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Author Topic:   Why Not Other Scientific Heresies?
lpetrich
Inactive Member


Message 1 of 8 (37451)
04-21-2003 1:08 PM


Why not give equal time for other heretical theories?
Like that the planets are embedded in crystalline spheres and that they are pushed by angels? And present it as an alternative to godless, materialistic, mechanistic theories of celestial mechanics like Newtonianism and its successor Einsteinianism. Explain how such theories will make schoolchildren believe that they are totally mechanistic entities, and how that will make them want to kill their classmates just for the fun of it. Yes, drag in Columbine as an example of the pernicious effects of teaching Newton/Einstein mechanics instead of the angel theory of planetary motion.
Preformationist embryology? That's the theory that organisms are essentially Russian dolls, with their gametes containing complete embryos that contain gametes that contain embryos that contain gametes that contain ... This is better than tiny coded molecules, isn't it?
Vitalism? That's the theory that biochemistry and molecular biology are all wrong and that living things require some special life-stuff or "vital force" to keep going. Such mysterious forces are common in the theories behind various "alternative" therapies, whose advocates have been curiously reluctant to demand equal educational time for their views. And point out how mechanistic theories of life processes have the same effect as Newton/Einstein mechanics, how they make schoolchildren want to kill their classmates -- Columbine here also.
Four-elements theory? Earth, air, water, and fire. Who needs a complicated system of 110+ chemical elements when only 4 will do?
Alchemy? If we can manufacture an abundance of gold, we'll be rich. So why not get schoolchildren started on a path to great wealth?
There are plenty of others, but I think I'll stop here.

Replies to this message:
 Message 2 by NosyNed, posted 04-21-2003 1:42 PM lpetrich has not replied

  
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