Posts

Getting into the Genetic Fallacy and Others

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Some years ago, I  briefly discussed the genetic fallacy . We need to give it another look. In one way, it is simple: People reject information because they dislike its source. That is a cop out to avoid dealing with subject matter that may be pertinent. Recently, I wrote in  Resistance to Question Evolution Day  that someone posted about QED on Reddit and angry atheists had many illogical comments. The poster was asked if people should pay attention to someone called "Cowboy Bob." The genetic fallacy was weaponized and the content of QED was ignored. Plato and Aristotle dazzle the School of Athens  with basketball displays Regular readers know that I encourage people to know basic informal logical fallacies . It can be quite fun. Christians (especially biblical creationists) need to know these things not only to catch deceit and manipulation from misotheists and Darwin's disciples, but also to keep from doing it ourselves and dishonoring the Lord. One challenge...

Considering Special Relativity

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It seems that theories of relativity are the domain of mathematical geniuses, but it is said that us reg'lar folk can get a handle on them. Uncle Albert Einstein had two theories, General and Special. When physicists study motion, that is mechanics . When the motions of objects in different locations are compared, that is relativity . People have studied motion and relative positions for millennia. Aristotle had some ideas, but got things wrong. Galileo di Vincenzo Bonaiuti de' Galilei got on the prod about Aristotle's teachings and did his own studies. This brought changes in physics. Albert Einstein explaining relativity on chalkboard made at Hetemeel Then Isaac Newton got involved and further developed the relativity that Galileo had been working on. Great, Newtonian laws of motion were developed. Then came Albert Einstein and his theory of special relativity. Some folks say that his work replaced Newtonian physics, but that is not the case. He expanded on it. Interestin...

Considering a New Scientific Journal

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In the secular science industry, the peer review process seems more like a "good ol' boys" club than the dissemination of objective scientific information. While gatekeeping keeps out much of the riffraff, it also protects favored views from contrary data. Although creation scientists do publish in peer-reviewed journals , they cannot get material refuting evolution, supporting the global Genesis Flood, and so on published. Not only is evolution protected, but leftist views on climate change and other things are shielded. The peer-review process has numerous flaws that bother even secular scientists. Made at  Redkid.net I've got some bad news for you, Sunshine: Scientists are not the bastions of integrity and impartiality that many people think. They are human and subject to wicked urges just like the rest of us. Peer review has cheating, ethical problems, a reproducibility crisis , and other flaws. There appears to be a rebellion in the works. Some want it scrapped. ...

Cotton Candy Planets and the Young Universe

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It is amazing how astronomers can use technology to find planets outside our solar system, even so much as to speculate on their size and composition. Pictures of exoplanets are only artist concepts; the planets cannot be seen. Continued observations of activity in their solar systems can raise questions. Transits in the Kepler-51 system caused some confusion, as they were not what was expected. While a number of large planets have been discovered, these seem to have a density comparable to cotton candy. Astronomers are looking for ways to explain what is happening. Bags of cotton candy, Pexels / Magda Ehlers These super-puff planets should not exist according to standard cosmology. Their cores lack density, which means they should not have atmospheres. How these puff daddies formed in the first place is a mystery, and one speculation about what's going on is that there is a great deal of dust kicked up by outflowing atmospheres — which should have dissipated millions of years ago ...

Imagine Science Without Darwin

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February 12 is Question Evolution Day for those of us who care about free speech, intellectual and academic freedoms, and more. Many secularists call it Darwin Day since Charlie is treated like a religious icon. Speak ill of him and call down their thunder. Yet people also say that nobody believes Darwinism anymore, theories of evolution have progressed. Don't even refer to evolution as Darwinism . But they still have the day of observance. It would be amazing if secular scientists told the secular science industry, "We can work without evolutionary thinking. Send him packing." Charles Darwin hitchhiking, made with AI at Bing While atheists and other secularists may be screaming, "Katie, bar the door!" about such a heretical concept of science without Darwinism, there are some basic facts to consider. First, he was not a "great scientist," as his only earned degree was in theology. Second, he promised to back up his claims, but never followed through ...

