RE: [asa] Advice for conversing with YECs

Gregory,

I have read neither Windelband nor Dilthey. Surely historical science has to do both with history and with science. I ask you all, how do you create a synthetic kind of knowledge (historical science) from these two autonomous kinds of knowledge (history and science)? I answered this question by giving an example: forensic science.

"Forensic science (often shortened to forensics) is the application of a broad spectrum of sciences <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science> to answer questions of interest to the legal system <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_system> . This may be in relation to a crime or to a civil action. But besides its relevance to the underlying legal system, more generally forensics encompasses the accepted scholarly or scientific methodology <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methodology> and norms <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norm_(sociology)> under which the facts <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fact> regarding an event, or an artifact, or some other physical item (such as a corpse, or cadaver, for example) are to the broader notion of authentication <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authentication> whereby an interest outside of a legal form exists in determining whether an object is in fact what it purports to be, or is alleged as being."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forensic_science <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forensic_science>

I believe this definition is wide enough to serve as a good illustration of what a historical science is.

Moorad

________________________________

From: Gregory Arago [mailto:gregoryarago@yahoo.ca]
Sent: Sun 10/26/2008 6:26 PM
To: Michael Roberts; Iain Strachan; Alexanian, Moorad
Cc: asa@calvin.edu
Subject: RE: [asa] Advice for conversing with YECs

To Alexanian Moorad and Michael Roberts,
 
Moorad wrote:
 
"Physics deals with repeatable experiments and their generalizations into laws. History and historical sciences deal with unique events. I hope we all know that distinction."
 
It is not as cut and dry as you imagine it, Moorad. Please do say if you've read Windelband (i.e. ideographic and nomothetic) and Dilthey on this topic. I think you package the term 'historical sciences' too neatly and this may seem insulting, not only to Michael as a geologist, but also to others, e.g. whose sciences deal with laws, experiments and events. You have not, imo, managed to successfully convince people at ASA of your general position on this topic; perhaps it is time to go deeper in order to understand why and to perhaps clarify your position and to reassess it? This can surely only help the conversation.
 
"As Moorad is a YEc he is hardly liable to see YEC as a stumbling block..." - M. Roberts
 
"I AM NOT A YEC." - A. Moorad
 
Now I hope, Michael, that you can gather the humility to apologise for your false presumption of fact about Moorad's position. My impression of you as the hardest-hearted churchman I've ever encountered on-line would be somehow healed by an expression of your remorse.
 
Thanks, Gregory

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Received on Sun Oct 26 19:03:09 2008