From Excellence to Excresence

From the Midwest Science of Origins Conference to Rebuilding the Foundation: Demolishing the Pillars of Evolution...

PZ Myers was disheartened to hear that while we were enjoying the MSOC, the unsuspecting people of Bemidgi, Minnesota, were mistreated to seven hours of intelligent design/young earth creationist (?!!) lectures.  I wrote as follows to the apparently credulous writer of an article on the meeting which appeared in the Bemidgi Pioneer.

"Dear Ms. Wesley,

Patrick Moynihan once said “Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but they are not entitled to their own facts.” Creationists hold strong opinions based on fanciful (and by no means universal) interpretations of origin stories found in Hebrew, Christian and Muslim holy books; proponents of biological evolution present facts – in the form of provisional knowledge – derived from over four centuries of accumulated scientific progress.

"Penni Cairns...said students raised on Creationism concepts can be confused and frustrated with evolution theory teachings because their beliefs are shot down by teachers following educational guidelines."

Science teachers are not responsible for their students' confusion, their parents and pastors are. Creationism is a religious concept not a scientific one. It does nothing to prepare our children for the demanding disciplines of science, biology, physics, and math they need to make their way in the world.

"The inclusion of Intelligent Design in schools’ studies of life origins is overdue, said the superintendent of Bagley schools."

Superintendent Cairns should know that intelligent design was repudiated as a poorly concealed religious dogma in the Tammy Kitzmiller, et al. v. Dover Area School District, et al. (400 F. Supp. 2d 707, Docket no. 4cv2688). It is illegal to teach intelligent design in the public school classroom.

Most surprisingly Drs. Morris and Jeanson seem to be arguing in favor of both intelligent design and young earth creationism. These are conflicting concepts among the myriad sects of evangelical and fundamentalist Christianity. I wouldn’t expect you to know this without advance study, but the presenters at “Rebuilding the Foundation: Demolishing the Pillars of Evolution” certainly should.

This weekend my kids and I attended the excellent Midwest Science of Origins Conference at the U of M – Morris.  Among the many fine talks we heard was a lecture by Dr. Neil Shubin, the paleontologist whose team discovered the important transitional fossil, Tiktaalik Roseae, in the Canadian Arctic, precisely where the science suggested it would be found. The story is also told in his book, Your Inner Fish: A Journey into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body.  I commend it to you if you are interested in learning more about the marvels of human evolution as illuminated by modern science.

Be well."

We shall see if Ms. Wesley has anything to say in response.

UPDATE: Never heard from her...quelle surprise

Midwest Science of Origins Conference 2012

What a fine gathering of thoughtful, interesting, and engaged people...

Daughter Cassandra and I drove three hours Friday afternoon to join son Erik in Morris, Minnesota, for the MSOC.

Friday evening featured a nice lecture by PZ Myers titled The Evolution of Creationism.  Given his strong feelings on the topic PZ really was very, very nice as he reviewed the development of Young Earth Creationism over the course of the 20th century.

After PZ's talk Cassie, Erik, and I took the Dob to a dark spot just out of town for a look at Mars, Jupiter, Venus, and the moon.  The sky was just a touch hazy, but the kids were impressed with the five-inch Bushnell.  They look forward to enjoying it at their grandparents' lake cabin this summer.

On Saturday came the bulk of the program.

Professor Marco Peloso gave a very engaging lecture on what we know (and how we know it) about the evolution of the universe since the first second after the Big Bang.  Dr. Peloso has a very engaging style and made all attendees comfortable by the grace with which he entertained questions from the audience.

The organizers then led break-out sessions, which they called the World Café, in which attendees were invited to express their reasons for coming to MSOC and their thoughts regarding the role of science in modern society.

In the down time between sessions Cassie enjoyed Craig Ferguson's memoir American on Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot.  Having left my current read in the motel, I read the first book of the Koran on my iPhone. Yes, there's an app for that.

After lunch we retired to the Morris Area High School auditorium where Neil Shubin PhD gave a fascinating review of his team's discovery of Tiktaalik Roseae in the Canadia Arctic, right where the science told them it should be.  He was signing his book, Your Inner Fish: A Journey in to the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body, but alas, while its on my Goodreads to-read list, I do not yet own a copy for him to inscribe and the campus bookstore was closed Saturday.  Dr. Shubin's presence resulted in positive local media coverage in the  Morris Sun Tribune.

Having been told about our inner fish, Dr. Michael Wilson reminded us of our inner ape.  He reminded us that our nearest cousins share many of our finer qualities as well as our baser instincts.

The presentations ended with a talk by Professor Dan Demetriou and student Miles Taylor in which they discussed an idea they're developing for publication.  They propose adding Honor Ethos to the Jonathan Haidt's six moral foundations.  I look forward to following the evolution of their idea.

The day's talks concluded, many of us rolled over to Old No. 1 for beer, burgers, and spirited follow-on conversations, especially about the Wilson and Demetriou talks, at least at our end of the table, which is where the good doctors were sitting.  Also at our end of the table was Brianne Bilyeu, blogger of Biodork and Minnesota Skeptics fame.

On Sunday Cassie and Erik planned to play a round of disc golf at Pomme de Terre park while I attended the final lecture of the conference by Chris Stedman and participated in a service project.  Unfortunately, my Sunday morning sleep-in was interrupted by a call from the office and we had to drive home earlier than anticipated.

The first annual Midwest Science of Origins Conference was a wonderful achievement for its student organizers, especially considering their minuscule budget.  They should be very proud of what they accomplished.  We're already looking forward to next year.  Well done, Morris Freethinkers, well done!

Photo credit: http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2012/04/01/midwest-science-of-origins-conferenceall-done/

Just Teaching the Controversy

Maintaining a commitment to Young Earth Creationism must be a lot of work...

Refuting their pseudoscience, not so much.

Thanks to Jerry Coyne at WhyEvolutionIsTrue for the links.

Respond to Terrorism

Not with fear but with indomitability...

So reads the conclusion of an excellent post by Bruce Schneier recapitulating his online debate with former TSA administrator Kip Hawley.  The Economist hosted the discussion at their website (interesting format).  It's worth your time.

Refuse the terror.

This Could Be Habit-Forming

I took took my new Dobsonian telescope for a spin around the early night sky...

This month, the last of my 53rd year, I spent some of my holiday gift money on something I've long thought about buying - a telescope.  The Bushnell ARES 5 inch Compact Truss Tube Dobsonian Telescope had many nice reviews for a starter scope and the price was very nice at OpticsPlanet.  Everything cheaper was smaller and had fewer features.  Everything more expensive was a lot more expensive.

I adjusted the collimation of the secondary and primary mirrors with a home made tool this evening and took it outside a little after sunset.  I used the moon as a target to zero the red dot finder scope (I ran out of adjustment; it'll need a shim).  The moon filled the eyepiece and the craters looked like I could reach out and touch them.  By then Venus was shining.  It is almost annoyingly bright and it was only quarter phase.  Then a pinprick of light appeared a fist width below it in the darkening sky.  Yes, it was Jupiter and its four Galilean moons.  I could make out bands of color.  I invited the folks to come have a look and then texted the kids and my sister-in-law, whose gift funded this neat purchase.  As Jupiter descended into the trees to the west Mars was rising above the trees to the east.  I reoriented my little Dobs and had a look at the small orange dot.  Not a bad start for my first night observing the sky in the light polluted suburbs.  This telescope will be a hoot at the cabin this summer.  Fun, fun, fun.