The Failings of EP
But no—Scruton won’t have any of that. Agreeing with an Australian philosopher, the late David Stove, he dismisses evolutionary psychology as “Darwinian fairytales.” As for The Art Instinct, although it receives bibliographical mention at the back of Scruton’s book, neither the work nor its argument is engaged directly (both books appeared in 2009, The Art Instinct a little before Beauty). Instead, two other proponents of evolutionary psychology, Ellen Dissanayake and Geoffrey Miller (whose contributions are described in Dutton’s book), are made to represent evolutionary aesthetics overall.
There is nothing more direct as a refutation of Darwinism than its inability to handle either morality or art, despite the mythologies being created to fake it, Dutton’s effort with art being a rare instance of attempts to deal with the art factor.
It is interesting that Kant wrote three critiques, the last two on morality and aesthetics.
Perahps the first critique by Kant can explain why Darwinists strike out on the last two.
It is interesting that Scruton cites David Stove! But the take here is that this has to do with evolutionary psychology, often a cover for those who don’t want to criticize Darwin.
I am curious as to whether Scruton is actually an anti-darwinists. Hard to read Stove and not be.
This is a perfectly good question, but we should tit for tat at once with, Where do scientists get those crazy ideas about reductionist Darwinism?
In general Kant is the best on this one: we are confronted with the frustration and inevitability of metaphysics, both at the same time.
The questions about the supernatural emerge in the most natural fashion as a set of false generalizations extending the limits of our basic conceptions.
For example, is their a beginning in time or is there no beginning in time….
One of the strangest things about the science wars was the failure of any of its science critics to seize the main issue: the gross failure of Darwinism, and its take-over of science as ideology. Anyone trying to critique science could have had a field day, but the sacred Darwinism was given a pass, except, finally and belatedly, by Fuller who, however, ended up allying himself with the ID movement, which means his critique of Darwinism didn’t really count.
We are left with the laughing stock question: how could the science wars have missed Darwinism?
IBM DNA Transistor
The Future of Genome Sequencing
In an effort to build a nanoscale DNA sequencer, IBM scientists are drilling nano-sized holes in computer-like chips and passing DNA strands through them in order to read the information contained within their genetic code.
Remember the Danish “Muhammad cartoons” that set off riots by offended Muslims more than three years ago? The debate pitted freedom of press and speech against notions of freedom from insult of one’s religion. It rages still – but now in a forum with international legal implications.
For years, Islamic nations have succeeded in passing “blasphemy” resolutions at the United Nations (in the General Assembly and in its human rights body). The measures call on states to limit religiously offensive language or speech. No one wants their beliefs ridiculed, but the freedom to disagree over faith is what allows for the free practice of religion. The resolutions are misguided, but also only symbolic, because they’re nonbinding.
Symbolism no longer satisfies the sponsor of these resolutions – the Organization of the Islamic Council. Under the leadership of Pakistan, the 57-nation OIC wants to give the religious antidefamation idea legal teeth by making it part of an international convention, or legally binding treaty. Members of the UN Human Rights Council are passionately debating that idea in Geneva this week.
The United States under Barack Obama recently joined the UNHRC, maligned for years as the mouthpiece for countries that are themselves flagrant human rights abusers. A “new” council formed in 2006. President Obama’s hope is that as an engaged member, the US can further reform – and its own interests. This case will test his theory.
Consider the wording put forth by Pakistan, written on behalf of the OIC. It proposes “legal prohibition of publication of material that negatively stereotypes, insults or uses offensive language” on matters regarded by religious followers as “sacred or inherent to their dignity as human beings.”
Culture, Genes Affect Behavior
Posted on: Thursday, 29 October 2009, 05:50 CDT
Evolutionary outcomes can be influenced by culture as well as genes, according to a new study released on Wednesday comparing societies around the world.
Natural and social sciences are rarely brought together, but the study analyzed the interaction across 29 countries of two sets of data, genetic and cultural.
