My name is Mason Porter. I am a Professor in the Department of Mathematics at UCLA. Previously I was Professor of Nonlinear and Complex Systems in the Mathematical Institute at University of Oxford. I was also a Tutorial Fellow of Somerville College.
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
A defeat for logical thinking
Brian Limketkai just passed along the following report of the 6-4 victory in Kansas in favor of Intelligent Design (pronounced "Creationism"). This was the expected outcome, but it's still deeply saddening.
Argh! There is supposed to be separation of church and state. Why not just teach that the world is flat? That's where we're headed. As scientists, all views should be taught without favoritism toward one view.
Well, in Civilization, the world can be flat (or it could have periodic boundary conditions on the left and right, as we've come to expect). Hey, maybe the world is a torus?
First, they attack evolution, then they'll attack gravity, and pretty soon we won't even be able to teach string theory in high school! It's a slippery slope...
Well, Kansas may have been a lost cause. We should make sure we don't lose Ohio and Pennsylvania...
Argh! There is supposed to be separation of church and state. Why not just teach that the world is flat? That's where we're headed. As scientists, all views should be taught without favoritism toward one view.
ReplyDeleteDammit. I guess there really isn't hope for Kansas.
ReplyDeleteWell, in Civilization, the world can be flat (or it could have periodic boundary conditions on the left and right, as we've come to expect). Hey, maybe the world is a torus?
ReplyDeleteFirst, they attack evolution, then they'll attack gravity, and pretty soon we won't even be able to teach string theory in high school! It's a slippery slope...
Well, Kansas may have been a lost cause. We should make sure we don't lose Ohio and Pennsylvania...
All hail the Flying Spaghetti Monster!