof positive that some of us are living side to side with Neanderthals.
What's next? The sun rises in the west.
Actually Buck, and I mean this only as food for thought, the sun does not "rise" at all --- not when one considers that the earth is spherical. "Sunset" and "sunrise" are leftover terms from the time when most people believed the Earth was flat. "Sunsight" and "Sunclipse" are much more precise.
It is important to consider, not from a philological standpoint, but as proof-positive that humans like to hold on to old, discredited concepts. So, here we are, in 2010, still debating the age of our rock and other nonsense.
I get it. It is a relativity thing, visual perspective. Seeing as I do from the planet's surface, it does seem to rise and go overhead. Not trying to be obstinent or intending any offence, I'm sticking with sunrise and sunset.
Yeah, me too. Only wanted to point out that underlying muck (old paradigm) that gets stuck to your hands like dirty oil.
Been washing your hands in the Gulf have you?
Earthturn.
Don't put down the Neanderthals. If we hadn't driven them to extension, they probably would have added a much needed dimension to the human species.
shoulda let 'em walk to the extension...
is the ex tension like a yoga retreat?
You gotta problem with the sun risin' in the West? Ah beleeeeve, glory!
Make no mistake. The real anti-enlightenment "educational" target is all of science, and beyond that, the already feeble abilities of the American public to apply rational thought to analyses of its environment, whether natural or man-made. (See Phillip Johnson's "The Wedge" and Kenneth Miller's "Only A Theory".)
For the current ownership of USA Incorporated, co-opted religion is their educational tool just as the co-opted military is their globalization tool, with a little help from the co-opted mass media, of course. They certainly can't have the peasants and their offspring thinking too deeply about the real roots of the realities decreed and imposed by America's one true god -- as if there was any significant danger of that happening.
Welcome back to the Dark Ages. You'll find the monastery and its teaching facilities just beyond the castle yonder. Beware the dragon, and tell your sons to keep a wary eye on those monks.
Sigh...
There is no 'scientific' evidence against the theory of evolution. If there was the theory would be disproved. All it would take for the theory to be disproved is finding a fossilized bunny in the precambrian era...
Must we continue to debate this?
That's the attitude they're counting on. They rarely follow polite scientific rules of debate -- and, unfortunately, neither does most of their target audience.
[They rarely follow polite scientific rules of debate ]
Which is understandable as they willfully misunderstand what science is and what it's not. They do seem to know enough not to engage in outright scientific fraud, and also avoid testifying in open court about their 'ideas'. So I think the ones who are committing the anti-evolution fraud are aware of the fact that they are stinking liars who are out for a quick and easy buck from the gormless.
Think about it, they've never tried to find a bunny, fake it's fossilization and present it after placing it into a precambrian layer of rock. Either they're lazy, or they know that what they're doing is full of shit.
"... and also avoid testifying in open court about their 'ideas'."
In fact they have tried, although only when cornered as in the Kitzmiller v. Dover (Pennsylvania) trial in which the judge, John E. Jones III, summarizing the testimony of the Discovery Institute fellow, Michael Behe, et al, wrote as follows:
'On cross-examination, Professor Behe admitted that: “There are no peer reviewed articles by anyone advocating for intelligent design supported by pertinent experiments or calculations which provide detailed rigorous accounts of how intelligent design of any biological system occurred.” [22:22-23 (Behe)]. Additionally, Professor Behe conceded that there are no peer-reviewed papers supporting his claims that complex molecular systems, like the bacterial flagellum, the blood-clotting cascade, and the immune system, were intelligently designed. [21:61-62 (complex molecular systems), 23:4-5 (immune system), and 22:124-25 (blood-clotting cascade) (Behe)]. In that regard, there are no peer-reviewed articles supporting Professor Behe’s argument that certain complex molecular structures are “irreducibly complex.” [21:62, 22:124-25 (Behe)]. In addition to failing to produce papers in peer-reviewed journals, ID also features no scientific research or testing. [28:114-15 (Fuller); 18:22-23, 105-06 (Behe)].'
