[Taxacom] New classification of Hominidae (incl. the "hobbit")

[Jim Croft]

'Conviction' , like 'belief', is probably too emotionally charged to
be useful in science, and hence Taxacom, the pinnacle of such
endeavour.  But this is what discussions like these are all about -
righteousness in the face of insurmountable indifference, if not
opposition.

'Opinion'. like 'evidence' and 'consequence', on the other hand is
perhaps a little more neutral, a little more flat.  But even the
descriptor 'opinionated' comes with its baggage.

Bringing this all back to Taxacom, I believe with some conviction that
such beliefs and convictions do not belong here</irony>. Belief and
conviction is what God created blogs for...  :)

jim

"I cannot give any scientist of any age better advice than this: the
intensity of a conviction that a hypothesis is true has no bearing
over whether it is true or not." - Peter Medawar

but perhaps the more poetic:

"Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd."   - Voltaire

On Sat, May 2, 2009 at 12:53 AM, Richard Jensen <rjensen at saintmarys.edu> wrote:
> This is what I meant. We must clarify our intention when using words
> that have several meanings. "Belief" is such a word. It can be used to
> represent acceptance via unreasoned faith (or even reasoned faith), or
> it can be used as synonymous with (see Webster's New Collegiate
> dictionary) ""conviction of the truth of some statement or the reality
> of some being or phenomenon, esp. when based on the examination of
> evidence." Whether the belief qualifies as science or not is another
> matter. When I, as a scientist, say I believe in evolution, I am using
> the latter definition coupled with a scientific evaluation of the evidence.
>
> Dick J
>
> Richard Jensen, Professor
> Department of Biology
> Saint Mary’s College
> Notre Dame, IN 46556
> Tel: 574-284-4674