24 alleged "myths and misconceptions" about evolution
I found a fairly old (April 16, 2008) article in New Scientist magazine titled "Evolution: 24 myths and misconceptions" . These 24 alleged myths and misconceptions are discussed in 24 separate sub-articles. Each of the 24 sub-articles has its own comment thread and there is also a comment thread for the main (introductory) article. Most of the comments are old but recent comments are continuing to trickle in. I was going to comment here on some of the articles but decided that there is just too much material, though I may comment here about the articles later. Anyone who wants to post a comment here about the articles is of course welcome to do so.
Labels: Evolution controversy (2 of 4)
posted by Larry Fafarman | 8/19/2008 10:19:00 AM
4 Comments:
A misconception which somehow escaped their notice is "Darwinism had nothing to do with the rise of the bloody Communist dictatorships of the 20th century."
The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, an official publication of the old Soviet regime, begged to differ. In the 1973 English translation of that Encyclopedia, we read (The Marxist form of philosophical materialism is also known as "dialectical materialism:)
"Darwinism: The materialist theory of evolution (historical development) of the organic world on earth, based on the views of C. Darwin...K.Marx and F.Engels and later V.I. Lenin fully appreciated the significance of Darwinism and considered it the natural historical basis of dialectical materialism...Credit belongs to Darwin for the discovery of the motive forces of organic evolution...Darwinism has in essence a no less important methodological significance, since the theory stands completely on the principles of dialectical materialism..." (vol 7, pages 114-116.)
As a system based upon philosophical materialism, Marxism could hardly thrive without a completely materialistic theory of the origin of species, which Darwin invented and did a great deal to popularize.
So it's no suprise that Karl Marx sent a copy of Das Kapital to Darwin, inscribed "From a secret admirer," according to the 1991 biography "Darwin," by Desmond and Moore. (Both Desmond and Moore believe in Darwinism, incidentally.) Marx must have included his name with the present, since Darwin wrote him a note of thanks.
Thus under Stalin, fully materialistic evolution was taught in all Soviet schools; although it took the form of the deviant Darwinism of T.D.Lysenko, who rejected Mendelian genetics and believed in a role for inheritance of acquired characteristics. He called his system "Creative Darwinism," and it was certainly Darwinist in essence: Darwin had assigned a role to inheritance of acquired characteristics in his own theory, although that fact is rarely mentioned.
"Creative Darwinism" was officially disowned in 1964, according to the Encyclopedia, and in the last quarter century of the Soviet regime, all schoolkids were indoctrinated in the orthodox neo-Darwinist system which prevailed in the West. And of course, they were also indoctrinated in philosophical materialism and in Marxism.
Stephen Jay Gould was a Marxist, although he didn't advertise it. His father believed im materialism, Darwinism and Marxism, and taught all three to his son. Gould never really abandoned the three faiths that he had been taught, although I'm not sure exactly what his version of Marxism was. His "punctuated equilibrium" revision of Darwinism has sometimes been interpreted as showing a Marxist influence.
There are quite a few Marxists in San Francisco and most (although not all) are fans of old Darwin. When I went to see the movie EXPELLED here, I wondered if our Trotskyites, or The Revolutionary Communist Party, might show up to demonstrate against it? It's only if some Pol Pot guys came by, though, that I'd have been worried.
Jim Sherwood wrote, "It's only if some Pol Pot guys came by, though, that I'd have been worried."
What you and Larry both need is "A Holiday in Cambodia." Check out the lyrics -- it's a Dead Kennedys song (one of their best).
Comment moderation here too? I guess you have to use it for your whole blog.
By the way, the only one sabotaging your blog is you. It would be a lot better if you wrote better posts.
It seems that my doctrine thus gulls
The people. My dogma annuls
The sense of what's right,
So Marxists will fight,
And Cambodia's a pile of skulls.
(My friend Madame Tea-Leaves assures me that a ghost came floating by, pondering the consequences of his pseudoscientific bunk on 20th century life.--Jim Sherwood)
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