But, again unfortunately, findings such as the above seldom see the light of day in any mass media or publications that are likely to influence perceptions of the general population. The problem is that scientific minds find the fallacies so ludicrous that they tend to scorn the unscientific forums in which disasterous "educational" decisions are actually made. That's understandable, but potentially fatal, and in the evolving U.S. climate (pun intended), judicial rationality is by no means guaranteed forever.
Actually Behe was one of the witnesses called for the defence, there were 5 others called, I think, but somehow they didn't show up. But you're quite right to point out that I should have said 'most' and not implied 'all'. Although, if we're going to talk about future cases I doubt that any of them would be as foolish as Behe was after his experience in court...
The Dover trial couldn't have had a more favorable judge for the creationist side, they were very happy with him. Until he gave his ruling, then they started calling the bush appointee an 'activist' judge...
Yup. Behe was exceptionally brave and/or foolish in that case compared to some others of like persuasion who ducked the call completely.
Anyhow, I'm quite certain that we're fully in agreement about the ludicrous weaknesses of the creationist case from a purely rational scientific perspective. Considering many other recent U.S. developments, however, I'm just not sure that the scientific community (or anyone else) can afford any complacency on that basis.
I think so as well. Although I must admit that I do enjoy laughing at the various creationist videos on youtube a bit too much. Some of them are just too funny for words and one wonders if it's not just the drug of religion that they're on.
On edit, and second thought. The 'creationist' argument is also weak theologically. It's based on the idea that the bible is without any error and is perfect in every way. Using that kind of argument should the fundy find one thing that's irreconcilable between the world he/she lives in and the bible, then their entire faith could be shattered. One believes in Gawd in spite of the evidence against such a creature, not because it's written in a book.
[ Considering many other recent U.S. developments, however, I'm just not sure that the scientific community (or anyone else) can afford any complacency on that basis.]
That worries me as well, if the fundies did get their way the usa would become a christian theocracy, with nuclear arms and anticipating an end time battle between the forces of god (them) and evil (the rest of the world). I do my best to ridicule the religious beliefs that I come across, but will be the first to admit that I'm quite abrasive when I do that and probably wont change the minds of those who think that because I dislike the idiocy of bronze age superstitions I'm really Satan in disguise.
I thought that was the Bush administration? Him always praying over everything.. and getting answers! The fact ther are dozens of orginizations in this country helpin Isreal to rebuild Solomans Temple to bring about the End of Days, and Bush/Shurb was a charter member!
>^^<
Sioux Rose
I hope someone gets you a dictionary for your birthday!
It is organizations, not orginizations.
It is not helpin it is helping.
Solomons Temple, shoud be Solomon's Temple
and it is Bush/shrub, not shurb.
Can you actually read?
Does anyone have an actual street address for this so-called "Discovery Institute" in Seattle?
I suspect its just someone spewing his lies out of a post office box or web address. Some idiot who has self declared himself as an "Institute". He might be better off in an institution.
On another note - we can call anyone we don't like a "Neanderthal" and really mean it. Or call ourselves that. I for one think they've gotten bad press over the years. The fact that some of their DNA lives inside us is some sort of vindication!
Type "Discovery Instute Seattle" into Google, and you are provided with the address and a Google-map.
Don't be such a lazy troll.
cbwim said "The fact that some of their DNA lives inside us is some sort of vindication!"
I think this means that Jean Auel is vindicated. If you never read "Clan of the Cave Bear" now you can and know it's true.
Sorry 4THEFUTURE, but what he says is true. This article just appeared two days ago.
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1987568,00.html
As this disturbing happenstance points out, the forces of religious-based ignorance are beginning to see the seeds of their malevolent work bear fruit.
How long will it be when those whom utter the word "evolution" are hauled up to face charges of blasphemy?
You'll be lucky if you actually get to face any charges. The Inquisition has progressed far beyond such silly notions as habeas corpus. It has even modernized its rack and thumb screw tools of persuasion as waterboarding leaves fewer marks and is at least as effective.
cbwim May 8th, 2010 10:41 am wrote:
"Does anyone have an actual street address for this so-called "Discovery Institute" in Seattle?"
