05.31.09

‘Humanized’ Mice

Posted in Evolution at 8:07 pm by nemo

Why Can We Talk? ‘Humanized’ Mice Speak Volumes About Evolutionary Past
ScienceDaily (May 31, 2009) —
This is all very interesting but the assumption that human language evolved by natural selection, or the action of a single ‘lucky’ gene mutation, is almost certainly false.

Mice carrying a “humanized version” of a gene believed to influence speech and language may not actually talk, but they nonetheless do have a lot to say about our evolutionary past, according to a report in the May 29th issue of the journal Cell, a Cell Press publication.

Theoretical self-defense

Posted in Evolution at 8:04 pm by nemo

Reading Open Veins Of Latin America (a post today, scroll down) made me realize how much exploitation has to do with misunderstanding, and the way in which ideologies are used to fool people who can’t defend themselves with counterarguments.
And that is true of Darwinism. The overwhelming impression of science in the Darwin promotion campaign is misleading, and yet it hoodwinks millions,
Falsifying Darwinism: A Theoretical Self-defense
It is not hard to sink Darwinism based on natural selection, but few can manage the browbeating they get for trying.
The study of the eonic effect gives you an devastating equalizer.

Texas ed board

Posted in Evolution at 7:53 pm by nemo

Conservatives have hopelessly confused the Darwin debate by adopting views in association with dissent on Darwinism that make their case seem outlandish.
The fact that the general population deserves something better than Darwin propaganda is repeatedly lost as these boards end up scrambling the simple tactic of teaching evolution, but allowing dissent on natural selection.

Even Nature pokes the Ida hype

Posted in Evolution at 7:47 pm by nemo

UD has a quote from a restricted Nature article on the brouhaha over ‘Ida’:

A hyped-up fossil find highlights the potential dangers of publicity machines.
Last week’s publication of paper describing a 47-million-year-old fossil primate with a remarkable degree of preservation (see http://tinyurl.com/oycvo8) prompted a trickle of news in The Daily Mail that quickly swelled to a flood of media coverage.

In normal circumstances, the interpretation of the specimen given in the paper (J. L. Franzen et al. PLoS ONE 4, e5723; 2009) would have been no more contentious than that of any other fossil primate, and a good deal less so than some.

[ ... ]

But the circumstances surrounding the paper’s publication were anything but normal. Before the paper had even been submitted to the journal, Atlantic, a production company based in New York, had commissioned a television documentary and an accompanying book about the find. Just a week after the paper appeared, the book has been published and the documentary has been aired on the History Channel in the United States, as well as Britain’s BBC and Norway’s NRK.

Marx and darwinism

Posted in Critique of Evolutionary Economy, Evolution, Ultra Far Left at 7:06 pm by nemo

This is an old webpage that I should put back on line, dealing with the suspicions of Marx about Darwinism, doubts now censored on the left where Marx the Darwinist is trumpeted to the public.

