I had no idea

[james_davis_nicoll]

As pointed out in email, JEP on evolution.

Comments

[heron61.livejournal.com]

I am always extremely gratified to find out that people whose views I consider to be vile are also provably idiots or fools. It had never occurred to me that Pournelle was either a fundy or the sort of contrarian fool who rejects the evidence of solid natural and physical science rather than merely someone who merely rejects both compassion and the evidence of social science.

I'm now curious to know how many radical authoritarians like Pournelle are in the fact-denying end of Christianity.

[mindstalk.livejournal.com]

I missed the religion bit, I thought he was just suffering terminal contrarianism. Someone in 1995 said he was a believing Catholic, but I don't find much else on his current faith if any. I do find that defending intelligent design isn't new for him:
http://austringer.net/wp/index.php/2008/07/05/a-pournelle-misunderstanding/

[jaylake.livejournal.com]

Only mildly apropros of this thread, the first time I ever met JEP (at an awards ceremony), he took the opportunity to gratuitously insult me from the podium for laughs, then privately insult me in the restroom after. This did little to endear him to me.

[mme-hardy.livejournal.com]

Damn. That's wrong. (But you knew that.)

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

Denying evolution would be going against Roman Catholic Church teaching.

[owlmirror36.livejournal.com]

I am nearly certain that this is wrong.

As I understand it, the RCC teaches that it is permissible to accept the findings of modern science, so a Catholic in good standing can accept Big Bang cosmology and deep time, and the fact that species have evolved over time. But it is not a teaching of doctrine that Catholics must accept all findings of science, so it is possible to be a Catholic in good standing and also be a YEC, and/or a geocentrist, and/or even a Flat-Earther.

I await with interest the possibility that the future might bring us JEP questioning the dogma of that whole heliocentrism fad.

[wakboth.livejournal.com]

Choosing to forsake empathy makes you an idiot. It's evil that makes you stupid, in other words.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/slacktivist/2010/04/30/empathy-and-epistemic-closure/

[heron61.livejournal.com]

Fascinating, thank you for that link!

[sinboy.livejournal.com]

If leftists were in favor of "intelligent design" Pournelle would be mocking them for evolution. It's not an intrinsic facet of his right wing politics, its that he's picking up a cause leftists are opposed to and championing the other side.

[maruad.livejournal.com]

I had an uncle who would do the same with anyone he knew after he had a few beers. It didn't matter what the topic was, he would take the other side. I think he even argued against views he privately held just for the entertainment.

[james-nicoll.livejournal.com]

My father always argued with whoever was seated to his left. Hilariously, he was unaware of this pattern until it was pointed out.

[avram]

How was the hearing in his right ear?

[sinboy.livejournal.com]

Jerry just hates liberals.

[kgbooklog.livejournal.com]

It's not an intrinsic facet of his right wing politics, its that he's picking up a cause leftists are opposed to and championing the other side.

But isn't "opposing everything the left supports" the second most important goal of the right, after "tax cuts for the rich"? Heck, some of them flat out say it's their #1 duty.

[sinboy.livejournal.com]

Yeah, pretty much.

[scott-sanford.livejournal.com]

Once an American politician publicly claims obstructing Obama as his first priority (over serving the nation or, say, getting re-elected), that should probably be the end of his career. On the other hand, it's seemed to be a winning strategy; we'll have to see what happens after 2016.

[ilya187.livejournal.com]

I'm now curious to know how many radical authoritarians like Pournelle are in the fact-denying end of Christianity.

I cannot parse this sentence. Care to explain what you are trying to say?

[(Anonymous)]

If I'm interpreting it correctly it may be clearer if you replace "end" by something like "section", i.e.

"I'm now curious to know how many radical authoritarians like Pournelle are in the section of Christianity that denies facts."


-- Paul Clarke

[joenotcharles.livejournal.com]

There is a group of authoritarians who are radical. Call this Group A. Pournelle is in group A.

There is a group of Christians who deny facts. Call this Group B. If Christians are placed on a spectrum, those in Group B fall at one end of the spectrum.

I'm now curious to know how many members of Group A are also in Group B.

[jsburbidge.livejournal.com]

There's probably a heavy overlap between the two groups among the sedevacantists, but there aren't very many of them around.

[ritaxis.livejournal.com]

Made me look. I didn't know the word or the people it refers to. I am amazed but not surprised.