A Spoof Taken Seriously

_{Cornelius Hunter

March 5, 2010

Intelligent Design}

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Just as deism’s sway long outlasted its apparent expiration date, so too logical positivism continues to influence. Witness the childrens song Science is Real by the band They Might Be Giants which begins with a quote from the Vienna Circle’s Rudolf Carnap: Read more

Comments

Cornelius, here's a better one: I don't need no one, to tell me about Heaven, I look at my daughter and I believe . . .tribune7_{March 5, 2010
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I don't know if Dr. Hunter was being tongue-in-cheek himself, but I am sure that Here Comes Science (like its predecessors) is in earnest. The album is often self-conscious and jokey, but any self-parody in the intended moral is completely accidental.anonym_{March 5, 2010
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Well, TMBG is known as being a sort of "nerd rock" (a silly genre label, I know). So writing a song praising science wouldn't surprise me much. It doesn't really sound like a parody, or at least I didn't get that vibe. Regardless, TMBG is the last group I would take seriously on such things. In any case, one of the best jazz combos out of Texas: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C00yjm0jkyc :-)HouseStreetRoom_{March 5, 2010
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I'm curious. What makes you think that TMBG intention was to Spoof scientism? It didn't sound much like parody. From their own website: http://tmbw.net/wiki/Here_Comes_Science "Some songs on the album, specifically Science Is Real and My Brother The Ape, have been criticized for promoting science over religion. [12][13] In an interview with Wired, John Flansburgh commented on the song: "Although it wasn’t designed to create controversy, it’s still a big relief to me that the opening track, Science Is Real, didn’t raise any red flags with the label. The song freely acknowledges the Big Bang and evolution, and casually conflates angels with unicorns and elves–all of which might bug some anti-science, pro-angel folk."dodgingcars_{March 5, 2010
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