One of the enduring confusions of the left has been the relationship of Marx and Darwin. This is partly the result of Engels’ views which were not quite concordant with those of Marx. Engels’ somewhat eclectic writings proceed on the one hand toward a distinctly post-Hegelian version of materialism and dialectics, and yet on the other toward the scientism of the times, with a close embrace of the views of Darwinism.
Of course, the general acceptance of Darwin’s theory makes this situation seem normal! Noone can get it straight, the more so as Marx was a closet Darwin heretic, too often taken in the way Engels is taken. In fact, in his remarkable passage from the generation of the Left Hegelians to the era of Comte and the positivistic scientism that became so dominant Marx remained in many ways within the mental universe of the Hegelian generation. Here again great confusion arises because of the problems with Hegelianism. In any case the issue of evolution as such was one thing, the theory of natural selection quite another. It was apparent to Marx almost at once that this was British ideology at work!
Perhaps in the age of Postdarwinism it will be possible to do justice to this original insight of Marx. But everyone is so conditioned to Darwinian thinking that this is now counted against Marx, and not generally discussed by his followers!
It is thus significant that Marx is on record as being skeptical of Darwin’s thinking. There is one telling episode. His enthusiastic interest in 1865 in a now forgotten book by Tremaux Origin and Transformations of Man and Organisms because of its critique of natural selection. Marx of course was clutching at straws, and was soon ‘corrected’ by Engels, but he was clearly ambivalent from the first about Darwin. He felt that Darwinism was a natural complement to his philosophy of history. And at the same time he perceived at once the ideological character of Darwin’s thinking. This acute insight quite naturally made him skeptical of the mechanism of evolution, the more so as the latent strain of Hegelian of his theories enabled him to straddle two domains of discourse.
It is small wonder that Marx said he wasn’t a Marxist. He must have wondered what was becoming of his thinking as the German Socialist movement took hold, embracing the veiled ideology of Darwinism, after all the labors to expose the economic ideology with which he began.
It is almost impossible to set the matter straight in the current environment of the Darwin paradigm, and confusion over Hegel. In all fairness to Engels, the Hegelian strain in Marx (and in Hegel!), although profound and elusive, is as open to challenge as the rest. The culprit is Hegel, but Hegel requires to be understood on his own terms, for he is not an easy thinker, and interpretation and critique is frequently vitiated by the wrong assumptions about evolution now current.
What a muddle!
Engels has been criticized many times for the type of thinking that emerged later in Dialectics of Nature. He scores a plus for intuition, and a minus for bad theories that don’t do what they claim. The intuitions about dialectic, and ‘evolutionary leaps’ are as significant as they are flawed, and have resulted in a considerable amount of wrong thinking about the nature of revolution.
The views of Darwin rapidly became an object of interest by many thinkers in the Second Internationale, and the myth of Marx’s wish to dedicate the second edition of Capital to Darwin was a staple until finally exposed.For the latter question, cf. Terence Ball, Reappraising Political Theory (Oxford, 1995), “Marx and Darwin, A Reconsideration”.
For the question of Marx and Tremaux, cf. Alan Megill, Karl Marx, The Burden of Reason (Rowman & Little field, 2002), p. 55.
John Bellamy Foster, Marx’s Ecology NY: Monthly Review Press, 2000), p. 199.
Richard Weikart, Socialist Darwinism: Evolution in German Socialist Thought from Marx to Bernstein (San Francisco: International Scholars Publications, 1999).

Open veins of Latin America

Posted in Critique of Evolutionary Economy, Evolution at 6:31 pm by nemo

Have been reading the book Chavez gave to Obama, a new edition from Monthly Review: Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent
by Eduardo Galeano

A powerful account of the economic history of Latin America, which makes for dismal reading indeed. Chavez’ gesture was excellent.
It is interesting to look at the Amazon reviews: the book received over sixty postive reviews, not surprising. But also ca. fifty one-star reviews, which I find surprising, even given the small amount of ‘leftist’ confusion in the text which is mostly a factual history of the depredations perpetrated on Latin America over two centuries.
It resembles the one-star treatment given to anti-Darwinism books.

And there is certainly a connection: the Darwin paradigm is very cleverly concealed economic ideology, plus an ‘ethical neutralizer’ for those who confront the ethical/economic dimension of capitalism and can’t do that without a disguised ‘nihilist’ ideology to be able to function in the ‘dog eat dog’ realm.
Time to cashier this cozy arrangement between economic propaganda and Darwinian pseudo-science sanitized by Darwinian ‘liberal’ dupes, and Marxist idiots who are as bad on Darwinism as the capitalists.
A nasty surprise comes at the end of this American spree: the same capitalists who exploited Latin America care little for the American population and will cheerfully see them sold into poverty as the capitalist center of gravity shifts.

