Science & evolution

[Phil Bunch]

Science is a method and works best when applied without preconceptions, or
at least when one's preconceptions are understood. Not withstanding, there
have been many people of diverse religious beliefs that have applied the
method successfully. Science would not have made much progress without the
foundations such people provided, particularly in its "early" years. I find
attempts to attack the method by some people of faith to be repugnant. I
also find the attitude of some "true believers" in the scientific community
regarding religious belief equally repugnant. We chose the conceptual
frameworks that best fit our humble accumulations of data and live with the
consequences.

Phil Bunch

On Friday, November 15, 2002 05:41, Thomas Lammers
[SMTP:lammers at VAXA.CIS.UWOSH.EDU] wrote:
> At 11:34 AM 11/15/02 +1100, you wrote:
> >Ken Kinman's 'indirect creation' post reminded me of a conversation I
had
> >nearly 40 years ago, when I was young & silly (as opposed to old &
silly).
> >I was talking with a Jesuit who was also a very fine marine biologist. A
> >reconstruction:
> >
> >'You believe,' I asked, 'that Man was specially created?'
> >'Without a doubt,' he replied.
> >'So what's this "special creation" and how does it tie in with
evolution?'
> >'Man,' said the priest, 'was specially created at the precise moment he
> >first recognised the existence of God. A great deal of evolution took
place
> >before this wonderful moment.'
>
> Ooh, I like that one, too.
> It's probably not *too* far off from Roman Catholic doctrine.  I know
that
> evolution was never an issue during my years of Catholic education; the
> scientific view of origins was taught unflinchingly.
>
>
> Thomas G. Lammers, Ph.D.
>
> Assistant Professor and Curator of the Herbarium (OSH)
> Department of Biology and Microbiology
> University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
> Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901-8640 USA
>
> e-mail:       lammers at uwosh.edu
> phone:      920-424-1002
> fax:           920-424-1101
>
> Plant systematics; classification, nomenclature, evolution, and
biogeography
> of the Campanulaceae s. lat.
>
> Webpages:
> http://www.uwosh.edu/departments/biology/Lammers.htm
> http://www.uwosh.edu/departments/biology/herbarium/herbarium.html
> http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Resort/7156/lammers.html
> -----------------------------------------------------------
> "Today's mighty oak is yesterday's nut that stood his ground."
>                                                                --
Anonymous