Seattle Headquarters:
Discovery Institute
208 Columbia Street
Seattle, WA 98104
Phone Numbers:
Voice: (206) 292-0401
Fax: (206) 682-5320
Washington DC Office:
Discovery Institute
2776 South Arlington Mill Drive, #813
Arlington, VA 22206
Phone Numbers:
Voice: (202) 558-7085
Fax: (202) 408-0632
Google: it's what's for breakfast...
Anyone who has traveled in Europe knows how ignorant the common American is. We really don't want public schools to do more than provide the three 'R's. I am constantly amazed at how uneducated the average American is. I never finished college, but I'm curious about things, so I read a lot and seek out information on PBS and other educational stations, not to mention the internet.
Only the elite in America get a guaranteed access to private education. The rest of us have to scrabble for it, if we care to. The marginalized racial minorities depend on sports scholarships and luck and a lot of very hard work. Public schools are the first to feel the bite when funds are 'unavailable'. Here in Arizona, this is very much the case. Public schools are pretty much a write off, as far as getting a decent education is concerned.
The United States has become a second class country. We don't know it yet, because of our vast wealth, but it won't take long before we will be looking at Europe and China and even some parts of Latin America with envy. Except that the common American will be so ignorant he wont know the difference. We will be a banana republic, without the bananas.
We are already a banana republic, and have been for some time. As to the miseducation of the American public, one need only read the posts on this thread, and the article itself, and its subject matter, to see it is true.
I see that some people are related to Neanderthal. Maybe that helps explain Texans.
Maybe it explains Neanderthals, much as the presence of murderous cyborgs from the future explains us Californians, or at least state government.
Seriously, I understand the claim is that Neanderthals are related to Caucasians and Asians. I have to suspect that we will see a spate of scholarly articles arguing for the strength, nobility, and intelligence of Neanderthals.
I only narrowly resist signing off with a "Sapiens, sapiens uber alles." A lot of human activity reminds me of the old Far Side cartoon with a diorama full of dinosaurs smoking.
If Texans have not evolved from apes, perhaps they should. But a lot of the rest of us ought to join them.
Actually, according to the lastest genetic work, Neanderthals mated with Homo sapiens sometime between 44,000 and 60,000 years ago. That is before the differentiation between Asians and Caucasians.
And it is before the differentiation between Homo sapiens and Texas School Book Board members.
"Neanderthals mated with Homo sapiens sometime between 44,000 and 60,000 years ago."
so not on the first date?
Ms. Neanderthal was told to wait til marriage but couldn't resist the "animal" instincts.
" A lot of human activity reminds me of the old Far Side cartoon with a diorama full of dinosaurs smoking."
Personally, I like the Far Side cartoon showing the student entering an institution called "Midvail School for the Gifted" pushing on the door to enter when it says "pull" on the door:-)
My turn;
raggedy guy sitting on the sidewalk holding a sign that reads,
"Will work for ammo."
I, for one, have always felt that my Incipient Neandertude helps to make me a better person.
Hey as far as Murderous Cyborgs from the Future runnung Ca.. it was the .com 80s and he made a promise not to kill us all if we elected him.
See what listening to politicians promises gets you.
>^^<
I aint from no stinkin monkey. I'm from Adam & Eve & their kids who.... well, who.... well, they did something & god said ok this time and then, well, then here I am 6,000 years later. Hagee & Rush can do my splainin for me.
I thought A&E only had boys. One of whom killed the other...
Speaking of science in the bible(ha), why is it that no prophet or writer of the bible mentioned the fact that the sun is a star? All of them seem to think that there is a difference between them.
I wonder how many of those who approve textbooks in Texas really believe that the earth is flat and that the sun orbits the earth.
And onbe of A & E's sons went away and married .... what?
Perhaps a sheep, or a cow... No wait, that's that idiot in Georgia. (grin)
What you are seeing here is a gun-shy school administration. The Superintendent is trying to forstall any uproar from angry citizens, clamping down on a decent teacher and thereby on his students.
