tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post8444999708216438284..comments2023-12-21T06:35:36.624-05:00Comments on Recursivity: Eleven Years Later, 9/11 Truthers Find Ways to Look Even More RidiculousUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-80857065924594696952013-06-21T15:14:22.422-04:002013-06-21T15:14:22.422-04:00As if his CV has anything to do with whether the b...As if his CV has anything to do with whether the book is pop science or not.Jeffrey Shallithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12763971505497961430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-27988309953328840622013-06-21T14:51:01.834-04:002013-06-21T14:51:01.834-04:00Here's the author's CV:
https://sites.goog...Here's the author's CV:<br />https://sites.google.com/site/amesoudi2/cvThe Beaglenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-60690506559555055272013-06-14T16:33:56.788-04:002013-06-14T16:33:56.788-04:00Dear Mutt:
You do know the difference between pop...Dear Mutt:<br /><br />You <i>do</i> know the difference between pop science and real science, don't you?<br /><br />Nope, I guess not.Jeffrey Shallithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12763971505497961430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-65925051989705022872013-06-14T15:40:13.466-04:002013-06-14T15:40:13.466-04:00"What is "Darwinian theory"? Funny,..."What is "Darwinian theory"? Funny, my textbook on evolutionary biology doesn't use that term."<br /><br />Maybe you should read the following:<br />http://www.amazon.com/Cultural-Evolution-Darwinian-Synthesize-Sciences/dp/0226520447<br /><br />"Cultural Evolution: How Darwinian Theory Can Explain Human Culture and Synthesize the Social Sciences"The Beaglenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-91295129821284991292012-10-01T02:07:06.287-04:002012-10-01T02:07:06.287-04:00Oort Cloud, could you provide an example of an int...Oort Cloud, could you provide an example of an interesting/challenging question about evolution posed by a creationist?<br /><br />There is a strong consensus among those of us who understand evolution that the creationists are largely uneducated of the facts, and I'd wager that this consensus includes Richard Dawkins. As a result we tend to be (justifiably) dismissive of claims to the contrary.<br /><br />But putting all that aside: if you wish to challenge the assertion that creationists do not ask interesting questions simply provide an example! But keep in mind it is possible that what you find interesting is utterly boring to a competent biologist.codyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11407919985914326282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-22607761841896828632012-09-30T18:11:16.991-04:002012-09-30T18:11:16.991-04:00And you refuse to admit your comment to me was sim...And you refuse to admit your comment to me was simply misguided. So we're even!<br />Oort Cloudnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-56278501443221541702012-09-30T07:19:44.390-04:002012-09-30T07:19:44.390-04:00Oort Cloud refuses to answer my question. Big sur...Oort Cloud refuses to answer my question. Big surprise there.Jeffrey Shallithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12763971505497961430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-88138929302092103012012-09-30T02:27:08.492-04:002012-09-30T02:27:08.492-04:00"What is "Darwinian theory"? Funny,..."What is "Darwinian theory"? Funny, my textbook on evolutionary biology doesn't use that term."<br /><br />If it's good enough for Richard Dawkins, it's good enough for me.Oort Cloudnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-1493100922111564832012-09-27T14:22:41.580-04:002012-09-27T14:22:41.580-04:00The 9/11 Truth movement is interesting from the po...The 9/11 Truth movement is interesting from the point of view of interpreting history.<br /><br />There was another world power millenia ago which had a damaging event that destroyed many public buildings and beautiful homes in its most powerful city. This was the burning of Rome on 19 July 64 CE. Emperor Nero blamed the Christians for this attack. History (written by the Christians) blamed Nero.<br /><br />Interestingly enough, there was another event in 70 CE, the sacking of Jerusalem by future emperor Titus.<br /><br />It makes me ask the question: Was the Great Fire of Rome the equivalent of 911 for Rome? And was the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE the equivalent retribution for that event?John Stockwellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03496308585336775569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-32830377443562084312012-09-21T07:04:52.660-04:002012-09-21T07:04:52.660-04:00But I think it would be folly to dismiss a theory ...<i>But I think it would be folly to dismiss a theory as preposterous just because the US government says otherwise.</i><br /><br />Who is dismissing it "just because the US government says otherwise"?