[asa] historical science?

>>> "Alexanian, Moorad" <alexanian@uncw.edu> 09/09/07 7:01 PM >>>asks
Michael Roberts:

Some time ago, I asked for a definition of historical science and none was
forthcoming. Why not advance a definition so that we know what you mean by
the term "historical science?"

***

Michael of course can answer for himself. Why don't I simply note that in
one of his final books, Ernst Mayr said that he regards evolutionary biology
as one of the Geisteswissenschaften (sciences of the spirit, such as
history), not one of the Naturwissenschaften (sciences of nature). To the
latter belong physics, chemistry, molecular biology, and the like; we can
observe everything now and repeat it. To the former, cosmology, geology,
and other "historical" sciences.

This particular distinction is pushed to the extreme by YECs, and somewhat
less but still strongly by some IDs. The fact that Mayr regarded it as
having some legitimacy is very interesting, though he surely would not have
pushed it as far as even the IDs. Mayr's view is, incidentally, referenced
in at least one version of the science education standards advocated by the
"Intelligent Design Network," which is technically not related to TDI (which
hasn't copyrighted the term, ID) and is dominated by YECs, but sometimes the
resemblance is close.

Ted

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Received on Sun Sep 9 22:38:00 2007