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  Topic: Florida and Antievolution, Sunshine State shenanigans< Next Oldest | Next Newest >  
Wesley R. Elsberry



Posts: 4991
Joined: May 2002

(Permalink) Posted: Mar. 08 2011,06:45   

Florida comes up with the eighth proposed piece of antievolution as legislation at the state level this year.

It is a "critical analysis" label in the "wink wink nudge nudge" school of duping the voters, or at least the other legislators.

Edited by Wesley R. Elsberry on Mar. 08 2011,06:46

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"You can't teach an old dogma new tricks." - Dorothy Parker

    
Lou FCD



Posts: 5455
Joined: Jan. 2006

(Permalink) Posted: Mar. 08 2011,17:07   

I can't help but wonder how many are duped, and how many are knowingly complicit in the deception. I'm guessing a heavy leaning on the latter, and a rather light showing on the former.

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“Why do creationists have such a hard time with commas?

Linky“. ~ Steve Story, Legend

   
Wesley R. Elsberry



Posts: 4991
Joined: May 2002

(Permalink) Posted: Mar. 08 2011,18:54   

For the trolls at PT, I posted the following comment:

Quote

For FL and IBIG, since they seem to be incapable of either following links or reading the text that is there, I had rather more on the topic at my personal blog. I noted that the "critical analysis" language was just like what Ohio got handed by the Discovery Institute back in 2002. So what happens after a policy or law goes into effect mandating "critical analysis"? We actually know about it because Ohio ran the experiment for us:

Quote

Of course, what Ohio got was a lesson plan whose specifics were falsehoods about evolutionary science and recycled religious antievolution arguments, including those associated with “intelligent design”, which the “critical analysis” advocates (falsely) swore up and down would not be presented to Ohio’s students.

No, people opposed to bills like Florida’s SB1854 are not against “academic freedom” or even actual “critical analysis”; they are opposed to using the power of government to force teachers to tell lies to students, which is all that the ensemble of long-rebutted religious antievolution argumentation is. While the bill doesn’t explicitly mandate that crap like what was delivered in Ohio will have to be used in Florida classrooms, the track record is clear that we can expect only that.


Much more on the faults of the Ohio "critical analysis" crud is available here. That includes links to the original files, so you can see exactly what the religious antievolutionists were trying to wedge in the door.

Personally, I would love for Florida's students to get a good enough grounding in evolutionary science that they could be introduced to Elliott Sober's book, Conceptual Issues in Evolutionary Biology, 3rd Edition. That provides an example of what real critical analysis is.

Our experience in other places, however, is that none of the people talking up "critical analysis" aimed solely at evolutionary science (and perhaps one or two other wingnut-bugbear topics tossed in to avoid the "singled out" criticism) are interested in good or excellent education in evolutionary biology. They are solely interested in giving cover to teachers who are willing to subvert science by including arguments from the long-rebutted religious antievolution ensemble.

The pretense is that we might get Sober in the classroom, but the reality is the kids only get Gished.


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"You can't teach an old dogma new tricks." - Dorothy Parker

    
J-Dog



Posts: 4402
Joined: Dec. 2006

(Permalink) Posted: Mar. 08 2011,21:34   

Quote
the pretense is that we might get Sober in the classroom, but the reality is the kids only get Gished.


Wes:  excellent signature line!

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Come on Tough Guy, do the little dance of ID impotence you do so well. - Louis to Joe G 2/10

Gullibility is not a virtue - Quidam on Dembski's belief in the Bible Code Faith Healers & ID 7/08

UD is an Unnatural Douchemagnet. - richardthughes 7/11

  
Henry J



Posts: 5786
Joined: Mar. 2005

(Permalink) Posted: Mar. 08 2011,22:10   

Critical analysis? Actual critical analysis of a subject is already an option for any teacher who has time to fit it in, isn't it? That's without any need for additional legislation.

  
Dr.GH



Posts: 2333
Joined: May 2002

(Permalink) Posted: Mar. 08 2011,22:13   

Wes,  You were mentioned in the St. Petersburg Times article about Sen. Steve Wise's creationism bill.

Have you got the editor to accept a counter editorial?

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"Science is the horse that pulls the cart of philosophy."

L. Susskind, 2004 "SMOLIN VS. SUSSKIND: THE ANTHROPIC PRINCIPLE"

   
Wesley R. Elsberry



Posts: 4991
Joined: May 2002

(Permalink) Posted: Mar. 08 2011,22:20   

An op-ed might be just the thing. I'll see what can be done.

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"You can't teach an old dogma new tricks." - Dorothy Parker

    
Dr.GH



Posts: 2333
Joined: May 2002

(Permalink) Posted: Mar. 08 2011,23:27   

Quote (Wesley R. Elsberry @ Mar. 08 2011,20:20)
An op-ed might be just the thing. I'll see what can be done.

I did one for the Palm Beach Post.

They can still screw around. For example, the Palm Beach Post held my reply for 2 weeks, and they had given my text to the creationist shitheel I was responding to, so he was able to resopond in the next edition. He still fucked-up.

Edited by Dr.GH on Mar. 08 2011,21:28

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"Science is the horse that pulls the cart of philosophy."

L. Susskind, 2004 "SMOLIN VS. SUSSKIND: THE ANTHROPIC PRINCIPLE"

   
Wesley R. Elsberry



Posts: 4991
Joined: May 2002

(Permalink) Posted: Mar. 14 2011,22:51   

The Fox News affiliate, Ch. 35, in Florida pulled a fast one with a poll they ran.

See Brandon's description of the report process and the sneaky tactic they used to game their own poll.

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"You can't teach an old dogma new tricks." - Dorothy Parker

    
Texas Teach



Posts: 2084
Joined: April 2007

(Permalink) Posted: Mar. 15 2011,08:43   

Quote (Wesley R. Elsberry @ Mar. 14 2011,22:51)
The Fox News affiliate, Ch. 35, in Florida pulled a fast one with a poll they ran.

See Brandon's description of the report process and the sneaky tactic they used to game their own poll.

PZ sent his hordes after it before the switch.

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"Creationists think everything Genesis says is true. I don't even think Phil Collins is a good drummer." --J. Carr

"I suspect that the English grammar books where you live are outdated" --G. Gaulin

  
Robin



Posts: 1431
Joined: Sep. 2009

(Permalink) Posted: Mar. 15 2011,11:26   

Quote (Wesley R. Elsberry @ Mar. 14 2011,22:51)

Quote
The Fox News affiliate, Ch. 35, in Florida pulled a fast one with a poll they ran.

See Brandon's description of the report process and the sneaky tactic they used to game their own poll.


Waaaait...this has to be a joke. That or it's just the best irony ever. The FOX affiliate station's call sign is WOFL? Seriously? As in "waffle"? Man...that's funny!

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we IDists rule in design for the flagellum and cilium largely because they do look designed.  Bilbo

The only reason you reject Thor is because, like a cushion, you bear the imprint of the biggest arse that sat on you. Louis

  
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