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Search: Posts Made By: Carey N
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology September 10th, 2006, 11:44 PM
Replies: 30
Views: 74,541
Posted By Carey N
Re: Ann Coulter & Wm. Provine: Evolution's Odd Couple

1) Humility? Admittedly, some scientists are arrogant, no matter what discipline you examine, but I've never read a biologist who claims to have a theory of everything.

2) Many biologists have a...
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology September 9th, 2006, 10:35 PM
Replies: 30
Views: 74,541
Posted By Carey N
Re: Ann Coulter & Wm. Provine: Evolution's Odd Couple

That's the thing . . . this guy Provine establishes that selection is an outcome (something we already knew and agreed upon) upon which adaptive evolution depends, and then proceeds to say that it is...
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology September 9th, 2006, 06:53 PM
Replies: 30
Views: 74,541
Posted By Carey N
Re: Ann Coulter & Wm. Provine: Evolution's Odd Couple

You memory fails you, Fred; I actually articulated the point that natural selection is an outcome, not a force, quite a while ago.


Remember now? You scoffed at this when I first wrote it.
...
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology September 1st, 2006, 12:59 PM
Replies: 2
Views: 12,779
Posted By Carey N
Re: REVISED: Suicide: "Mother, May I?"

JimB: Could you explain this statement further?
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology August 26th, 2006, 01:22 AM
Replies: 4
Views: 12,950
Posted By Carey N
Re: Meta Theory of Forum Hosting

You hear that, Fred . . . you and I are coupled oscillators. Unfortunately our intrinsic growth rates are too high for long-term stability.

Cheers.
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology August 22nd, 2006, 09:37 PM
Replies: 31
Views: 67,412
Posted By Carey N
Re: Battle Against Scientific Illiteracy

Tell you what - I'll agree to briefly address your question, if you agree to do the same. You've got two evasion strikes thus far - one more and you're out. I'll even give you the last word in this...
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology August 22nd, 2006, 05:41 PM
Replies: 31
Views: 67,412
Posted By Carey N
Re: Battle Against Scientific Illiteracy

A valiant attempt to dodge the big question that you can't answer . . . I'll go ahead and give you another chance, though:

If natural selection is such a weak concept, then suggest something (even...
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology August 22nd, 2006, 10:00 AM
Replies: 31
Views: 67,412
Posted By Carey N
Re: Battle Against Scientific Illiteracy

If some elements of cosmic 'evolution' satisfy the requirements of inheritance coupled with differential 'reproduction' (I can't envision how this might be, but I'm not an expert in this area), then...
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology August 22nd, 2006, 09:07 AM
Replies: 31
Views: 67,412
Posted By Carey N
Re: Battle Against Scientific Illiteracy

You have stated all these things as fact without acknowledging the fundamental differences between evolutionary biology and astrophysics (which I have explained a number of times before and won't...
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology August 21st, 2006, 08:14 PM
Replies: 31
Views: 67,412
Posted By Carey N
Re: Battle Against Scientific Illiteracy

Come on, Fred . . . you and I both know what you really mean is that the theory of gravitation is superb, while the theory of natural selection 'doesn't explain all that much' . . . and your only...
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology August 21st, 2006, 05:52 PM
Replies: 31
Views: 67,412
Posted By Carey N
Re: Note on adhominem

I will address some other points in a fothcoming post (which, I agree, should wrap things up), but just wanted to jot down a quick note on your ad hominem accusation.