<br /><br />We dismiss preposterous theories because (a) there is no evidence for them (b) they require an unbelievably massive conspiracy theory (c) they do not provide any reasonable motivation for the acts and (d) serious investigative journalists, such as Lawrence Wright, have provided a comprehensive picture of the terrorists, and their acts and motivations.Jeffrey Shallithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12763971505497961430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-67615239028622311732012-09-20T17:15:02.173-04:002012-09-20T17:15:02.173-04:00I am no Truther. However, I'm puzzled by the v...I am no Truther. However, I'm puzzled by the vitriol aimed at respected academics. Does A.K. Dewdney, for example, have a history of being stupid or being a liar? Not that I know of. Does he have something to gain by espousing his theories? No, in fact he has a lot to lose. <br /><br />On the other side of the argument, mainly, is the US government, an institution that if anthropomorphized would surely be diagnosed as a sociopath and pathological liar. The list of lies is long and horrific. Would they lie about WMD and proceed to murder tens of thousands? Yes, they would. <br /><br />Once again, I am not a Truther. But I think it would be folly to dismiss a theory as preposterous just because the US government says otherwise. IJKnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-35256618963522268962012-09-16T11:21:52.236-04:002012-09-16T11:21:52.236-04:00Diogenes: I wonder why you have read many creation...Diogenes: I wonder why you have read many creationist books. Do you find it entertaining, or it is because you want to see what the limits of idiocy can be? I am just curious, because, personally, I get upset. <br /><br />The Ray Comfort beliefs remind me Aristophanes: in one of his comedies he claims that, long time ago, there was a single sex and that only later did men and women appear. Of course, without knowing it, Aristophanes turned out to be right, but the banana man has no chance of ever being correct.Takis Konstantopouloshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14675216467783238403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-5416656727985096672012-09-15T14:26:26.613-04:002012-09-15T14:26:26.613-04:00If you really believe that that ridiculous questio...<i> If you really believe that that ridiculous question typifies the question of the leading challengers of Darwinian theory...</i><br /><br />Except Henry Morris used that argument in "Many Infallible Proofs."<br /><br />I have read dozens of creationist books. They're either too ignorant to know they're ignorant, or they're pathological liars.<br /><br />Remember when Ray Comfort described Darwinism thusly: Darwin wrote that male humans evolvwd separately from female humans, until after millions of years, by blind chance, they happened to evolve sex organs that fit together?<br /><br />"Why do monkeys still exist?" isn't the dumbest argument against evolution. I've read dozens of creationist books. There is no dumbest. It's like falling into a black hole: you never really reach the singularity.Diogeneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15551943619872944637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-91798064369834031972012-09-14T05:31:13.871-04:002012-09-14T05:31:13.871-04:00What is "Darwinian theory"? Funny, my t...What is "Darwinian theory"? Funny, my textbook on evolutionary biology doesn't use that term. And who are the "leading challengers" of this nonexistent field?<br /><br />Jeffrey Shallithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12763971505497961430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-82338017310459394212012-09-14T00:59:13.028-04:002012-09-14T00:59:13.028-04:00If you really believe that that ridiculous questio...If you really believe that that ridiculous question typifies the question of the leading challengers of Darwinian theory, then you're just fooling yourself. <br />Eh, we should get back to the truthers...Oort Cloudnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-330180549410701542012-09-13T07:53:59.972-04:002012-09-13T07:53:59.972-04:00What's that, Jeffrey? You'll be telling us...What's that, Jeffrey? You'll be telling us next that if someone asks a genealogist "If I am descended from my grandmother why does my grandmother still exist?", then that means they aren't really engaging with the interesting problems that working genealogists face.James Cranchhttp://jdc41.user.srcf.net/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-18105417840750006002012-09-13T03:09:18.482-04:002012-09-13T03:09:18.482-04:00Yes, Oort Cloud, that's exactly what I'm s...Yes, Oort Cloud, that's exactly what I'm saying. If you look at the kinds of questions creationist typically ask (e.g., "If we descended from monkeys why are there still monkeys") you nearly always find that they have absolutely nothing to do with what evolutionary biologists actually study. They don't even know the issues.Jeffrey Shallithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12763971505497961430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-15178393484716986982012-09-12T18:56:10.304-04:002012-09-12T18:56:10.304-04:00Dr. Shallit, Are