Re: "Facts" and Facts

Brian Michael Howell (bmhowell@ARTSCI.WUSTL.EDU)
Thu, 7 Dec 1995 17:08:09 -0600

On Thu, 7 Dec 1995, Greg Laden wrote:

> On Thu, 7 Dec 1995, Susan Love Brown wrote:
>
> >
> > Fortunately, I have never been asked to debate the topic of evolution.
> > In any case, I would leave it to the experts in the biological field.
> > But I can't help but support Bob Graber's position that it is
> > probably a pointless exercise, unless, of course, you are the only
> > speaker in the program.
>
> I should make the point that I (most people in these debates?) do not try
> to "win" over the opponant, or for that matter all those dyed in the wool
> creationists out there listening in. The audience, from my pont of view,
> is the fence sitter. Perhaps there are not too many fence sitters out
> there, and thus this would be kind of poinless. But I think there are
> some, and my intention is to reach them
>
> Cheers,
>
> GTL
>
I'm glad that you are willing to debate creationists although it sound
like some of their tactics are questionable to say the least. I would
suggest, however, that it really is not a debate regarding evolution and
its merits, but a philsophical and theological debate. I'm sure you
already know that, but by debating creationists in that sort of
"I-have-more-stuff-that-you-can't-explain-than-you-do" it perpetrates the
belief that this is a debate to be settled by the fossils. Perhaps the
debates you do have a different tone than I have heard. How exactly have
these debates gone?

BHowell
WashU-St.Louis