Further to October 2014 (and to Barry’s suggestion that readers kindly remember Uncommon Descent in their year end giving tax receipt) – via the Donate button (our Christmas stocking) on the main page):
My sense is that we are making some headway against what Leon Wieseltier has referred to as Darwinist dittoheads, and I’d like to point to some more stories, this time from November 2014, that explain why:
First, Barry Arrington noted, Still no bomb, a reference to his October post observing that the Darwin bomb that was supposed to destroy us all had not gone off after a decade of threats:
I am back and I am amazed at the energy that has gone into responding to that post (1,608 comments!). I have had a chance to go over the comment thread and can report that there is still no bomb.
Amusingly, keiths insisted that he had posted a bomb over at The Skeptical Zone that proved that Darwinism is “trillions” of times better at explaining the data than ID. His argument failed at many levels. Yet, even more amusingly, he kept on insisting he had debunked ID after his so-called bomb had been defused by numerous commenters. See, e.g., here and here for just two examples.
Keiths’ unwarranted triumphalism is just the latest example of a phenomenon I have seen countless times over the last 10 years. Many Darwinists seem to be literally unable to see past their ideological blinders, and this makes them blind to errors in their arguments that are obvious to those who don’t share their metaphysical commitments. I expect keiths to continue to go on ranting about how his bomb is waiting to be defused. Let him. At the end of the day, neither he nor I get to decide. We write for the lurkers.
As a lifetime newser, I would say that the biggest single change I’ve seen in fifty years is the wholesale replacement of fact with “narrative,” for example the Darwinian narrative.
Even major media are affected. A story blows up in their collective face, and all they will say is, we are glad to have drawn attention to a serious issue (campus rape, for example). Hint: If that is indeed your goal, running with a story that falls apart is a ruddy disaster.
At least, that is how we used to see it fifty years ago. But today “Our brains are shaped for fitness, not for truth” has done its work. It actually doesn’t matter what is happening, only what fits a “narrative.”
But no matter the spin, not only has the kill-ID bomb not exploded, but lots of people besides us are beginning to notice that fact.
Also not bombed was design theorist Michael Behe. We hear Bill Dembski is still alive. And Oxford mathematician John Lennox, who asks, Is information evidence of something beyond nature? Still working, apparently.
– Darwin’s camp continues to implode. How about: New Coynage: E.O. Wilson calls Richard Dawkins a “journalist”, which in their circles* is a huge insult. He also thinks, it is time for philosophy to become biology. Sure, guys. Doubtless, there is plenty of room in the tar pit. Especially for Dawkins, it would seem. More here. And here. And Laszlo Bencze on the “journalist” flap.
–The Pope on evolution? What kind of evolution does the Pope believe in? The real story is that the Catholic Church has not changed its mind on evolution. And the confusion around whatever Pope Francis was trying to say forced hostile media to realize that. Never thought anything like that kind of honesty would ever happen.
Pop science journalists will never have the Pope they wan’t Even the spiky blue airhead on cable TV can’t make it so.
See also philosopher Laszlo Bencze on the Pope’s recent statement on evolution and philosopher Vince Torley on how Francis was getting channelled to say something he would probably reject. But no matter, as long as it keeps Darwinism in the Catholic schools.
But all that said, Darwin’s Christians don’t want for money from Templeton.
– Just for fun: Post-election special: the evolutionary psychologist knows why you vote — and shop, and tip at restaurants He knows so much, he could write a novel about you. Amazingly enough, someone has done just that. It might be the worst novel ever written, which is a distinction of sorts. Oh, and here’s a chuckle over what happened when evo psych violated a political correctness rule.
Dying book chain Barnes and Noble now has a policy of misshelving ID books.
Oh yes, and then in November there was also some noise about liberal science denial. That means something like, “liberal creationists”? Enough! Enough! People, take a stand! These “liberals” really must quit poaching our territory. WE are the science deniers! WE are the creationists! These layabouts, past-sell-by-date hippies, pro level jerks, and utter total bumpkins must not be allowed to just wander in and pose for glam photo ops without doing a lick of the real work! Make them work or throw them out!
See also: January 2014: Events that made a difference to ID (My sense is that we are making some headway against what Leon Wieseltier has referred to as Darwinist dittoheads.)
February 2014: Events that made a difference to ID We are definitely past having to care what Christians for Darwin think.
March 2014: Events that made a difference to ID: Old, taken-for-granted “truths” are collapsing; an information theory approach may help us forward.
April 2014: Events that made a difference to ID Despite these developments, naturalists would prefer chaos and nonsense to signals that point away from naturalism.
May 2014: Events that made a difference to ID BUT then things took a really odd turn: It turned out that everyone who doubts Wade’s race theories is a creationist. Hey, is “creationist” the new “think for yourself”?
June 2014: Events that made a difference to ID In June we began to think seriously about William Dembski’s then upcoming Being as Communion, a more philosophical look at design in nature
July 2014: Events that made a difference to ID Among many other events, a UD Post where a famous chemist says no scientist understands “macroevolution” passed 200,000 views.
August 2014: Events that made a difference to ID Famous Darwin follower, Jerry “Why evolution is true” Coyne, was really mad that information theorist William Dembski is allowed to speak at his fort, Fort Chicago University
September 2014: Events that made a difference to ID It was becoming obvious that no one who knows the facts need be defensive about doubting the naturalist spin.
October 2014: Events that made a difference to ID Even establishment science media are now moving to recognize the problems with Darwinian evolution theory.
December 2014: Events that made a difference to ID Fake Facebook pages started in an attempt to discredit ID theorists. (People fake Rolexes, not Timexes.)
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*Note: Before new media took over, “journalist” was actually a distinction. I could flash my press card and proceed to the head of a lineup if I were writing a story on the event for people who couldn’t be there. I could use the press room at conventions. I prefer today’s new media environment, but am not at all happy with what has happened to the concept of journalism. – O’Leary for News