PZ Myers lecture @ UofC on Sunday January 25th - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

photon · 01-19-2009, 03:06 PM

http://www.centerforinquiry.net/calg...eason_lecture/

Quote:

Advocates in favour of “intelligent design” creationism have targeted Canadian schools to promote their anti-science agenda, and they already have a foot in the door in the Alberta education system. Dr. Myers has been an outspoken member of the scientific community in favour of Evolution, and against the promotion of “intelligent design.” As the battleground to protect science moves to our back yard, the relevance of Dr. Myers’ lecture has never been more significant.

I know some people here might be interested in seeing this.

RougeUnderoos · 01-19-2009, 03:13 PM

10 bucks.

Looks interesting but 3 hours seems a little long.

Thor · 01-19-2009, 03:34 PM

OH snap, thanks I'm going to try to get to that.

peter12 · 01-19-2009, 07:23 PM

Yeah, I'll do my best to check that out. For 10 bucks, I don't mind leaving a little early.

Table 5 · 01-19-2009, 07:43 PM

The fact that evolution is a even a question these days is an absolute pathetic shame. Sometimes it feels like our society is devolving back into the middle ages....

Bagor · 01-19-2009, 07:52 PM

Anyone ever visited the Big Valley Creationist Museum?

It's been getting fantastic reviews.

Quote:

"A real eye opener!" - Alberta visitor

http://www.bvcsm.com/

peter12 · 01-19-2009, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bagor

Anyone ever visited the Big Valley Creationist Museum?

It's been getting fantastic reviews.

http://www.bvcsm.com/

Hahaha, the anonymous review.

This one is a gem.

"I spent more time in this museum than I did in the Smithsonian" - visitor from Montana

4X4 · 01-19-2009, 08:17 PM

Haha... How about "We drove 2,000 kilometers to come see this museum." - family from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories

Lol. I just wonder why they cut off the end of the quote... The part where they say "we drove 2,000 km to see this museum and now we're pretty choked about wasting our time... Seriously! Proving Noah's Ark?"

RougeUnderoos · 01-19-2009, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peter12

Yeah, I'll do my best to check that out. For 10 bucks, I don't mind leaving a little early.

Yeah, 10 bucks is not bad and sure you can leave early, but really, what the hell can he talk about for more than, say, two hours?

I subscribe to his blog and read his stuff everyday, but it's more for entertainment instead of actually learning anything new. Sure, sometimes there are interesting things, but a lot of it is "look what this religious moron said, now listen to all the creative ways I can insult him, and then you get in on the act in the comments section".

He's such a caustic bugger and so open with his contempt that it is all very entertaining, but I can't see how it would play in person for two or three hours. It'll be a real exercise in preaching to the choir as well, unless someone can get Bishop Henry there and we can have some real fireworks.

That being said, I might actually go. Sunday afternoon is kind of lame though.

peter12 · 01-19-2009, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Yeah, 10 bucks is not bad and sure you can leave early, but really, what the hell can he talk about for more than, say, two hours?

I subscribe to his blog and read his stuff everyday, but it's more for entertainment instead of actually learning anything new. Sure, sometimes there are interesting things, but a lot of it is "look what this religious moron said, now listen to all the creative ways I can insult him, and then you get in on the act in the comments section".

He's such a caustic bugger and so open with his contempt that it is all very entertaining, but I can't see how it would play in person for two or three hours. It'll be a real exercise in preaching to the choir as well, unless someone can get Bishop Henry there and we can have some real fireworks.

That being said, I might actually go. Sunday afternoon is kind of lame though.

Yeah, that's what I meant, three hours is freaking long, but I bet they are going more for the (hopefully) "fierce" debate. If some creationists show up, I'll be staying the whole three hours. If it's just preaching to the choir, yeah, there is a reason that I don't go to church.

peter12 · 01-19-2009, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4X4

Haha... How about "We drove 2,000 kilometers to come see this museum." - family from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories

Lol. I just wonder why they cut off the end of the quote... The part where they say "we drove 2,000 km to see this museum and now we're pretty choked about wasting our time... Seriously! Proving Noah's Ark?"

At least the one in Kentucky has dinosaur robots. DINOSAUR ROBOTS!!!

Canada 02 · 01-19-2009, 09:59 PM

How do the ID advocates "have a foot in the door in the Alberta education system"?

photon · 01-19-2009, 10:48 PM

That's kinda why I want to go is to find out what they mean by that.

I'd be really surprised if he had the same persona in real life as his blog.. well maybe the same but not nearly as concentrated.

Bertuzzied · 01-20-2009, 12:03 AM

I just saw Stockwell Day leave 7-11 with a 4 litre bottle of chocolate milk. Could be fun times on Sunday.

Daradon · 01-20-2009, 08:18 AM

The quote that you put in the post confused me. I thought PZ Myers WAS one of these advocates of intelligent design. Instead he's speaking out against them targeting our education system.

Don't get me wrong, I don't believe there is any room for ID or creationism in schools either, (I suppose unless it's in a religion course, but definitely not as a alternative to evolution in a science course) but I would like to know what he means when he says the system is under attack from these people.

photon · 01-20-2009, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daradon

The quote that you put in the post confused me. I thought PZ Myers WAS one of these advocates of intelligent design. Instead he's speaking out against them targeting our education system.

Don't get me wrong, I don't believe there is any room for ID or creationism in schools either, (I suppose unless it's in a religion course, but definitely not as a alternative to evolution in a science course) but I would like to know what he means when he says the system is under attack from these people.

Lol no, PZ Myers is anything but an ID proponent, he's about as vocal against it as you can possibly get.

I assume that they mean that they're seeing movements here like those that are still ongoing in the US to get ID and creationism into the classrooms, which should be interesting to know about.

RougeUnderoos · 01-26-2009, 11:23 PM

Did anyone go to this? I was far too drunk to even remember it was going on.

It didn't even warrant a post on his site, which probably means their wasn't much in the way of controversy.

peter12 · 01-27-2009, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Did anyone go to this? I was far too drunk to even remember it was going on.

It didn't even warrant a post on his site, which probably means their wasn't much in the way of controversy.

Hahaha, I think I was too deeply involved in the world of Fallout 3 to remember or care. I've got to get out more.

I think I invited like 2-3 people and they went without me, which is really pathetic.

Thor · 01-27-2009, 12:09 PM

His Calgary one went fine apparently, but according to his blog the Edmonton one was pretty ugly.

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2...n_edmonton.php