Re: Further Evolution beyond the Human? (Sardonic Diatribe)

Paul Myers (myers@netaxs.com)
Thu, 10 Oct 1996 20:12:47 -0400

In article <53j8h3$d80@bcarh8ab.bnr.ca>, krockel@bnr.ca (Kevin Rockel) wrote:

> In article <53h1oj$394@news3.digex.net>, medved@access.digex.net
(Theodore A. Holden) writes:
> |>
> |> The other difference is that nothing in Newton's description of
gravity could
> |> be said to have caused any marked worsening of human conduct.
>
> Ted, Ted Ted,
>
> You do not realize the absolute horror that Newton caused. Solely because of
> of his work describing Gravity, a whole new form of murder was devised.
>
> Defenestration.
>
> Yes, before Newton, no-one would have ever thought of throwing people out of
> high windows, or off of cliffs. muder was much more civilized, using
daggers or poinson. Once Newton published his theory, everyone realized
that things
> absolutely *MUST* fall down, and therefore if they are aided in this
falling down, so much the better. Thus the horrible dawn of
defenestration.
>
> And also, one must not forget suicides. Look at all the people stockbrokers
> who killed themselves by jumping from their office buildings in the 30's. If
> it wasn't for Newton and his horrible theory of gravity, they wouldn't have
> done that, and they definately wouldn't have endangered people on the street
> below them. Look at all the people killed by falling since Newton. They are
> all his fault. Newton is one of the biggest mass murderers of all time. Bigger
> than Hitler, bigger than Darwin.
>

Oh, yes -- the Wile E. Coyote theory of gravity, that is, that you won't
fall down until you _realize_ you might fall down. This is, of course,
a valid scientific principle! Ted is obviously describing the Wile E.
Coyote theory of evolution.

-- 
Paul Myers Department of Biology
myers@netaxs.com Temple University
http://fishnet.bio.temple.edu/ Philadelphia, PA 19122