My Bullsh*t detector

[Jacob(smooth)]

Whenever I hear the term "macro-evolution" and all the things that come along with it, my detector starts blaring. Odds are, the person using that term doesn't know a single thing about evolution.

Sure they do. They know for a fact that if they never see a caterpillar evolve into a grasshopper, or a dog evolve into a moose, macro evolution doesn't exist.

You see, to them, you have to be able to witness something to believe it to be true. That's why, every Sunday, they talk to an invisible sky person with male genetalia, and thank him for not having to sit through science classes.

Wow! You've met them? All of them? You know not only what they believe but WHY they believe it?

See I don't believe in creationism. I think life evolved over a few billion years. But I've met some pretty smart people who believe otherwise, and they believe for all sorts of reasons. So although I think they are wrong, I wouldn't know enough to infer their rationale's without talking to them first.

I can think of one off the top of my head who has a degree in podiatry, a masters degree in clinical biomechanics, and Jesus. Now I think he's wrong about the origin of the species and quite a lot of his theology. But I wouldn't say that he'd skipped "science class".

[CapnAwesome]

I totally make 3000$ a day watching cat videos on youtube. You can start this too, all you have to do is paypal me 50$ to get started.

[Rampant.A.I.]

Sure they do. They know for a fact that if they never see a caterpillar evolve into a grasshopper, or a dog evolve into a moose, macro evolution doesn't exist.

You see, to them, you have to be able to witness something to believe it to be true. That's why, every Sunday, they talk to an invisible sky person with male genetalia, and thank him for not having to sit through science classes.

Wow! You've met them? All of them? You know not only what they believe but WHY they believe it?

See I don't believe in creationism. I think life evolved over a few billion years. But I've met some pretty smart people who believe otherwise, and they believe for all sorts of reasons. So although I think they are wrong, I wouldn't know enough to infer their rationale's without talking to them first.

I can think of one off the top of my head who has a degree in podiatry, a masters degree in clinical biomechanics, and Jesus. Now I think he's wrong about the origin of the species and quite a lot of his theology. But I wouldn't say that he'd skipped "science class".

I didn't say all Christians think this way. It's clearly hyperbolic for a reason.

Every argument against evolution I've seen is based on a poor understanding of what the theory states -- usually as interpreted by a person's church -- and straw-man assertions not contained in the theory.

People are good at compartmentalizing. A good understanding of several areas in science is no guarantee they don't hold wildly unfounded beliefs in other areas.

I would wager he plugged his ears during the parts of Biology classes where they described the mechanics of adaptation, and simply refuses to recognize similarities between Humans and other Primates.

That is assuming your friend is not made-up to prove a point.

But then again, what do I know. I'm merely a longtime student of Comparative Religion and a fan of George Carlin.

[Jacob(smooth)]

Wow! You've met them? All of them? You know not only what they believe but WHY they believe it?

See I don't believe in creationism. I think life evolved over a few billion years. But I've met some pretty smart people who believe otherwise, and they believe for all sorts of reasons. So although I think they are wrong, I wouldn't know enough to infer their rationale's without talking to them first.

I can think of one off the top of my head who has a degree in podiatry, a masters degree in clinical biomechanics, and Jesus. Now I think he's wrong about the origin of the species and quite a lot of his theology. But I wouldn't say that he'd skipped "science class".

I didn't say all Christians think this way. It's clearly hyperbolic for a reason.

Every argument against evolution I've seen is based on a poor understanding of what the theory states -- usually as interpreted by a person's church -- and straw-man assertions not contained in the theory.

People are good at compartmentalizing. A good understanding of several areas in science is no guarantee they don't hold wildly unfounded beliefs in other areas.

I would wager he plugged his ears during the parts of Biology classes where they described the mechanics of adaptation, and simply refuses to recognize similarities between Humans and other Primates.

That is assuming your friend is not made-up to prove a point.

But then again, what do I know. I'm merely a longtime student of Comparative Religion and a fan of George Carlin.

Longtime student?

What I'm trying to say to you, young brother, is this. You have your corner of truth and you're all proud of it. That's a good and noble thing. But its worth remembering that your little corner of truth stands all alone. I think you're quite correct about evolution, and quite correct that YEC people are wrong. But you then seem to have over-extrapolated that into dumb shit like "they must have plugged their ears in biology class" and "they think that you have to witness something for it to be real".

I will now tell your future for you. You will, in the next few years, study something and draw what you think is a logical conclusion. You may even be so chuffed with your discovery that you rip the piss out of people who think differently. And then, a few years later, you will gain a deeper understanding and feel a bit sheepish about what you concluded with such confidence. That's an experience I suspect is common to all open minded people, its certainly happened to me more than once.

People reach very odd conclusions from data. Rather than presume to understand not merely their conclusions but how and why they reached them, my advice would be to realize now that a small truth does not give you an understanding into a larger one.

Who knows, perhaps that's one of the things you'll accept in a few years and look back with embarrassment.

[Rampant.A.I.]

Then you've spent a very long time not being able to detect sarcasm or hyperbole, and your condescension as a superior thinker is without warrant.

Your innate sense of superiority is misguided and farcical to base on a single post lampooning a ridiculous worldview asserting truth without reason, and making fun of the same kind of superiority complex you've displayed here. You're talking about the Dunning-Kreuger effect, and ironically assume you are the only one smart enough to know about it.

[Minimalist]

You see, to them, you have to be able to witness something to believe it to be true.

Why then does that not apply to their fucking creation stories? They did not see those, either.

[Rampant.A.I.]

You see, to them, you have to be able to witness something to believe it to be true.

Why then does that not apply to their fucking creation stories? They did not see those, either.

Read Jacob's post for an example of accusation more befitting the accuser. It's not unlike "You're very smart young man: But it's Turtles, all the way down."

[Jacob(smooth)]

Then you've spent a very long time not being able to detect sarcasm or hyperbole, and your condescension as a superior thinker is without warrant.

Your innate sense of superiority is misguided and farcical to base on a single post lampooning a ridiculous worldview asserting truth without reason, and making fun of the same kind of superiority complex you've displayed here. You're talking about the Dunning-Kreuger effect, and ironically assume you are the only one smart enough to know about it.

Actually, no. Just googled the dunning kreuger effect and that's not what I'm talking about at all. Knowing about something doesn't make you smart either by the way. Just means you know about something.

Have another go at understanding what I'm saying to, without the wounded ego and pretensions of intellectualism. Or don't. Up to you

[Minimalist]

People reach very odd conclusions from data.

You should see some of the conclusions they reach from reading bibles and korans!

Oh wait. You have.

[Jacob(smooth)]

People reach very odd conclusions from data.

You should see some of the conclusions they reach from reading bibles and korans!

Oh wait. You have.

Haven't I just!

---

Why then does that not apply to their fucking creation stories? They did not see those, either.

Read Jacob's post for an example of accusation more befitting the accuser. It's not unlike "You're very smart young man: But it's Turtles, all the way down."

Nonono. I've yet to be convinced that you're a very smart young man.

Returning to the OP, one of the thing that tends to ping my bullshit detector is people who like to ridicule an entire group, based on incomplete information, especially if they do it by ascribing them views or motivations they may not actually hold. Always makes me wonder what they hope to gain from the exercise.