The researchers discovered that the majority of people living in countries considered to be collectivist have a certain mutation within a gene that regulates the transport of serotonin, a neurochemical known to have a substantial affect on mood.
Darwinists Launch Cyber Attack Against Intelligent Design Website
A Colorado group is the target of malicious computer hackers in what appears to be a coordinated attempt to suppress information about an upcoming conference on Darwin and intelligent design in Colorado.
When Ants Attack: Chemicals That Trigger Aggression In Argentine Ants Synthesized
ScienceDaily (Oct. 29, 2009) — Experiments led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have demonstrated that normally friendly ants can turn against each other by exploiting the chemical cues they use to distinguish colony-mates from rivals
Robot Armada Might Scale New Worlds
ScienceDaily (Oct. 28, 2009) — An armada of robots may one day fly above the mountain tops of Saturn’s moon Titan, cross its vast dunes and sail in its liquid lakes.
The Iraq war’s chief New York Times cheerleader has reversed field on Afghanistan. Does it mean there will be no escalation?
In early 1968, after the devastating Tet Offense, CBS News anchor Walter Cronkite pronounced the Vietnam War unwinnable. Lyndon Johnson knew he had “lost middle America” and soon declined to run for a second term. The war dragged on for seven more hellish years. But the hearts and minds of the American public had been lost.
gnxp
Culture, not just genes, can drive evolutionary outcomes, according to a study released Wednesday that compares individualist and group-oriented societies across the globe
With a deep feeling of sorrow Talk Reason has learned about the death of a prominent mathematician, professor at Rutgers University, and contributor to Talk Reason, Norman Jay Levitt, zichrono levrakha. In this post Nick Matzke writes about the despicable malicious attack upon the memory of Levitt by one Steve Fuller, whose efforts to undermine genuine science were so eloquently debunked by Norman Levitt.
The Onion October 27, 2009 | Issue
45•44
U.S. Continues Quagmire-Building Effort In Afghanistan
Hill by hill, U.S. forces tirelessly work toward the strategic goal of
complete immobility.
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN— According to sources at the Pentagon, American
quagmire-building efforts continued apace in Afghanistan this week, as the
geographically rugged, politically unstable region remained ungovernable,
death tolls continued to rise, and the grim military campaign persisted as
hopelessly as ever.
RG mail
The Virtues of Deglobalization
by Walden Bello
Global Research, October 25, 2009
Foreign Policy in Focus – 2009-09-03
*The current global downturn, the worst since the Great Depression 70 years
ago, pounded the last nail into the coffin of globalization. Already
beleaguered by evidence that showed global poverty and inequality
increasing, even as most poor countries experienced little or no economic
growth, globalization has been terminally discredited in the last two years.
As the much-heralded process of financial and trade interdependence went
into reverse, it became the transmission belt not of prosperity but of
economic crisis and collapse.
October 28, 2009
*Brought to You by the CIA
**America’s Drug Crisis*By DAVE LINDORFF
Next time you see a junkie sprawled at the curb in the downtown of your
nearest city, or read about someone who died of a heroin overdose, just
imagine a big yellow sign posted next to him or her saying: “Your Federal
Tax Dollars at Work.”
The evolution debate is a form of hysteria on both sides, and both sides have no idea of what evolution really is. A glimpse of evolution
All the clues to evolution can be found in world history.
Darwinists should be asking how they could be losing this battle? Maybe they are doing something wrong.
The failure of Darwin’s theory is one thing, the inability of scientists to grasp where they are going wrong is another.
They have handed justified doubt to their dissenters.
Incompetence.
A survey conducted earlier this year by Ipsos MORI delved into UK residents’ opinions about evolution. Interesting results:
38% believe in atheistic evolution
25% believe in theistic evolution (God helped)
16% believe humans did not evolve and God created us
22% have some other view or aren’t sure