Creationist "Science"

Creationism, that is "young Earth creationism" (YEC), is something of an oddity to me, not least for the reason that I hold fairly stringent atheist views. First cobbled together by an 17th century clergyman named James Ussher, it falls within the realm of oddball points of view which I find incomprehensible in the context of our modern age (which also would include the Flat Earth Society, Smokers who refuse to believe in the harm of cigarettes, those who believe in WMD are yet to be found in Iraq, and "Sarah Palin-for-President"). If Jerry Springer has achieved anything, is that the tapestry of society is vast, layered, and sometimes willing to through a jumping high-kick at their wife's mullet-headed lover in front of millions of daytime viewers. But, I digress.

Despite being abandoned as a mainstream scientific concept in the 19th century, YEC continues to enjoy substantial support. According to Citizendium.org, "...despite the fact that creationism has generally been rejected by scientists, it has a strong following within the United States and many Muslim nations. 2 Gallup polls conducted in 1991 and 1997 in the United States found that approximately 45% of the population seemed to believe in young earth creationism..." Other reports are less encouraging. Since it is basically a position indisputably rooted in the literal truth of the Bible, it is by definition inconsitent with the principles of scientific objectivity and therefore a position of faith. Generally, starting from an endstate and then digging up whatever you can to support it and ignoring that which does is generally bad science, but this is precisely what Answers in Genesis , a leading supporter of what is termed creation science, does (as do a number of other creation science organizations, including all of those listed here.)

I recently sent an email to one of these places in order to request that they explain their use of the word science in their title, in light of the above, rather than simply being a position of faith (which makes more sense). In a sermon-like reply, one member of their board rambled about how

"...creation is a “belief system” that fits the facts of the present world,
but that macroevolution is a “belief system” that the facts have failed. I
believe in creation BECAUSE of the evidence. Unfortunately, I see many people,
like Dawkins (who doesn’t even know how life got going), BELIEVING in the whole
macroevolutionary story IN SPITE of the evidence....Once one understands what
the evidence would look like if creation were true, there’s know doubt that the
fossils support creation. I guess that’s why Darwin said the worst part of
his theory was the fossils themselves. I guess that’s also why Darwin was hoping
the evidence from the fossils (for evolution) would be found in the years to
come"

Actually, Darwin used the fossil record to support his theory, but I digress. He also made the point that "...that Darwin’s ONLY earned degree was in theology? He knew what the evidence for creation would be." I replied that nothing had really been answered, and that one could not really insert fairies wherever there were anomalies in data not explained by theories. It prompted the following angry reply:

Creation is based on what we do know in genetics. Creation is based on what we
do understand in information science. Evolution is based on some "super-natural"
chemistry we've never observed. Evolution is based on what we don't know, what
we haven't found. It contradicts everything we HAVE OBSERVED. It is no more than wishful thinking. Listen, you are welcome to BELIEVE in macroevolution is you
want, but please, please don't call that science! Please don't expend your
energy spewing out rubbish that creation isn't scientific and that evolutionism
is. If you don't want to put up the evidence, if you don't want to come and see
the evidence for yourself, if you want to continue wallowing in your own
self-ignorance, then we have NO time for such exchanges. Sorry for the
bluntness, but we get e-mails like yours every day and we grow tired of the
intellectual emptiness inherent such attempts to censor good evidence

I am pleased that they invested so much time on my email, considering they get them each day (some of which, I imagine, were not nearly so polite as my own). However it is clear I've given a sore sport a good wack. Their amateur observations of geology, or genetics, have not been published in a peer-reviewed journal that I am aware of.

I then received another mail from a sort of travelling expert on Creationist "science" (http://www.ianjuby.com/), who had been forwarded my email from creationist #1. He responded with his own two cents in a slightly more levelheaded (if wrongheaded) way.

With due respect, evolution requires violation of well established scientific and natural laws (i.e., the laws of biogenesis, thermodynamics,and all observable science performed with regards to genetics andinformation), and as such evolution is neither scientific, nor natural, but supernatural by very definition of the word.

Actually, it's entirely consistent. To answer his little tidbits: Biogenesis, a theory (I suppose in his meaning) that life can only arise from life, is largely discredited by mainstream science. He may also mean abiogenesis, but this is currently considered a fundamental building block theory for evolution. And, there is nothing to suggest that evolution violates any of the three laws of thermodynamics, as...these are laws and invioable. Assuming that he is referring to the problem of entropy, this is not a problem as the Earth and the organisms that live upon it are not a closed systems where energy is concerned. It points to a fundamental misunderstanding of 1st year physics, which one may construe as wilful ignorance.