And who are those angry citizens?
A tiny minority of hard-right fundamentalcases that are far louder than their numbers warrant.
Connecticut is supposedly a Liberal Blue state. Don't believe it. Brauchli gave it a paasing shot, but just look at our Senators and Governor.
Then look at what we do for a living here. Insurance, Defense, Prisons and Gambling supply most of the employment here, directly or indirectly. We probably have more lawyers per capita then most other states and litigious doesn't begin to decribe it.
We also have a branch of the Family Research Council here stirring up just these kind of issues.
In all likelihood, the School Board and the Superintendent of Schools have been pre-emptively hit by these creeps in order to do exactly what is outlined in this article, shut down the teacher's freedom of speech and the students' freedom to learn.
The earliest twitter messages are only 6,000 years old so how could the earth be any older than that?
Helloooo, the USA is not wealthy it is at the economic mercy of it's bond holders, China could completely economically destroy the USA for good tommorrow simply by massively selling USA treasury notes.
The USA now exports more raw material than it does manufactured items.
Please stop knocking the Neanderthals they were more peaceful than the CroMagnon.
Can this nation get any dumber?
"Please stop knocking the Neanderthals they were more peaceful than the CroMagnon."
I'm sure there's a lesson in there somewhere, but I'm not sure that "politically correct" advocates of working within the system will like the conclusion very much.
My humble and most sincere apologies to Neanderthals everywhere.
Please allow me to change my snide remark to;
Holy F$%^ing S*&t, I'm living along side a bunch of F#%*ing CroMagnons.
It won't happen again.
It would be nice if Mr. Brauchli had been trained as a journalist instead of a lawyer because this article is too clever by half.
As a Neanderthal whose body is less than half "human DNA" I object to the entire method process used as reported in the Time article, by which the researchers removed the fungal DNA from their calculations.
Also, given the ignorance of the Texas School Board, we need a theory of Devolution that coordinates with a theory of Evolution.
We have an academic "discipline" in biology that is wrapped in the Theory of Progress that lies at the heart of Western Civilization and its sense of "exceptionalism."
My take on this idea that European "modern" humans interbred with Neanderthals, the latter being allegedly "inferior," would thus prove that the Africans in the study, who had no Neanderthal DNA, are superior to us European-derived white people.
Maybe I'm being overly simplistic, but after decades of absorbing theories of human evolution, and studies of pollution, I'm convinced that we are in a long period of Devolution and are growing less intelligent very quickly. Our Planet is losing bio-complexity, which translates to increasing Entropy. I suspect that this is one reason why we are investing in artificial intelligence.
As the last surviving Neanderthaal [sic] I have a question for you "modern" humans. How is it that even though I allegedly lacked your linguistic capacity (including limited nerve chord structures of the throat) I lasted at least 300,000 years and you are puny by comparison? Gee. And now they may admit we knew fire.
HAL: I can't do that, Dave. Or was it Sorry, Dave, I can't do that. Open the door, HAL...
Then there is Frank Herbert's DUNE, where water is the most precious resource, where computers are banned, and where spaceships navigate by essence of worm.
I've always had doubts about Leakey and the human Evolutionists, but biblical interpretations have nothing to do with my Empirical questions.
I suspect that we are really very stupid creatures who could not find our Selves without Culture, which is growing extremely fragile.
Some among us are more fungus.
-30-
It is true that some of us are more than fungus, but, alas, some are not.
Fungal: some of us are fungal. A theory of "Devolution" could go a long way toward explaining the useful idiots who vote for Republicans and Democrats! I have engaged in what I thought was intelligent discussion with some narrow minded Discovery Institute person, but was rebuffed for my use of bad language. Apparently, if you have a different perspective from that of intelligent (translate as fundamentalist) design (translate as the will of a small minority of evangelicals) you are guilty of using bad language! Do not waste your time with those who refuse to recognize science. Their New Testament Bible would be a public school textbook if these religious wing nuts had their way.