Comments on: How to Be a Grown-up About Evolution http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/08/04/how-to-be-a-grown-up-about-evolution/ Self-Experimentation, Scientific Method, the Shangri-La Diet, etc. Fri, 09 Jan 2009 13:10:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.7 by: seth http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/08/04/how-to-be-a-grown-up-about-evolution/#comment-32934 Mon, 06 Aug 2007 18:47:07 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/08/04/how-to-be-a-grown-up-about-evolution/#comment-32934 I agree, it is easier for me to consider what you call "sympathy" and what I call "an attempt to understand". Perhaps that's why I am making such an argument. Still, I don't think it means I am wrong. I agree, it is easier for me to consider what you call “sympathy” and what I call “an attempt to understand”. Perhaps that’s why I am making such an argument. Still, I don’t think it means I am wrong.

]]> by: Sam Penrose http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/08/04/how-to-be-a-grown-up-about-evolution/#comment-32927 Mon, 06 Aug 2007 18:07:43 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/08/04/how-to-be-a-grown-up-about-evolution/#comment-32927 Practice what you preach: try to understand where Roughgarden is coming from. Her exact words (as quoted here) are: "They want to define me as inhuman" From the context I would guess that she is implying that these are fighting words. Given that the legal status of transsexuals *has* left them subject to malign neglect, coercion, and simple violence, she has a prima facie case that these people are a threat to her wellbeing in very concrete ways. They are attacking HER. You, by contrast, are engaged in an intellectual contest from a position of personal safety. They are attacking views you hold. It's a lot easier to consider sympathy as a tactic in the sort of struggle you're engaged in than in the one she's engaged in. Practice what you preach: try to understand where Roughgarden is coming from. Her exact words (as quoted here) are:

“They want to define me as inhuman”

From the context I would guess that she is implying that these are fighting words. Given that the legal status of transsexuals *has* left them subject to malign neglect, coercion, and simple violence, she has a prima facie case that these people are a threat to her wellbeing in very concrete ways. They are attacking HER.

You, by contrast, are engaged in an intellectual contest from a position of personal safety. They are attacking views you hold. It’s a lot easier to consider sympathy as a tactic in the sort of struggle you’re engaged in than in the one she’s engaged in.

]]> by: seth http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/08/04/how-to-be-a-grown-up-about-evolution/#comment-32681 Sun, 05 Aug 2007 19:35:08 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/08/04/how-to-be-a-grown-up-about-evolution/#comment-32681 Yeah, I think the we're-sure-we-know attitude of the pro-evolution side is not conducive to progress. Political or scientific. How much of evolution is neutral drift (driven by variation) and how much is driven by selection? I've never heard a good answer to that. Yeah, I think the we’re-sure-we-know attitude of the pro-evolution side is not conducive to progress. Political or scientific.

How much of evolution is neutral drift (driven by variation) and how much is driven by selection? I’ve never heard a good answer to that.

]]> by: lasser11 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/08/04/how-to-be-a-grown-up-about-evolution/#comment-32680 Sun, 05 Aug 2007 19:27:50 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/08/04/how-to-be-a-grown-up-about-evolution/#comment-32680 I wish more people would read Darwin, himself. He's such a humble and respectable thinker. A lot of the emphasis Darwin placed on variation and contingency is lost in debates on evolution today. Such an emphasis by Darwin made him much more open to ideas than most of his scientific followers. I wish more people would read Darwin, himself. He’s such a humble and respectable thinker.

A lot of the emphasis Darwin placed on variation and contingency is lost in debates on evolution today. Such an emphasis by Darwin made him much more open to ideas than most of his scientific followers.

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