Evolution, Theory and Practice

[selenite0]

Religious conservatives don't like the theory of evolution, and if they can't get it kicked out of school they at least want some alternate theories taught with it. Then they have lots of kids and prep them to succeed in the hyper-competitive worlds of sports or business, where the unfit are wiped out quickly.

Secular liberals are devoted to the theory of evolution and fight bitterly to keep it in the forefront of education. Then they have few or no kids and lobby the government to ensure a safety net for everyone so it's a cooperative world with no winners or losers.

Can anybody explain to me what the heck is going on here?

Comments

[technomom]

Depends on where the rest of us fit ;-)

[selenite.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm not in either camp. But I'm boggled to think of these two major groups, each practicing in direct opposition to their preferred theory. One group having the disconnect could be random, but why are they both making the same disconnect?

Theory AND practice here, please!

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

Heh. I'm amused. Of course, I plan to teach as per the liberals, and prepare as per the conservatives.

You know, it ties in well with how liberals are always amazed that yes, I want a good-sized family and LOTS of grandkids someday.

Re: Theory AND practice here, please!

[thegameiam.livejournal.com]

I LOVE your icon. :)

Re: Theory AND practice here, please!

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

Go forth and read:
http://www.queenofwands.net

Re: Theory AND practice here, please!

[thegameiam.livejournal.com]

I've been reading it for quite a while :) QoW is right up there with S*P and CRFH!!! for me...

Re: Theory AND practice here, please!

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

Oops. Just checked your interest list and friends list.

THAT was a redundant recommendation, wasn't it.

Oops.

[thegameiam.livejournal.com]

Sounds like the folks you're describing don't trust their own beliefs enough to live them...

I think that the statements might be a tad more accurate if they were prefaced with (some | many | most).

There are religious conservatives who don't have a problem with evolution (but also recognize that it's not completely settled science - it's like physics before relativity and quantum mechanics: it mostly works, but there are gaps)

[selenite.livejournal.com]

I think that the statements might be a tad more accurate if they were prefaced with (some | many | most).

Yeah . . . but most of the folks reading this can recognize a generalization as implicitly including those. If I put lots of precise qualifiers on a post it gets so long nobody reads it.

[thegameiam.livejournal.com]

Valid point.

I'm just one of those religious conservatives myself, and I was probably being oversensitive...

[carbonelle.livejournal.com]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I'll agree to anyone's pet scientific nonsense for the classroom so long as a mandatory course on reason & logic is also required. Do everyone more good in the long run...

[jhubert.livejournal.com]

Beats me. But the discussion over Evolution is a purely American issue - over here in Europe, pretty much no one doubts it.

The general consensus here is: "Americans are weird." ;-)

[selenite.livejournal.com]

I think Europe counts as being in the "few kids/safety net for all" category. I've seen some worried speculation on the state it'll be in fifty years from now.

[jhubert.livejournal.com]

I've seen some worried speculation on the state it'll be in fifty years from now.

Well, France will be the most populous state in the Union, among other things...

[selenite.livejournal.com]

Yep. Possibly with a majority of its military-age males being Muslims. Hopefully they'll do a better job of assimilating immigrants by then.

[jhubert.livejournal.com]

Well, friction with immigrants and ethnic minorities occurs wherever you might be. Still, I don't think that these problems are insurmountable, and at least from where I am sitting it doesn't look that bad...