Re: Racism and YEC thread

Terry wrote concerning the "Racism and YEC thread":

"A number of folks have expressed concern about its
limited relevance to the list (and I tend to agree). "

The list, I understand, is for debating topics on science relative to religion. A large fraction of recent exchanges between Rich and me would come under the heading of psychology or sociology. That is, they've concerned such things as the relative importance of IQ vs motivation, dynamics of group interactions, and the ability of one group to influence other groups or individuals. Many people, including university administrators, continue to include psychology and sociology under the heading of science--although I can sympathize with those who disagree. Some people even include history as science--and much of what is discussed on this list has concerned history, including portions of recent exchanges between Rich and me. Eliminating all discussion relative to such softer sciences would kind of sterilize the list.

To say that nothing new is emerging--well, if that were the criterion, at least half of what goes on here ought to be eliminated. IMO new things were emerging.

The tone of the exchanges is a separate matter. Rich takes no prisoners when he disagrees with you, he rarely concedes that your arguments have any merit, and he often reads unstated and unintended messages into what you write. But that's Rich, and his slings and arrows have the effect on me of water on a duck's back. I'm willing to put up with that kind of discourse on occasion if I think I can make headway in teasing out a person's underlying motives, assumptions or preconceptions.

Nevertheless I'm willing to heed your suggestion as listmaster and cease further public communication on this topic. It's not that important to me; but there was a kind of lull on the list, so I thot I'd kind of fill in. If people don't like it, well--is this worse than spam, and are their delete keys not working?

Don

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Terry M. Gray
  To: asa@calvin.edu
  Sent: Thursday, November 27, 2003 9:12 AM
  Subject: Re: Racism and YEC thread

  Hi,

  I suggest that Don and Rich take this thread off-list if they wish to
  continue it. A number of folks have expressed concern about its
  limited relevance to the list (and I tend to agree). Also, I think
  that very little new information is coming out. I have talked to Rich
  about this already and would encourage anyone else who wishes to
  pursue this discussion with him to do it privately.

  TG
  List Manager
  --
  _________________
  Terry M. Gray, Ph.D., Computer Support Scientist
  Chemistry Department, Colorado State University
  Fort Collins, Colorado 80523
  grayt@lamar.colostate.edu http://www.chm.colostate.edu/~grayt/
  phone: 970-491-7003 fax: 970-491-1801
Received on Fri Nov 28 10:13:46 2003