Junk dna

Posted in General at 6:21 pm by nemo

Saved By Junk DNA: Vital Role In The Evolution Of Human Genome
ScienceDaily (May 30, 2009) — Researchers at K.U. Leuven and Harvard University show that stretches of DNA previously believed to be useless ‘junk’ DNA play a vital role in the evolution of our genome. They found that unstable pieces of junk DNA help tuning gene activity and enable organisms to quickly adapt to changes in their environments. The results will be published in the journal Science.

New atheists and Nietzsche?

Posted in atheism at 5:12 pm by nemo

Comment on Atheism and its Critics

James said,
May 31, 2009 at 1:06 pm ·
“He tells Steve Paulson that they simply don’t measure up to the old atheists like Nietzsche and Camus.”
Give me a break. Why don’t they ever mention Schopenhauer? Nietzsche and Camus can’t hold a candle to him.

James said,
May 31, 2009 at 1:14 pm ·
Actually, I think I know the answer: these theologians want to associate “atheism” with some dumbed down version (even as they praise Nietzsche for being smarter than the New Atheists) so it is easier to knock down. It is a ploy to present Nietzsche as the spokesperson for “atheism” in order to prove that it leads to all sorts of pernicious views.

You have touched on an important point. Haught also tried this trick: call the New Atheists second-rate beside Nietzsche. Does he know anything about Nietzsche?
Whatever my problems with the New Atheists, at least they are not visibly Nietzschean (of course a behind the scenes influence is more than possible, likely, in some cases). As noted on this blog Nietzsche ironically made it very hard to be an atheist, without also being several other monstrous things, like a genocidal eugenic Social Darwinist.

The Homeless Stay Wired

Posted in you've got mail at 1:45 pm by nemo

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124363359881267523.html

On the Street and On Facebook: The Homeless Stay Wired
Mr. Pitts Lacks a Mailing Address But He’s Got a Computer and a Web Forum
By PHRED DVORAK
SAN FRANCISCO — Like most San Franciscans, Charles Pitts is wired. Mr. Pitts, who is 37 years old, has accounts on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. He runs an Internet forum on Yahoo, reads news online and keeps in touch with friends via email. The tough part is managing this digital lifestyle from his residence under a highway bridge.

Log: some posts from last week

Posted in links at 1:10 pm by nemo

Posts from last week

Read the rest of this entry »

Shermer vs. Hovind

Posted in Evolution, Science & Religion at 12:52 pm by nemo

Michael Shermer vs. Eric Hovind

Climate Change Will Soon Make Millions Homeless

Posted in global warming at 12:49 pm by nemo

sciftp

http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=47046

Q&A:
‘Climate Change Will Soon Make Millions Homeless’
Stefania Milan interviews MAURIZIO GUBBIOTTI of Legambiente
FLORENCE, May 31 (IPS) – Millions of people will soon have to leave their homeland as a result of global warming, says a report on environmental refugees by the Italian environmental association Legambiente. Half of them will move due to natural catastrophes, the rest will be hit by desertification and rising sea levels.

Atheism And It’s Critics

Posted in atheism at 12:45 pm by nemo

by To the Best of Our Knowledge – Wisconsin Public Radio – 080622
From Dawkins site

http://wpr.org/book/080622a.html

Atheists have been called the most hated minority in America. And yet recent atheist manifestos by Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens and Sam Harris have all made the best-seller list. So have these atheists changed our thinking about religion? We’ll talk about he New Atheism with Richard Dawkins and two of his critics in the time hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge.

SEGMENT 1:

John Haught is a Catholic theologian at Georgetown University who’s written a polemical response to the so-called “new atheists.” He tells Steve Paulson that they simply don’t measure up to the old atheists like Nietzsche and Camus. Haught’s books include “God after Darwin” and “God and the New Atheism.” The world’s most famous atheist, Richard Dawkins, author of “The God Delusion,” visits with Steve Paulson and demonstrates why he’s been called “Darwin’s rottweiler. And, Alister McGrath, a historical theologian at Oxford, shares Dawkins’ interest in science, but little else. He and Steve talk about the role of religious zealotry. McGrath’s book’s include “The Dawkins Delusion” and “Christianity’s Dangerous Idea.”

