Wednesday, December 30, 2009

“Darwinism is based on a prior commitment to materialism, not on a philosophically neutral assessment of the evidence. Separate the philosophy from the science, and the tower collapses.”
Phillip Johnson, “The Unravelling of Scientific Materialism,” 22

17 comments:

scripto said...

That would be all science, Phil. How would it work otherwise?

Zzzst said...

Johnson says HIV doesn't cause AIDS.

Gorth Satana said...

"The wedge metaphor, attributed to Johnson, is that of a metal wedge splitting a log and represents using an aggressive public relations programme to create an opening for the supernatural in the public’s understanding of science. Johnson acknowledges that the goal of the intelligent design movement is to promote a theistic agenda cast as a scientific concept"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedge_strategy

Thesauros said...

That is SO cool! Usually when I present a quote you guys go after me like I'm the one saying it. Nice maturity.

Gorth Satana said...

Johnson says HIV doesn't cause AIDS.

And actively campaigns against HIV research!

He is a retired Professor of Law at the University of California, Berkeley.

Thesauros said...

Johnson says HIV doesn't cause AIDS"

My guess would be, that's a partial quote. The whole quote would say, "HIV doesn't cause AIDS, casual sex with strangers causes AIDS." or something to that effect.

To which an atheist will reply, "How did the baby with AIDS have sex with strangers?" some such stupid remark.

Zzzst said...

Nah, he's actually written five papers on it. He's no biologist.

Gorth Satana said...

My guess would be, that's a partial quote. The whole quote would say, "HIV doesn't cause AIDS, casual sex with strangers causes AIDS." or something to that effect.

No. He actively campaigns against HIV research. He's written several articles supporting AIDS denial.

Thesauros said...

"No. He actively campaigns against HIV research."

Sad

Zzzst said...

"That is SO cool! Usually when I present a quote you guys go after me like I'm the one saying it. Nice maturity."

Oh, like you didn't post it because you agree with it.

Thesauros said...

"Oh, like you didn't post it because you agree with it."

Actually, I don't agree with it. If he had said, "atheism" is based on a prior commitment to materialism" vs. evidence, then I would say, "Absolutely!"

I would also say that "atheism" does not allow for a "philosophically neutral assessment of the evidence."

I do not agree that if one "separates the philosophy from the science, the tower collapses."

I post stuff because "I" find it interesting - some of it I agree with and some I don't.

Zzzst said...

You say you don't agree with it?
Darwinism isn't based on a prior commitment to materialism? It's magically supernatural now?

Thesauros said...

No, Darwinism is based upon observations of adaptation within species and then extrapolated - sadly without evidence - to mean evolution from one species into another.

Zzzst said...

Speciation has been induced artificially, has been observed happening in the lab and in the wild.

Thesauros said...

Speciation has been induced artificially, has been observed happening in the lab and in the wild."

Oh my! You really do live in a fantasy world, don't you?

Zzzst said...

Says the guy who talks to an invisible "man" in the sky!

Zzzst said...

Which doesn't change the fact that speciation has been induced artificially, has been observed happening in the lab and in the wild.