Re:Bipedalism and Theorizing....(WAS: Morgan and Creationists)
Phillip Bigelow (bh162@scn.org)
Wed, 25 Sep 1996 17:16:00 -0700
> In article <Dy92s4.Ks0@inter.NL.net>
> ghanenbu@inter.nl.net "Gerrit Hanenburg" writes:
> > Jane Goodall about chimpanzees:"For the first 6 to 9 months the infant
> > is normally transported from place to place in ventro-ventral
> > position,gripping the mother's hair between flexed fingers and toes."
> <snips>
Paul Crowley responded:
> What's the point in quoting chunks from textbooks and learned papers?
> This is not an abstruse topic;
<snip>
The *point* in such quotes is that this newsgroup is a science
newsgroup, and the results from basic research and direct
scientifically-conducted observation should take precedence
over idle speculation for the sake of speculation. Goodall does
basic research. You speculate.
The point, Paul, is that quoting from "learned papers" is how
the facts (read "hard data") are distributed, and, if taken for
what they are, then science slowly inches ahead (along with it's
appropriate checks and ballances called "critical review").
We build on previous discoveries. We don't build much of anything
on a foundation made only of anecdotes or personal speculation.
Sorry.
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