>>>BH: Morowitz is really an
>>> interesting character, anyone know any more about him? According to
>>> the jacket cover he is professor of molecular biophysics and
>>> biochemistry at Yale.
>
>He (Harold Morowitz, that is) was also one of the witnesses for the
>prosecution (the evolutionists) at the Arkansas creation/evolution trial
>in 1981.
>
Thanks for bringing this up. Morowitz does mention the trial a little
in the book, apparently he was the "expert witness" on the 2nd law
of thermdynamics.
In the first essay he relays the following anecdote:
=============================================================
On another occasion I was in a New York law office giving a
deposition prior to an upcoming Louisiana trial on the
constitutionality of that state's new legislation regarding
the teaching of creationism in public schools. A replay of
Little Rock was in rehearsal. The questioner was a most
perceptive New Orleans attorney whose probing intellect was
camouflaged by the friendliest of southern accents. In the
midst of a series of queries about thermal physics he suddenly
interjected a question.
"What are your religious beliefs?"
I looked to the lawyer sitting next to me, and his silence and
facial expression assured me of the legitimacy of the query in
cases of this nature. Frankly, I was a bit pained about having,
under oath, to discuss something as personal and nebulous as
my religious belieFs. But with no choice, I began.
"I come from a certain traditional religious background."
My interrogator interrupted. "No, that's not what I mean. What
do you helieve?"
There was no escape into the traditional American pigeonholes
of Protestant, Catholic, or Jew; this lawyer wanted to know
what I really believed, and I had taken my oath to tell the
truth very seriously.
"I'm a pantheist in the tradition of Spinoza." There was a long,
long moment of silence. When the questioner began, he utilized
his finest Louisiana drawl to stretch out his speaking time as
his agile mind whizzed in high gear.
"Wellll, does that mean you're an atheist?"
My reply was rapid. "No, sir, I'm a pantheist!"
==============================================================
This reminded me of an important lesson that, unfortunately, I seem
to have to learn over and over and over ;-). The lesson is to avoid
stereotyping people. Reading segments of his book here and there I
would have bet that he was a Christian, surprise he's a pantheist.
He's a witness for the evolutionists but yet he says that science
has revealed a universe of purpose and meaning and design.
=====================
Brian Harper |
Associate Professor | "It is not certain that all is uncertain,
Applied Mechanics | to the glory of skepticism" -- Pascal
Ohio State University |