ID not OK in UK 26 Jun 2007 The Register is reporting that the UK government has ruled that intelligent design is not acceptable in science classes. [via Slashdot] Evolution General Science Politics Social evolution
Evolution Animals and rights 5 Nov 2007 What with Hollywood archetypes of “animal rights activists” coming out of the woodwork lately, Ryan Gregory and Larry Moran pose the following question: And so I ask, on what basis do you draw the sharp moral line between “humans” and “animals”, “human rights” and “animal rights”, “us” versus “them”? What… Read More
Evolution On religion, and apologies 14 Sep 2008 The hyperborean John Pieret, notes that my love for the “social glue” theory of religion (I henceforth steal that name, John; sue me. Oh, wait, you’re a lawyer aren’t you? Never mind) has been backed up by two ASU anthropologists in a new book. I’d feel a lot happier if… Read More
Politics Competition for public funds 26 May 201126 May 2011 Ever wondered why education, research, health care and public infrastructure is being wound back across the western world? This chart, from here, on the American debt, suggests why: In the competition between various calls on the public purse, it looks like the military and the plutocracy have won out. We… Read More
It’s not just the UK that is not seduced by the hokum of ID or creationism; the Council of Europe has a strong document saying that creationism is dangerous in education: http://assembly.coe.int/main.asp?Link=/documents/workingdocs/doc07/edoc11297.htm Although the Christian creationism movement looks strong in the US (and possibly Australia too), I think Americans often don’t understand how little impact it has had in post-Reformation Europe; people just don’t buy it and don’t buy literalist worship of the Bible. The Council of Europe document recognises the dangers inherent in letting Islamic creationism take root too. In the UK, Islamic “faith schools” are a worrying trend in promoting irrationality. We need to be vigilant, but we don’t need to be paranoid!
The British are unique in their irrationality. The same people who can be so sensible about things like evolution can still go gaga over reported ghost sightings.
“In their rationality, all nations are alike. In their irrationality, all nations are unique.” Comment.
“In their rationality, all nations are alike. In their irrationality, all nations are unique.” Comment.
….The same people who can be so sensible about things like evolution can still go gaga over reported ghost sightings. Posted by: Alan Kellogg It’s simple really; we know the difference between science and religion plus we love a mystery.
….The same people who can be so sensible about things like evolution can still go gaga over reported ghost sightings. Posted by: Alan Kellogg It’s simple really; we know the difference between science and religion plus we love a mystery.
I would imagine that in Europe Islamic creationism, as part of a trend towards the isolation and Islamistization of European Muslims must be a prime concern, and that by giving Creationism as a general claim the boot from schools, they tidily get rid of a few local loons, as well as justifying putting a stop to a much more troubling trend. But don’t for a moment forget that there is a small but often vocal English ultraconservative community which isn’t all that different from the sort to be found in the US. They have tacit allies among the more mainstream British conservatives, who now seem on a quest to undermine British public education. The Telegraph’s editorial section usually has one of these types at least once a week.