you saying that Creationists don&...Dr. Shallit, Are you saying that Creationists don't ask interesting (and sometimes challenging) questions about evolution? <br />Or did you just toss that out because you didn't think that any of your readers would challenge you?Oort Cloudnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-27610151446649860462012-09-11T23:21:24.701-04:002012-09-11T23:21:24.701-04:00I clicked your link "elaborate and prepostero...I clicked your link "elaborate and preposterous scenarios," and before that, I had never realized that the guy who did those "studies" saying that the Flight 93 hijackers could not have used cell phones (Dewdney), was the same guy from the Mathematical Recreations column from SciAm back when I subscribed to that.<br /><br />That just makes me sad.Curt Cameronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08048312089881459521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-41313749590636462652012-09-11T16:16:34.261-04:002012-09-11T16:16:34.261-04:00Just listened to one these people on the Kitchener...Just listened to one these people on the Kitchener radio station, bringing up Bush in Florida, WTC 7 collapsing, Rumsfeld mentioned a "missile" hitting the Pentagon despite evidence to the contrary and that the fourth plane was shot down.<br /><br />There are more holes in his theories than the holes that he claims are in the "official" story.Coreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14860410726835293682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-81324507493041214442012-09-11T16:15:32.683-04:002012-09-11T16:15:32.683-04:00Just listened to one these people on the Kitchener...Just listened to one these people on the Kitchener radio station, bringing up Bush in Florida, WTC 7 collapsing, Rumsfeld mentioned a "missile" hitting the Pentagon despite evidence to the contrary and that the fourth plane was shot down.<br /><br />There are more holes in his theories than the holes that he claims are in the "official" story.Coreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14860410726835293682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-80344684141342437742012-09-11T12:44:57.307-04:002012-09-11T12:44:57.307-04:00No - but I just put a hold on it at my local libra...No - but I just put a hold on it at my local library - thanks! :)Gingerbakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14211637630936981883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-27109219537094308512012-09-11T10:36:34.742-04:002012-09-11T10:36:34.742-04:00Of course there are unanswered questions about 9/1...Of <i>course</i> there are unanswered questions about 9/11. But, just like creationists and evolution, the truthers are not the ones asking the interesting ones.<br /><br />Did you read <i>The Looming Tower</i>?<br />Jeffrey Shallithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12763971505497961430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20067416.post-6178767984672757352012-09-11T09:58:48.221-04:002012-09-11T09:58:48.221-04:00If you are arguing that the official story line is...If you are arguing that the official story line is completely believable, (that Bush is not someone who can be blamed for 9/11) Colleen Rowley had something relevant to say about that, don't you think?<br /><br />Remember Colleen - the FBI agent who was on the cover of Time magazine for wondering why her bosses would not let her investigations into 9/11 terrorism proceed according to protocol? Who said (I quote loosely by memory here) "It was as if they worked for the enemy"?<br /><br />The facts are that the Bush family had a long personal and business relationship with the Saudi royals (not to mention the Bin Laden family).<br /><br /> And members of the Saudi royal family were channeling funding monies to terrorist groups, including agents inside the U.S.<br /><br />And at some point, George Bush directed that investigations involving the Saudi royals was off-limits, leading to the resignation of John O'Neill, Chief of the FBI counter terrorism unit.<br /><br />So, I would say that there are relevant unanswered questions about the role of George Bush, the FBI and the CIA that are not "ridiculous" and "preposterous".<br /><br />But these questions get lost in the all-too-easy rush to dismiss any questions about 9/11 as "trutherism" conspiracy theories - most of which are indeed preposterous and ridiculous.<br /><br />The problem is that it is a very tangled web indeed which has to be unraveled to understand the full background of 9/11. One could spend hundreds of hours reading material on the subject. I recommend www.historycommons.org as perhaps the best repository of referenced information on the topic.<br /><br />For a taste of the issue involving Saudi agents I outlined above see:<br /><br />http://www.historycommons.org/essay.jsp?article=essaykhalidandnawafGingerbakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14211637630936981883noreply@blogger.com