SEGMENT 2:

Jenny Phillips is the director of the documentary film “The Dhamma Brothers.” The film tells the story of a program which brought several Buddhist teachers to maximum security Donaldson Correctional Facility in Alabama to train a group of inmates in Vapassana meditation. Phillips tells Anne Strainchamps that the course was an intense, grueling ten day experience that changed some of the inmates’ lives forever.

SEGMENT 3:

Brad Hirschfield was once a religious fanatic. He was one of a small number of Jewish settlers living in Hebron, in the middle of thousands of Palestinians. Now he’s a rabbi and the author of a book called “You Don’‘t Have To Be Wrong For Me To Be Right.” He tells Jim Fleming how he tries to preach a message of faith without fanaticism.

Listen to MP3

http://podcastdownload.npr.org/anon.npr-podcasts/podcast/4787204/510011/104750922/PUB_104750922.mp3?_kip_ipx=831525677-1243786103

…
Continue reading

http://wpr.org/book/080622a.html

Collins interview

Posted in Evolution, Science & Religion at 12:42 pm by nemo

Foundation website seeks to bridge religion and science
By Daniel Burke, Religion News Service
Published: May 28, 2009
WASHINGTON (RNS) —A year after stepping down as director of the Human Genome Project, Francis Collins is embarking on a new venture—one that may be even harder than deciphering DNA.
Collin’s new BioLogos Foundation aims to be a bridge in the debate over science and religion and provide some answers to life’s most difficult questions.
Francis Collins, former director of the Human Genome Project, hopes his new BioLogos Foundation will help bridge the divide between evangelicals and science. (PHOTO/RNS/Peter Sachs)
Through an interactive website (www.biologos.org), gatherings with pastors and scientists, and possibly developing science curricula for Christian schools, Collins aims to tell others about the deep compatibility he sees between Christianity and science.
Q: What led you to this new project?

The other side of Darwin

Posted in Evolution at 12:40 pm by nemo

Other side of Darwin’s life not often documented

How about his plagiarism of Wallace: cf. The Darwin Conspiracy

Junk dna

Posted in Evolution at 12:35 pm by nemo

Saved By Junk DNA: Vital Role In The Evolution Of Human Genome
ScienceDaily (May 30, 2009) — Researchers at K.U. Leuven and Harvard University show that stretches of DNA previously believed to be useless ‘junk’ DNA play a vital role in the evolution of our genome. They found that unstable pieces of junk DNA help tuning gene activity and enable organisms to quickly adapt to changes in their environments. The results will be published in the journal Science.

Volcanic eruptions and extinctions

Posted in Evolution at 12:31 pm by nemo

Ancient Volcanic Eruptions Caused Global Mass Extinction
ScienceDaily (May 30, 2009) — A previously unknown giant volcanic eruption that led to global mass extinction 260 million years ago has been uncovered by scientists at the University of Leeds.

Biochar

Posted in global warming at 12:29 pm by nemo

The bright prospect of biochar
Enthusiasts say that biochar could go a long way towards mitigating climate change and bring with it a host of ancillary benefits. But others fear it could do more harm than good.

Solartopia

Posted in environment at 12:27 pm by nemo

The 8 Green Steps to Solartopia
By HARVEY WASSERMAN

The noble vision of a Solartopian green-powered Earth is at last upon us.

Shadow Wars

Posted in you've got mail at 12:22 pm by nemo

mxmail
> Shadow Wars
>
> By Conn Hallinan
> Foreign Policy In Focus
> May 26, 2009
>
> http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/6141

Nuclear energy in trouble

Posted in you've got mail at 12:19 pm by nemo

RG mail

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/29/business/energy-environment/29nuke.html?pagewanted=1&hp

New York Times May 28, 2009
In Finland, Nuclear Renaissance Runs Into Trouble
By JAMES KANTER
OLKILUOTO, Finland – As the Obama administration tries to steer America
toward cleaner sources of energy, it would do well to consider the
cautionary tale of this new-generation nuclear reactor site.
The massive power plant under construction on muddy terrain on this Finnish
island was supposed to be the showpiece of a nuclear renaissance. The most
powerful reactor ever built, its modular design was supposed to make it
faster and cheaper to build. And it was supposed to be safer, too.
But things have not gone as planned.