Another of his articles on the subject deep geologic pressure supports the proposition that these are amateurs playing out of their depth. Here the author feels that, should the earth - in fact - be millions of years old, then the intense pressure that we measure at depths in rock would, in fact, have dissipated by now. This argues very strongly about what is known about the law of gravity, let alone with what is known about the geologic structure of the Earth. It may be that he has raw data that suggests that gravity dissipates over time, but I am not aware of it being published in a respected, peer-reviewed journal.

By this time, I felt this was getting out of hand and that my name was being circulated through the wider creationist community. Fundamentalists have been known to act rashly when offended, so I sent an apology for offending their belief system, and a resolution to "agree to disagree". This was not enough for the owner of the museum, who sent me the following (Italics and caps attributed to author):

You have the chance to know the truth, but are willing ignorant. How are you going to explain this one to Him. Ross and if I may suggest reading the New Testament. I hear it's beautiful in Ottawa this time of year, That is where you are
from isn't. May God bless you and yours greatly if your willing to learn
the TRUTH! HN. p.s. Yes Ross we can know the truth if we are willing
to look at ALL THE EVIDENCE!

I have yet to see any credible evidence to suggest our ancestors rode a triceratops whilst hunting brontosaurs either, but this presumably fits squarely in the YEC framework. Since I am not certain if there is a veiled threat in the second-last sentence fragment in the above, I decided that discretion is the better part of valour and quietly removed my stick from the proverbial hornet's nest.

For all the efforts that YEC devotees have made to act as if their work is supported by science, their behavior suggests that they are, in fact, members of a church that feels increasingly marginalized in world surrounded by the products of science (i.e. both knowledge, and technology). While I am always aghast at the sort of traction such views have in the US, I think - in the end - reason will prevail and perhaps such views deserve our pity.

Palinological Puzzle

The Republican political machine suffered a bit of shock recently with the resignation of Sarah Palin from her position as Governor of Alaska, well over a year before the 2010 Gubernatorial Election. As a former vice-presidential candidate and a potential hope in the 2012 Presidential election her name has become a byword for catastrophic misjudgement - something demonstrated by the McCain campaign in selecting her, and something she herself demonstrated in a series of television interviews among other things. The public felt early on that an aging President paired with an attractive, but otherwise ill-equipped running mate was just one of that campaign's many problems.

As can be seen in the chart at right, Governor Palin's initial popularity with Alaskans began to decline shortly after assuming office at the start of 2007. Her peformance in the media during the 2008 Presidential campaign entirely failed to excite much in the way of "approval" for her, and a series of very public ethics investigations seem to have set the course for the bottom. Of course, she still had greater than 50% approval at her nadir, so it is clear she has a strong core that must have faith in her despite her many political missteps. One does not need to run a regression model to predict where this trend is likely to go in a single year.

It is too soon to tell if her recent and somewhat perplexing decision will sustain the momentum of her run for complete political oblivion. Certainly, her confused and rambling resignation speech suggests that yes, that is indeed her goal. One gets the impression that her experience in the political realm has left her bitter and resentful, and confused as to why everyone didn't like her.

There has been speculation that this might simply be a ploy to position herself vis-a-vis the 2012 Presidential Election. She herself as indicated that that is likely in the cards, but there has been in the past a Draft Palin campaign that still seems to have legs. Who knows? Perhaps after four years of trying to become an enlightened liberal democracy that makes separation of church and state a matter of policy, that seeks to address global issues in a proactive and constructive way with its international partners, that has begun to address some of the festering inequalities amongst its citizens, American voters will become sick of it and feel ready to regress once more.

Car Shows of the 80s.

The 80s have been back in vogue for some time now, and we may very well be coming to the end of our fascination with that decade. Certainly, when I was a teenager anything reeking of those years was uncool, but now that same item would have cachet, if for the moment (judging by the continuing popularity of 80s-themed nights at bars, it might be a while...)