Trusting the Text of Revelation

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Scoffers often accuse Jews and Christians of stupidly accepting ancient texts and legends, then incorporating them into our belief systems. They claim Mithras, Osiris, Krishna, and other pagan myths had striking similarities to our beliefs — but those claims are utterly false . False religions and others have presented books and letters attributed to the apostles and other church leaders. In tense times, the canon was decided upon using specific criteria . The book of Revelation was not enthusiastically embraced at first because church leaders wondered if it was authentic. Heaven clipart, Free Christian Illustrations I'll allow that Revelation reads quite a bit differently than other New Testament books, and it has been used by heretics for their own agendas. But then, selecting verses for cultic agendas happens with rest of the Bible itself. Liberal scholars have tried to find reasons to downplay Revelation, but those sidewinders have been doing that stuff for quite a long time — ...

Of Hippopotamuses, England, and the Flood

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While there were other hippopotamuses long ago, there are only two kinds left: the pygmy and the river. Interesting contrast, as the river hippo makes its home in the Nile. It is the third largest land animal and very dangerous. They are also fragile. To modify a line from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy , Hippopotamuses glide through water in much the same way that bricks don't. Water temperature must be just right, and no salt, either. So how did they get to merrie olde England? Dining hippopotamus, Pixabay / Petar Ubiparip Since they cannot fit through the doors of mass transit and they cannot operate motor vehicles, they must have walked. But Cowboy Bob, England isn't very merry and it's surrounded by water! Well, Ireland and Britain are islands now , but there was a time when the areas were accessible by foot. This involves the Ice Age that was the result of the Genesis Flood. (People have some wrong ideas about the Ice Age, such as many of them in the past an...

Evolution and Bird Brains

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A possible missing link for bird evolution had been proposed, and the hands at the Darwin Ranch were all a-twitter. Indeed, they were celebrating so loudly, they could be heard all the way to Stinking Lake (which is not as bad as it sounds). But there was little reason for it. Consider that if universal common ancestor evolution were true, scientists would practically be tripping over the multitude of transitional forms. Instead, they are happy when they find a few possibilities. This bird skull find is packed with weasel words and dubious reasoning. Suspicious ostrich is suspicious, Pexels / Adriaan Greyling (modified, also used ImgFlip ) Several basic concepts have been neglected. A larger brain does not guarantee more cognitive ability. This bad boy is supposed to fit between Archaeopteryx  (a true bird) and modern birds, but birds have different sized skulls. Consider that the ostrich skull has a typical length of  almost 19 cm. (7.4 in.) and a house sparrow runs 2-1/2 cm...

Babies Recognize Languages Very Early

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Studies of how unborn children respond are fascinating, and I witnessed how one of my newborn children recognized my voice. I spoke, and he tried to turn his head in my direction! It has been recommended that expectant parents talk to their developing children; some also read to them. It has been discovered that babies have a built-in ability to learn  and are also ready to read . Naturally, it fits right in that they are ready to learn the language of the people around them. It was discovered that they learn it earlier than scientists thought. Baby feet in crib, RGBstock /  Jean Scheijen For that matter, it is known that children are far more adept at learning more than one language, but it is often difficult for adults to learn additional languages. It would be in the best interests for children of parents who do not speak the language of the country where they live to learn that country's language as well as the one their parents speak. That way, the whole family doesn't ha...

Planetary Habitability and Water

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Habitability out there, thataway, was a simple concept: A planet had to be the right distance from a suitable star. There also had to be some water. Secular cosmologists and astrobiologists (yet there are no aliens to study) depend on atoms-to-alien evolution to happen. Aside from the silliness of believing in abiogenesis despite  science and reason, these folks also have to deal with how the habitability zone becomes increasingly complex. It gets more complicated the way water is vital for habitability in more ways than scientists previously considered. Desert world scene, Pixabay / Gordon Taylor There are books and movies about desert worlds where water is a precious commodity. Computer simulations greatly increase the suspension of disbelief in audiences because a world without water could not evolve  — a substantial amount of water, at that. Also, the water would have to be at a minimum level. Such information should inspire people to be thankful to the Creator for the wor...