Kenya and victims of empire

Posted in you've got mail at 12:17 pm by nemo

RG mail

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/johann-hari-we-owe-it-to-do-right-by-the-kenyan-victims-of-british-brutality-1692507.html

The Independent 29 May 2009
We owe it to do right by the Kenyan victims of
British brutality
There remains a blood-encrusted blank spot when it comes to Empire
Johann Hari

Lecturers’ boycott

Posted in you've got mail at 12:14 pm by nemo

RG mail

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/may/27/lecturers-vote-boycott

The Guardian 27 May 2009
Lecturers vote to boycott Israeli universities
Protest vote immediately declared void by university union
Lecturers voted overwhelmingly to boycott Israeli universities and colleges today. Delegates said Israeli academics were complicit in their government’s acts against Palestinians.
But as soon as the vote was carried, the leadership of the University and College Union declared it void. Lawyers had advised the union to rule the vote null and void if passed, to avoid legal action against the union.

Crisis and the philanthropies

Posted in you've got mail at 12:12 pm by nemo

RG mail

http://www.counterpunch.org/roelofs05282009.html

May 28, 2009
Where Were the Foundations?
The Philanthropies and the Economic Crisis

Obama and coal industry

Posted in you've got mail at 12:08 pm by nemo

sciftp

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-na-mountaintop-mining31-2009may31,0,6789406.story?track=rss

Obama walks a fine line over mining
Environmentalists feel betrayed by the EPA’s decision not to block new mountaintop mining projects.

05.30.09

The mind is not the brain

Posted in neuroscience at 2:55 pm by nemo

Can a machine change your mind?
Jane O’Grady

The mind is not the brain. Confusing the two, as much neuro-social-science does, leads to a dehumanised world and a controlling politics

Archaic Greece and the Old Testament

Posted in The Eonic Effect, World History and The Eonic Effect at 2:14 pm by nemo

Delphi, prophecy, hallucinogens

But the irony is that Archaic Greece (leading into the classical era) gives us a better clue to what is going on in Old Testament history than does the Old Testament.

http://history-and-evolution.com/whee/chap2_5_2.htm: Archaic Greece, the clue

The Old Testament As Eonic Data

Misdefining secularism

Posted in General at 2:09 pm by nemo

Take the Secular Principles Pinky Swear!
This is wrong from the beginning.
Secularism is not opposed to religion. It is a socio-political and temporal category for a pluralistic society.

Delphi, prophecy, hallucinogens

Posted in Booknotes at 1:32 pm by nemo

Comment on post re: E.R. Dodds’ The Greeks and the Irrational

James said,
May 30, 2009 at 11:51 am ·
I just started reading this book and it seems relevant to the discussion:

http://www.amazon.com/Oracle-Ancient-Delphi-Science-Secrets/dp/0143038591

Booknotes: signature of the cell

Posted in Booknotes, Evolution at 1:19 pm by nemo

http://www.evolutionnews.org/2009/05/wilberforce_forum_hosts_csc_di.html

This Sunday, May 30, Wilberforce Forum will feature a special online radio program featuring Dr. Stephen C. Meyer, Director and Senior Fellow of the Center for Science and Culture. He’ll be discussing his new book, Signature in the Cell: DNA and the Evidence for Intelligent Design, demonstrating that the digital code embedded in DNA points to a designing intelligence and brings into focus an issue that Darwin did not address.

Go to http://www.blogtalkradio.com/wilberforceforum at 6 pm EST, 3 pm PST this Sunday to listen

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