Not just in Kansas, Anymore....

[Richard Pyle]

Just so there is absolutely no ambiguity; despite what it appears to
indicate below, I am not the author of the text that follows my name. I was
merely quoting the local newspapers (I know you know this, Curtis, but I
felt compelled to make mention of it, lest someone browsing the archives
gets the wrong idea.....)

Thanks also for your comments that follow - they have been helpful.  Just
for a quick update to interested folks on this list, the story made the
front page of today's Star Bulletin, as well as monopolizing the Letters
section. The public hearing tomorrow evening is anticipated to be very
well-attended, and I have great confidence that rational minds will prevail
(but, as my colleagues from Kansas have cautioned me -- one can never be too
careful!).

I will post an update on Friday.

Aloha,
Rich

> At 09:27 PM 7/29/01, Richard Pyle wrote:
>
> >"'Evolution' is often times confused with 'adaptation,' Matsumoto argued.
> >'So many times in our textbooks and our science classes, adaptation gets
> >replaced with the word evolution,' she said. 'Adaptation is a
> change within
> >a species to adapt to their survival rather than evolution, which is
> >changing from one species to another species such as ape to
> man.' Matsumoto
> >suggested that such changes between species are not possible."
> [...]
> >She argued that 'evolution' reflects the idea that one species
> >can change into another, such as ape to man, which she argued is not
> >possible, while adaptation reflects change within a species."
>
> This is a misuse, *from an orthodox creationist standpoint*, of the word
> "adaptation". The creationist literature, old and modern, is replete with
> explanations of adaptation as the features that the Creator gave to
> individual species to suit them for their habitats. And as Gould has
> pointed out, adaptation is not an argument for evolution--the natural
> theologians of two centuries ago looked to adaptation as specific evidence
> of special creation. There is even one creationist view that
> "microevolution" results in *decreased* adaptation, since God made each
> species originally perfect.
>
> This might be useful if you get the opportunity for "cross-examination".
>
>
> --
> Curtis Clark                  http://www.csupomona.edu/~jcclark/
> Biological Sciences Department             Voice: (909) 869-4062
> California State Polytechnic University      FAX: (909) 869-4078
> Pomona CA 91768-4032  USA                  jcclark at csupomona.edu