Re: Info. on writing theories

From: Cliff Lundberg (cliff@cab.com)
Date: Mon Jul 03 2000 - 15:05:41 EDT

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    Richard Wein wrote:
    >I just read the following post in talk.origins, and couldn't resist
    >re-posting it here.

    >>Everything you need to now about theory writing is covered in simple
    >>language. Now, even you can learn how to prepare premises, hypotheses and
    >>even abstracts. And yes, even theories!! I even have chapters on how to
    >>interpret existing data and falsify existing theories, and an appendix
    >>explaining how to recognize crank theories.

    >>Testimonials:
    >>"I read the book and just finished my theory on the origin of life.
    >>Presently, I'm working on a theory of the 5 missing planets which will be
    >>out soon."
    >>- Iain T. Gautaclue, Buffalo, NY

    >>Joe's book was just what I needed. I just finished a theory about very
    >>rapid inflation of the universe and I'm working on a theory of sound
    >>propagation in a vacuum.
    >>- Reeal E. Konfused, Plain Dealing, LA

    >>Be the first one on your block to write your own theory.
    >>Get your copy today. Just $12.95 plus shipping

    The point, I presume, is that the world is overloaded with crank theories
    about evolution. This is not the case at all. There are some competing
    theories out there, but most are 19th Century ideas, and many of these
    boil down to ancient philosophical controversies about God and chance
    and determinism etc.

    I've mentioned before that radical speculation is welcome in other fields
    such as cosmology and particle physics, but is most unwelcome in
    evolutionary theory. This of course is because biology is closer to home.
    Innovation in biology is perversion, as JBS Haldane observed. Even in
    science fiction, great liberties may be taken with physics, but evolutionary
    mechanisms are touchier; no sci-fi author wants to be thought of as not
    being with the program of mainstream evolutionary theory.

    Somewhere there must be a web site listing all the latest crank theories
    about evolution that are pouring in. Perhaps Richard has run across a URL
    in talk.origins.

    I guess when one's mind is made up, even one differing idea is one too many.

    --Cliff Lundberg  ~  San Francisco  ~  415-648-0208  ~  cliff@cab.com



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