[Taxacom] evolution education

[Richard Zander]

Scenarios or stories are not metaphysical claims on reality, but are scientific theories, which are refutable or may be supported by additional evidence (predictivity). Cladists do not have theories, but instead have metaphysical claims on reality, e.g. "shared ancestor" made us all. 

One of the best ways to advance an argument is to accuse your opponent of your own failings, which is sure to fluster them. 

Of course one of the nice things about Taxacom is that rhetoric and polemics are censored by reviewers AFTER publication, not before.  :)

 
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Richard H. Zander 
Missouri Botanical Garden, PO Box 299, St. Louis, MO 63166-0299 USA 
Web sites: http://www.mobot.org/plantscience/resbot/ and http://www.mobot.org/plantscience/bfna/bfnamenu.htm
Modern Evolutionary Systematics Web site: http://www.mobot.org/plantscience/resbot/21EvSy.htm


-----Original Message-----
From: taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu [mailto:taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu] On Behalf Of John Grehan
Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2011 7:55 AM
To: taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
Subject: Re: [Taxacom] evolution education

'Scenario' is the right the right term and the problem. Scenarios or stories are just that. But where stories are generated by science the focus should be on the science, not the story which itself is not science, but a metaphysical claim about reality. So long as the teaching of evolution is focused on the stories and not the science it will be a mess.

John Grehan