much funnier, albeit in a very different way
"funnier" as in, not ha-ha funnier, but as in, our-civilization-is-crumbling-about-our-ears funnier?
Even funnier than this, actually, are the comments that Adams' minions left on Pharyngula. I note, without comment, that the flames began almost exactly at 8 AM on the East Coast.
OK, I can't resist a comment. It's not at all surprising that a comedian whose whole schtick is calling people idiots has a fan base made up mostly of people who think he's not talking about them.
What a glib lightweight. He refuses to read books by biologists because they have a conflict of interest (they make their living teaching evolution).
He has weird magical beliefs. He thinks if you write down an "affirmation", it will come true. Things like "I will become a syndicated cartoonist", but also "the next stock I randomly pick will be a winner". I don't think he is religious.
Vox Day has a defense of "Prussian Blue" on his web page. Neo-nazis are so misunderstood.
I don't even get how the conflict of interest works. Biologists have a professional interest in teaching biology, sure, but if ID were a serious part of biology, they'd teach that. It's not like anyone would lose their jobs. All the researchers could keep on doing research... what would biologists have to lose by taking ID seriously, if it were worth serious consideration?
As far as I can tell, not a blessed thing.
He makes glib references to Hume and Berkeley -- or at least to their work -- and draws conclusions from them that don't follow.
For instance: 1. Causation is an assumption. Therefore, 2. Evolution does not exist.
To the extent that 2 follows, you could insert any other facet of human knowledge -- such as carpentry, or computer programming -- and it likewise would follow. In other words, it doesn't get you anywhere. It doesn't make sense to stop using penicillin, and instead write "I won't get sick" on a piece of paper, because David Hume showed that causation is a human assumption.
Text, he doesn't give a rat's ass. He's just pulling people's chains, which cracks himself up.
Andy, I didn't read far into the site, because I was late for they gym, but do you get the sense this is all a put-on?
I thought it was a sort of aw-shucks folksy wisdom adapted for the cubicle set-- but that he was moderately serious.
On other blog fronts (I did my own say about Scott Adams yesterday morning), look, gang, Glenn Reynolds, defender of the ACLU!
I actually agree that the ACLU is overly zealous in that department. I believe in separation of church and state, but there is a saying "the law cares not for trifles." The ACLU, on the other hand, seems to litigate a lot of trifles.
That's some bold defense from a pro-torture libertarian.
Has it ever occured to any of you that Glenn is just pulling people's chains? It really gets him off.
I think "GOP hack" is a more elegant explanation.