Snakefoot Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 The scientist who led the team that cracked the human genome is to publish a book explaining why he now believes in the existence of God and is convinced that miracles are real. The full story here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legion Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 I find this disheartening on several levels. Mostly though I find it somewhat ludicrous that someone would examine genomes alone and think that they have examined organisms. Genes are not the essence of life in my estimation. This is mediocre science and mediocre theology in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandpa Harley Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 It's like reading the Hayes Manual and then claiming you can build a 1972 Triumph Acclaim... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hereticzero Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 Maybe it was an overwhelming abundance of midi-chlorians in the genomes that led him to his conclusions. Or, perhaps he found the 'happy' gene. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 There's a term for situations like this: cognitive blind spot. In essence it's when someone who is extremely smart in one area think that he's also the master of another area. We would never trust a theologian to do a brain surgery on a patient, why would we think a biochemistry scientist knows theology? Collins figured out that God must exist and that he was a triune god, and that Christianity was true, because he saw a frozen waterfall that was divided into three (IIRC). And to that I can only answer... wha de fug??!? It's proof that lapses in intelligence even happens to the best of our society. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chefranden Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 Dawkins vs. Collins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legion Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 In my opinion Dawkins has some things to learn about biology himself. Evolution, although a fact, does not exhaust our understanding of organisms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 You can find cognitive blind spots everywhere and in everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 So he believes in god because he read Mere Christianity and went hiking in the mountains. Gah -- nature can be very beautiful, but beauty in nature is not proof of the existence of god. And it is especially not proof of the existence of the Judeo Christian deity over the hundreds of other deities that have been, and are, worshipped on this planet. A Muslim would say it proves Allah's existence. A pagan might say it proves Thor's existence. How does it disprove them? Emotion can be a good thing, but it is not evidence of anything except how the person experiencing it feels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. S. Martin Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 In my opinion Dawkins has some things to learn about biology himself. Evolution, although a fact, does not exhaust our understanding of organisms. Am I not allowed to like and trust an intellectual like Dawkins for his general knowledge and integrity just because he does not know every last thing there is to know about biology? That would be ludicrous. It is impossible for a single human brain to know all there is to know about any single topic these days. A person does well to keep on top of his own specialty, if indeed he can do that. Biology is a pretty broad field. I can't watch the vid with my slow connection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedah Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Sigh....Lame. I'm all ears if someone actually does make a valid discovery that can lead to a proof of the supernatural - which is exactly what this fruit has not done. He's simply a scientist who was converted during his studies, and is now making the same mistake many before him made: Look at the human genome ! Its magnificent ! I'm closer to Gawd now weeeeee !!! Same old argument from complexity which fails for the same reasons all other arguments from complexity fail: Define complex ! Nothing to see here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Maybe it wasn't the Genome project, but the gnome project? They do live in the same place as unicorns and other magical creatures... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Bragg Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 I still respect the guy. I mean, just because they guy did some steriling work doesn't make him a superhuman. Yes it is regretable he comes out with this now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Actually it's old news. No one mentioned that in the thread. His "come out" was 2 years ago, and we had a whole lot of discussion back then too. And it's true, he did a good job with the genome project, and it's unfortunate that a person is an expert in one area, also believe that makes him an expert in other areas he know very little about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Bragg Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Actually it's old news. No one mentioned that in the thread. His "come out" was 2 years ago, and we had a whole lot of discussion back then too. And it's true, he did a good job with the genome project, and it's unfortunate that a person is an expert in one area, also believe that makes him an expert in other areas he know very little about. One could say that about Richard Dawkins though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legion Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Am I not allowed to like and trust an intellectual like Dawkins for his general knowledge and integrity just because he does not know every last thing there is to know about biology? Ruby I would not dare tell you that you were not allowed to do something! I would not dare! I am just saying that in my opinion Dawkins may not be the authority that some make him out to be. Everyone seems to hang on evolution like it is the end all, be all of biology. I simply want to drive home the point that it is as you say it is Ruby. Biology is broad! Much broader than evolution alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Actually it's old news. No one mentioned that in the thread. His "come out" was 2 years ago, and we had a whole lot of discussion back then too. And it's true, he did a good job with the genome project, and it's unfortunate that a person is an expert in one area, also believe that makes him an expert in other areas he know very little about. One could say that about Richard Dawkins though. And no one said that I ever said that. Dawkins is no more an authority to me for religious opinion than any other author or speaker. Not saying that people might have something to contribute, but the dilemma is if you take two experts in biology, and one say they know for sure God exists and nature proves it, and the other say the total opposite. Who is right? Heck, if I know. So what are the options I can chose between? I can decide that I want to believe one of those guys, or ... I make up my mind on my own, and by pure chance one or the other will be on my side! But... I will not use that person as a 4x4 each time I have a discussion and say "well, I'm right because professor X agrees with me!" That's childish and using authorities to prove your point. I try the hardest to never do such a thing, just because since many authorities disagree, just picking one that fits me, is just cherry-picking as much as Christians cherry-pick Bible verses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legion Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Oh yeah Hans? Oh yeah? Well my authority is better than your authority! So take that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Oh yeah Hans? Oh yeah? Well my authority is better than your authority! So take that! I only have one authority... and that's you... try to beat that if you can! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legion Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Oh yeah Hans? Oh yeah? Well my authority is better than your authority! So take that! I only have one authority... and that's you... try to beat that if you can! If I am your authority, then you are in deep trouble Hans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kozimoto Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Good thing he finished his genome project before he found religion. Now the cat's out of the bag, he can profess whatever personal faith he likes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 If I am your authority, then you are in deep trouble Hans. Too late. I was in trouble before that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarthOkkata Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 The scientist who led the team that cracked the human genome is to publish a book explaining why he now believes in the existence of God and is convinced that miracles are real. The full story here It's worth pointing out that this guy did -not- crack the human genome. He was the head of the team that cracked the human genome. In other words, he was an administrator. If this was the subject of a 'Dilbert' comic strip, he would be the 'Pointy Haired Boss'. We shouldn't let delusional idiots take credit for work they didn't do. Even if it is common business practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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