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September 29, 2005

Draft of a letter to supporters of Intelligent Design

I am serious about trying to open a dialogue with supporters of Intelligent Design to try and get help in overcoming the problems I am having with some of the logic of their theories.

To that end I have drafted a letter which I will be sending to supporters of ID.

To whom it may concern,

I have heard much in the press lately about Intelligent Design. I am myself a scientist, or at least a science graduate - I hold an honours degree in Applied Physics. I am always interested in new scientific theories, being an avid reader of New Scientist, back issues of Nature, Physics Today, and any other writing that comes to my attention.

I have heard arguments both for and against the concept of Intelligent Design. My interest was piqued in particular by the argument that the eye is far too complex an organism to have come about as a result of evolution. It is compelling and seems logical to theorise that the eye and other organs, perhaps even all life itself was brought about by an outside party.

While it appears logical on the face of it, there are some issues that arise. I understand that the theory of Intelligent design posits that evolution, as it is currently taught, is not only implausible but actually not grounded in good science and is in essence an incomplete notion rather than a hard scientific fact.

I stated before that I am a physicist by training and as such my grasp of the theory of evolution is pedestrian, never having studied it in any detail. I have read the voyage of the Beagle and the origin of the species but I understand that modern evolutionary theory has as much in common with Darwin's original theory as does modern physics with Gallileo's 'natural philosophy'.

As I stated before, it is my understanding that Intelligent Design is grounded on the fact that life did not evolve but was created by a designer of some unknown origin. This is fine and sensible - Intelligent Design, as a young science, does not attempt to set bounds on the nature of such a designer and as such focus the scope of its studies.

The main problem I have with this notion is when I take the notion and extrapolate, as is the nature of my training. If it is true that evolution has no part in the rise of life on our planet then for the same reasons it should have no part in the rise of life in any part of the Universe. This leads to a problem as you can see. If there was no evolution at any time or place anywhere in the universe then there could never have been a designer to initiate life on any planet, let alone our own. To be more to the point - where did the original designer come from?

I would love to know more about Intelligent Design, but I have come up against what is to me an insurmountable problem. I have stated already that I have only come lately to idea of Intelligent Design and as such I am sure that I have overlooked some aspect. I would be most indebted if you could either point me to some resources for further study or if you could take a little time to put me right in my no doubt confused notions.

I look forward to hearing from you.

sincerely

Mark Lennox

Posted by dottie at 10:37 PM | Comments (2)

Intelligent design

I'm going to go on an open minded fact finding mission about Intelligent Design.

My goal is to find out the tenets of their science and attempt to unravel some apparent logical fallacies inherent in their argument.

I'm prepared to be swayed by any argument they care to proffer and I will willingly enter into debate with any person who professes support for Intelligent Design.

To this end I will send letters to a range of high-profile supporters and print the letters and their replies here with commentary.

I'm looking forward to it.

Posted by dottie at 12:59 AM | Comments (1)

Xelector

Tomorrow is my last day in Xelector, where I was working for the last year.

Its been tough working for myself and for them. I missed out on a lot of sleep and socialising. But on the plus side I paid a lot of debts, upgraded my computers and most of all made some good new friends and got to know a good friend a lot better.

Good times.

I have been so busy lately that I havent had time to sit down and think about the fact that I will be in a new office, fending for myself (money may be an issue...) and not seeing the same faces again in the same context.

I'll miss them all.

But next week we go for beers!

Posted by dottie at 12:53 AM | Comments (1)

Jazz is...

Its often said that Jazz is the music between the notes and such zen like sayings. I've thought of a way to describe Jazz.

Older Jazz numbers usually follow a set kind of format. The head, which is usually a strongly melodic intro piece which usually introduces the main melodic themes of the piece. Then you can go through variations of verses and breakdowns which are essentially variations on the theme. The verses are usually where people get a chance to solo and often where things go a bit weird.

To inderstand what happens during these times imagine that everyone in the band playing a Jazz number is listening on a pair of headphones to the groove. No-one in the audience can hear what is playing on the headphones. The musicians play along to that. Things sound weird but it you know Jazz and especially if you know the tune you can hear what they play in relation to the original tune. Of course the musicians listen to what everyone else is doing and alter their playing accordingly.

More than that, with good players it is as if they are playing along to a musician playing along to the headphones so the tune they are playing along to is twice removed from the original tune. Far out daddio.

Modern Jazz is pretty much the same thing. Just without the ipods.

:)

Posted by dottie at 12:49 AM | Comments (0)

September 8, 2005

Science and Magic

All complex tasks need to be explained, illuminated, opened for discussion.

If a scientist (and I use the term loosely to describe any seeker after truth) declines to explain not only the intricacies of how something is done but also how they found the path that brought them to their discovery, how they felt slaving toward the discovery and how they changed their mind on the way, then that scientist becomes a magician.

Science benefits everybody, magic benefits one person, or one group, or one tribe to the detriment of others.

Hoarding, hiding or witholding discoveries lessens them, drains them of their power. It turns them into the knowledge equivalent of shruken heads strung around the shamans neck. They look impressive, but no-one knows what they are for, and the Shaman sure isnt going to tell you.

Posted by dottie at 11:58 AM | Comments (0)

September 7, 2005

Bye, bye Miss American Pie - come on now, you know the words!

Drove my chevy to levee but the levee was dry - err oops!

From a post on Boing Boing

Posted by dottie at 10:12 AM | Comments (0)

American Media grows a spine again....

This is fantastic. The worm finally turns. We may yet see the great North American delusion torn asunder.

Olbermann Swings

Whats amazing about this crisis is that Cuban doctors are ready and willing to make their way to New Orleans to lend a hand but unfortunately are reduced to making quotes such as "it is a pity that idelogy stands in the way of humanity".

Hopefully some of this concern from the big bad communists (tm) will penetrate the thick skulls of citizens of the USA and they will finally put down the needles and stop tripping on speedball of ignorance and greed.

sorry, I'll get off my high horse now before someone starts throwing rotten tomatos at me...

Posted by dottie at 10:08 AM | Comments (0)

September 1, 2005

I rock!

Photofortnight - 'Garish' theme

I won! yay me!

Posted by dottie at 4:00 PM | Comments (0)