One odd quirk that continues to fascinates me regarding that dead decade is its weird fascination with novelty cars on crimefighting television shows. It was as if do-gooders on their own had become uninteresting, and required a motorized helping hand. No doubt, the idea had its germ in movies (i.e. in James Bond and the Batmobile) but it is worth taking a review of some of the instances of this bizarre practice that flowered on American television through the 80s.

Perhaps the earliest glimpse of his phenomenon can be found in the the Dukes of Hazzard, which ran from 1979 to 1985. As you may recall, this was a show about a couple of white kids (Bo and Luke) in an all-white southern town who drove a 1969 Dodge Charger with a confederate flag painted on the roof that they named the General Lee. They had been caught smuggling moonshine at the outset of the series and were thus forced to spend the remainder of all of the shows on probation. So, while they continued to outfox the law in the form of Sherriff Roscoe, they would paradoxically solve crimes with the aid of the "General". In every episode this supercar would be used to drive recklessly and jump some form of obstacle, most commonly a gully, in order to escape from pursuers (usually the hapless Roscoe, above).. The boys did not wear white hoods and the car did not have KKK on the side, which in light of everything else about the star of the show, is kind of odd.

The General Lee, while the true soul of DoH, it was simply a garish muscle car that could go quickly, which-if silly - is hardly astonishing. Forutunately for us, Scientists at the Television Premise Research Institute in Hollywood, Ca, worked around the clock while DoH soared in the ratings. Their diligence achieved a major conceptual breakthrough with Knight Rider, a program which endowed a 1982 Pontiac Trans Am with real artificial intelligence, a sense of humor and an immortal soul. Named KITT, this vehicular wunderkind's primary mission would was to solve crimes and sometimes jump gullies (which is the first thing I would task a completely self-aware artificial intelligence, wouldn't you?) with the aid of his rather lifeless costar, David Hasselhoff. KITT also had telekinetic-like powers, could tell bad jokes, and had ejection seats all of which would come in handy in crime fighting. In most cases, the Hoff would always take all the credit, largely because testimony from cars is inadmissable in court. This show began its slow decline during its second season when it introduced a sort of bizzaro KITT named KARR as an evil arch enemy. Rather then creating a really badass evil enemy, based on say - a Mustang, KARR looked exactly the same (it should be noted that the Hoff also had an evil twin arch villain in the series). This was probably symptomatic of a lack of imagination that would go on to sink what was, talking cars aside, simply a rather mediocre detective drama.

Due to the limitations of the real world, and special effects budgets, advanced new development of the novelty car concepts had be addressed through the medium of cartoons. In 1984, a cartoon called Pole Position brought not one, but TWO talking/flying/floating cars with many gadgets to America's aresanal of crimefighting cars. Under the guise of the "Pole Position Stunt Show", a secret government agency sent youthful, unlicensed novely car drivers to stop evil villains from doing bad things. It was put out of its misery at the end of its first season as a result of a pending lawsuit from a video game maker with a product of the same name, as well as predictably low ratings.

An embattled world would see its next vehicular savior appear in the form of Turbo Teen, a cartoon that broadened the scope of what we consider "super powers" to include the ability to turn oneself into a Camaro. Evidently, invulnerability, super strength, telepathy and other unworldly abilities are overkill as all one needs is a full tank of gas. Unfortunately, TT's robbing of virtually every idea that hapless writers of Knight Rider had earlier cobbled together over late-night coke-snorting sessions suggested that a "cease-and-desist" order may have been instrumental in the show's demise after a single season. Okay, maybe a lack of viewership (besides my much younger self) and witless plotlines might have also helped. A good deal of internet chatter nominates the show as the worst cartoon ever, and it's safe to say they are probably correct.

At this point in the narrative, few crimefighting shows lack a signature vehicle that may or may not have special powers. The ridiculous premise of the A-Team would be incomplete without the the A-Team Van. Possibly the same group of writers would also have us believe that a Ferrari is reasonable on a vice cop's salary (though to be fair, Miami Vice also showcased expensive boats). Really, at least Magnum benefited from Higgins largesse. Examples about in the historical record.

But at some point, it must have begin to seem silly in the face of the paradigm shift in pop culture that occurred at the end fo the decade. Television moved on to primetime soap operas and shows about government conspiracies in which characters drove very pedestrian vehicles that rarely said a word.

There was once a time, before we gave a hoot about the climate and our ability to change it, where conspicuous consumption of gasoline was the hallmark of a successful television detective. May those times never return.