The statement you put forward...
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology August 20th, 2006, 07:21 PM
Replies: 31
Views: 67,412
Posted By Carey N
Re: Battle Against Scientific Illiteracy

Wait . . . I explained why you aren't qualified to argue about the relative merits of physics and biology. I guess I was right, as you just repeated your stock low entropy post rather than addressing...
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology August 20th, 2006, 11:39 AM
Replies: 31
Views: 67,412
Posted By Carey N
Re: Battle Against Scientific Illiteracy

[/QUOTE]
Theodosius Dobzhansky, a founding father of evolutionary genetics, famously wrote that "nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution" (fittingly for this general...
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology August 17th, 2006, 11:51 PM
Replies: 31
Views: 67,412
Posted By Carey N
Re: Battle Against Scientific Illiteracy

There are several problems with this:

1) To characterize pre-Cambrian life as "not much" is very strange . . . the origin of bacteria in the first place was momentous (this is where you should...
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology August 17th, 2006, 09:16 PM
Replies: 31
Views: 67,412
Posted By Carey N
Re: Battle Against Scientific Illiteracy

This would be hilarious, if it wasn't so depressing. But still, I laughed.
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology August 16th, 2006, 11:51 PM
Replies: 31
Views: 67,412
Posted By Carey N
Re: Battle Against Scientific Illiteracy

This was my question, which you ignored (because you don't have an answer, I suspect - but please, prove me wrong):
You certainly bark a whole lot about the insufficiency of natural selection, and...
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology August 16th, 2006, 06:30 PM
Replies: 31
Views: 67,412
Posted By Carey N
Re: Battle Against Scientific Illiteracy

Okay . . . by extension from this last post, I must ask what you think would actually qualify as a theory of evolution on par with Einstein's general relativity. Do you think that there is a set of...
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology August 16th, 2006, 11:12 AM
Replies: 31
Views: 67,412
Posted By Carey N
Re: Battle Against Scientific Illiteracy

1) Richard Dawkins's primary contributions to the field, such as 'Selfish Gene', made few reference to religion, which were not in a negative light. Granted, Dawkins has spoken quite aggressively...
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology August 15th, 2006, 05:47 PM
Replies: 31
Views: 67,412
Posted By Carey N
Re: Battle Against Scientific Illiteracy

Highly doubtful - they are fighting any notion that (they perceive) even remotely conflicts with their own beliefs. Among many with whom I've spoken, I have never encountered a single biology teacher...
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology August 14th, 2006, 10:41 PM
Replies: 31
Views: 67,412
Posted By Carey N
Battle Against Scientific Illiteracy

This is a satisfying rant about the state of affairs in public science education - probably most of you have read it already, but if not . . . .

NY Times Article...
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology August 3rd, 2006, 12:10 PM
Replies: 46
Views: 76,276
Posted By Carey N
Re: Selling Evolution

Alright - my patience with you has finally, at long last, run out. Good luck with your future exploits, Fred.
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology August 3rd, 2006, 09:36 AM
Replies: 46
Views: 76,276
Posted By Carey N
Re: Selling Evolution

Removed by user.
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology August 3rd, 2006, 09:24 AM
Replies: 46
Views: 76,276
Posted By Carey N
Re: Selling Evolution

You built a straw man of evolutionary biology, I knocked it down, and now you're saying that I agree with you indirectly? Your argument tactics are child's play, Fred. Grow up.
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology August 3rd, 2006, 03:49 AM
Replies: 46
Views: 76,276
Posted By Carey N
Re: Selling Evolution

According to this logic, everything is ultimately the result of random things . . . a quick glance at the adaptive complexity of any biological entity, or the complexity of other non-biological...
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology August 2nd, 2006, 06:44 PM
Replies: 46
Views: 76,276
Posted By Carey N
Re: Selling Evolution

Absolutely false. This is a ludicrous notion. [To Margaret: I was planning to write a gentle response to your post, but Fred has pushed me into a more aggressive state of mind]

Stop and think for...
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology August 2nd, 2006, 07:54 AM
Replies: 46
Views: 76,276
Posted By Carey N
Re: Selling Evolution

This paragraph doesn't make a whole lot of sense . . . for example, how does Penrose know "how things ought to organize themselves" on the basis of mutation and natural selection? That just sounds...
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology August 1st, 2006, 09:42 AM
Replies: 46
Views: 76,276
Posted By Carey N
Re: Selling Evolution

Thanks for the positive feedback. I'm afraid this one's going to be a bit more long-winded. Bear with me.

