tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post3303011676909023678..comments2024-03-09T04:25:13.906-05:00Comments on Irtiqa: Internet and the spread of Islamic CreationismSalman Hameedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04327330113822656571noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-61859162212037861462009-01-06T04:17:00.000-05:002009-01-06T04:17:00.000-05:00I think, internet is a bliss to unveil how a scien...I think, internet is a bliss to unveil how a scientific theory has been presented as world view or ideology rather than true science. I am a biologist and my work has to connect with evolution at any means. Good thing of evolution theory is that you can add up or delete any genes in order to serve your purpose. It seems like a goal post, where ever play around the field, you have to focus on the goal post. To me, Darwin has contributed a lot in science perspective, but he is not the man of moral authority. Whatever you try, Darwin wont get any ground in muslim world. That does not mean, Muslim world against science. You see, after reading this post evolutinist will start think me as <BR/>a biogot or ignorant! In the era of freedom of expression, people cant <BR/>express anything against this theory or ideology. I am worried whether my almost certain phd degree will be jeopardized due to this post. The whole is under intellectual dictatorship. I have no power so far to come out from this hallucinated world environment as a free thinker. <BR/><BR/>RegardsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-23923113798154603712008-12-27T09:14:00.000-05:002008-12-27T09:14:00.000-05:00Good job covering this topic both here on the blog...Good job covering this topic both here on the blog and in the recent <I>Science</I> piece. It is easy to get informed about the state of Western (mostly Christian) creationism, but until I saw your material I was finding it difficult to get the Islamic picture into focus. <BR/><BR/>It delights me to find Islamic voices that, like yours, are imbued with the scientific spirit. There is no surplus of such voices, alas, in any major religious community. (I happen to be Episcopalian--a type of Christian.) Keep up the good work. In a world swirling with sad nonsense, we need each other's voices.<BR/><BR/>To the previous poster on this thread, Anonymous: I salute your curiosity. My own favorite online resource on evolution, not addressed to specialists but to ordinary literate readers, is talkorigins, at <A>http://www.toarchive.org/</A>. Here mainstream scientific explanations of evolutionary ideas are given and creationist misconceptions about evolution are corrected.<BR/><BR/>To be open on this point, I accept the picture of evolutionary theory as affirmed by something like 99% of the world's biologists and earth scientists, just as I accept the science produced by other specialists, such as astronomers. Evolutionary biology has been rigorously tested, and continues to be tested, by scores of evidential tests. There is no real scientific doubt about the essentials: i.e., all life, including humans, has evolved, and natural selection is a major aspect of that process though not the only one. But of course you should not take my word for it. Examine the science and evaluate its quality for yourself, by all means. That is everyone's intellectual right.<BR/><BR/>A good place to start might be the TalkOrigins frequently-asked-questions page, <A>http://www.toarchive.org/origins/faqs-mustread.html</A>. <BR/><BR/>Sincerely,<BR/><BR/>Larry Gilman<BR/><BR/><A>www.nolongerbythinking.blogspot.com</A><BR/><A>www.larrygilman.net</A>Larry Gilmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04526821473902576219noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-52738212190567501352008-12-23T16:43:00.000-05:002008-12-23T16:43:00.000-05:00Oh yes there are many excellent books on evolution...Oh yes there are many excellent books on evolution. And you are absolutely correct - that there are many many misconceptions about evolution - both from historical and scientific perspective. So here are some book suggestions:<BR/><BR/>An excellent book I am reading right now: <BR/><A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/Your-Inner-Fish-Journey-3-5-Billion-Year/dp/0375424474/" REL="nofollow"><B>Your Inner Fish</B></A> by Neil Shubin. It is a spectacular example of a prediction of evolutionary theory (that transitional fossils of species between fins and limbs will be found in rocks between the ages of 360 and 380 millions years ago - and how that led to the discovery of Tiktallik). Well written - and provides a nice overview of paleontology.<BR/><BR/>On general evolution (there are many many books - but here is a good start):<BR/><A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/Evolution-Triumph-Idea-Carl-Zimmer/dp/0061138401/" REL="nofollow"><B>Evolution: The Triumph of an Idea </B></A> by Carl Zimmer. He is an excellent writer and he presents both history and science of evolution. Also check out another book by Zimmer, <A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/At-Waters-Edge-Fingers-Whales/dp/B001KOU18G/" REL="nofollow"><B>At water's edge: Fish with fingers, whales with legs, and how life came ashore but then went back to sea </B></A><BR/><BR/>On history: <BR/><A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/Charles-Darwin-E-Janet-Browne/dp/0691114390/" REL="nofollow"><B>Charles Darwin: The Power of Place</B></A> by Janet Browne. An excellent account of the circumstances surrounding the publication of the Origin of Species and Darwin's later life.<BR/><BR/>These should provide you with a fantastic overview - and I highly recommend reading the books. However, for a quick reference, you can download Science, Evolution, and Creationism by the National Academy of Sciences <A HREF="http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=11876#toc" REL="nofollow">here</A>. It seems that you can download it in audio format also.<BR/><BR/>Hope this is useful.Salman Hameedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04327330113822656571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38085367.post-32816527978305266812008-12-23T14:51:00.000-05:002008-12-23T14:51:00.000-05:00I only knew you through amastropak but recently i'...I only knew you through amastropak but recently i've started visiting your blog as well. And it has intrigued me in knowing about evolution. I am still of the opinion that evolution has no scientific basis but only taken seriously because there is no other explanation(beside the religious one that is). I am a bit perplexed because some explanations about evolution coming out of scientist just belittles their intellect. Recently i saw a talk by Dr Susskind where he was discussing one of his books and touch upon evolutionary explanation of the eye. Though he is not a biologist but the explanation couldnt have been far more absurd.<BR/>I have been reading books about physics for sometime and people have done a great job in delivering the message to the layman what the 21st century physics is all about. I am wondering whether there are books about evolution that explain the science behind it for a layperson to understand. Because most of the misunderstanding is due to ignorance. If you know any such books please let me know.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com