Forward Into The Past?

[birdan]

From yesterday's U.S. Republican presidential candidates debate:

Huckabee was one of three GOP candidates who raised their hand during Thursday's debate when asked if they don't believe in evolution -- the development of organisms and species from a primitive state.

The other candidates were Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas and Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado.

http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/politicalticker/

And a fourth candidate:

And an increasingly pathetic John McCain interrupted himself to qualify and water down his just-stated acknowledgement of Darwin's theories, sharing with us his feeling that God might have created the Grand Canyon.

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/campaignmatters?pid=192304

The above Huckabee, in a conference call with reporters after the debate, said "And the main thing ... I'm not sure what in the world that has to do with being president of the United States".

Oh Really?

 

[HypnoToad]

Well, what does it have to do with being President?

 

[rjw]

From yesterday's U.S. Republican presidential candidates debate:

http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/politicalticker/

And a fourth candidate:

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/campaignmatters?pid=192304

The above Huckabee, in a conference call with reporters after the debate, said "And the main thing ... I'm not sure what in the world that has to do with being president of the United States".

Oh Really?

One thing in his favour, he does have a sensible attitude towards teaching in public schools, that is, teach evolution and not creationism.


Regards, Roland

 

[AnEmpiricalAgnostic]

Well, what does it have to do with being President?

It can act as a litmus test for intellectual competency. Hopefully this is showing that we've learned from our mistakes.

 

[birdan]

Well, what does it have to do with being President?

Beyond my personal opinion that this view shows a tenuous grasp of reality, I would point out that the driving force of the American economic engine is technological innovation. And the source of that technological innovation is scientific research. The theory of evolution is one of the best evidenced theories of science, so a "disbelief" in evolution indicates a rather deep ignorance (willful or not) of science and its methodologies. Economically, it has a lot to do with being president.

 

[timeout]

There are only a number of fields that a YEC can study in school. Most fields you run into evolution on some form or another -- so that leaves Political Science. No wonder so many politicians don't believe in evolution, they couldn't study anything else in school because of their limited belief system. How sad for them to miss out on so much.

 

[XTE]

Beyond my personal opinion that this view shows a tenuous grasp of reality, I would point out that the driving force of the American economic engine is technological innovation. And the source of that technological innovation is scientific research. The theory of evolution is one of the best evidenced theories of science, so a "disbelief" in evolution indicates a rather deep ignorance (willful or not) of science and its methodologies. Economically, it has a lot to do with being president.

This is a very well thought out statement.

Thank you birdan and AnEmpiracleAgnostic. Thank you.

 

[TeddyKGB]

My honesty-in-debate-politics daydream:

Moderator: Candidate Q, regards the origin and diversity of life, do you accept evolution or creationism?

Candidate Q: One sec, let me check the latest poll numbers...

M: We need an answer, Q.

CQ: Well, as of 3:30 pm this afternoon, my official position, with 53.8% of the vote is... young-Earth creationism.

 

[HypnoToad]

Beyond my personal opinion that this view shows a tenuous grasp of reality, I would point out that the driving force of the American economic engine is technological innovation. And the source of that technological innovation is scientific research. The theory of evolution is one of the best evidenced theories of science, so a "disbelief" in evolution indicates a rather deep ignorance (willful or not) of science and its methodologies.

Hardly.

Disagreement with one scientific theory does not equate to ignorance of all science or its methodologies.

I'm curious, is there a reference that I can look up showing that all the better American presidents believed in evolution?

 

[Vainglorious]

Bush Jnr has waffled about what exactly his position on evolution is. Which is kind of odd because he very easily believed there were WMD's in Iraq and Saddam was buying uranium from Niger.

I read somewhere (and I could be wrong on this) but Bush Jnr is the most unpopular President since Nixon. Does this have any relevance to his lack of science knowledge and his proudly stated lack of intellectual curiousity? Does critical thinking really matter in a President? I mean, it is not as if they ever have to make any important decisions.

 

[RedAndy]

Bush Jnr has waffled about what exactly his position on evolution is. Which is kind of odd because he very easily believed there were WMD's in Iraq and Saddam was buying uranium from Niger.

I read somewhere (and I could be wrong on this) but Bush Jnr is the most unpopular President since Nixon. Does this have any relevance to his lack of science knowledge and his proudly stated lack of intellectual curiousity? Does critical thinking really matter in a President? I mean, it is not as if they ever have to make any important decisions.

I think Bush has said in the past that he believes ID should be taught alongside evolution - the usual scientifically ignorant line that "there are two theories, and students should hear both." The fact that one is a scientific theory, supported by evidence and the other is a religious belief, supported only by a very specific interpretation of religious scripture seems not to bother him.

In all honesty, though, I doubt it's specifically Bush's ignorance on scientific matters that makes him so unpopular. It may be more to do with the transparently corrupt nature of his administration, and the fact that he flat-out lied in order to justify war with Iraq.