Some comments on your comments:

True that mutations may not be random in the grandest...
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology August 1st, 2006, 12:04 AM
Replies: 46
Views: 76,276
Posted By Carey N
Re: Selling Evolution

No, that is not what I meant . . . I would agree with you in abstract that, technically (in the sense that everything is determined, etc. etc.), mutations are 'non-random'. We could in principle...
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology July 29th, 2006, 03:57 PM
Replies: 46
Views: 76,276
Posted By Carey N
Re: Selling Evolution

By randomness, do you refer to an explanation of biological evolution, or of the universe's origin?

If you refer to evolution, then you're mistaken . . . no serious biologist thinks that adaptive...
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology July 25th, 2006, 06:35 PM
Replies: 46
Views: 76,276
Posted By Carey N
not quite . . .

Mutation is the ultimate source of all variation present within a population . . . without mutation, there would be eventually be nothing for natural selection to select, and evolution would halt.
...
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology June 19th, 2006, 04:43 PM
Replies: 35
Views: 63,017
Posted By Carey N
Re: Implications of Somatic Behavior Choice

I did not dismiss your point . . . on the contrary, I acknowledged that your perception of natural selection at the most general level possible - namely, as "survival of the fittest" - is indeed...
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology June 18th, 2006, 12:13 PM
Replies: 35
Views: 63,017
Posted By Carey N
Re: Implications of Somatic Behavior Choice

Way to avoid the point I made, Fred! Impressive!
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology June 17th, 2006, 03:01 AM
Replies: 35
Views: 63,017
Posted By Carey N
Re: Implications of Somatic Behavior Choice

... but you have to read the rest of his post, Fred - there were other important points regarding why the circularity you perceive in natural selection isn't important for the big picture. I still...
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology June 16th, 2006, 10:22 PM
Replies: 35
Views: 63,017
Posted By Carey N
Re: Implications of Somatic Behavior Choice

I was going to write a response in the circularity thread that Jim started, but Todd wrote a post that pretty much encapsulated my thoughts, and more, on the matter . . . you didn't seem to address...
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology June 7th, 2006, 08:49 AM
Replies: 35
Views: 63,017
Posted By Carey N
Re: Implications of Somatic Behavior Choice

Belief systems don't have to be mechanistically correct representations of reality in order to provide an effective means by which to survive in it. Have a look at D.S. Wilson's "Darwin's Cathedral"...
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology June 6th, 2006, 01:42 PM
Replies: 41
Views: 57,808
Posted By Carey N
Re: Emergent Networks and Fine Art

Well, Margaret . . . I was only trying to help you out. Whether or not you're open-minded enough to acknowledge your own part in this forum's hostility is not under my control.
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology June 5th, 2006, 09:04 PM
Replies: 41
Views: 57,808
Posted By Carey N
Re: Emergent Networks and Fine Art

Margaret:

I think that, without intending or realizing it, you talk down to people. Your previous post paints you as primarily the victim of verbal attacks, when in fact I think you contribute...
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology June 4th, 2006, 07:28 PM
Replies: 41
Views: 57,808
Posted By Carey N
Re: Emergent Networks and Fine Art

First - I don't intend to insult you . . . my attacks, if that's really the appropriate word, are always aimed at your ideas, not you personally. But, given the blurry distinction between a person...
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology June 4th, 2006, 05:32 PM
Replies: 41
Views: 57,808
Posted By Carey N
Re: Emergent Networks and Fine Art

You bet I saw it . . . will respond as coherently as possible in the thread that JimB started.
Forum: Evolutionary Psychology June 4th, 2006, 06:30 AM
Replies: 41
Views: 57,808
Posted By Carey N
Re: Emergent Networks and Fine Art

I could say that to Fred because it was actually true . . . perhaps he's read my posts more carefully now, but at the time, it was pretty clear that he hadn't. I don't think he's lazy for a moment,...
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