Thanks to the Uncommon Descent blog for its post, Darwins natural selection explains why we dont see space aliens.
Here’s a bit that tells you all you need to know about the scientific merit of this explanation for why we haven’t found ET (and perhaps how clear-minded Seth Shostak is):
This is an interesting idea, says alien hunter Seth Shostak of the SETI institute in Mountain View, California. If I let the cosmos know I exist, then I might be subject to extermination.
Good grief.
It’s this sort of unfalsifiable pseudoscience that led Karl Popper to say, “Darwinism is not a testable scientific theory, but a metaphysical research program.” Perhaps now we should add SETI to the list?
sort of looks that way.
You should give the whole quote, Mr. Putnam. Popper concludes that sentence: “and although it is no doubt the best at present available, it can perhaps be slightly improved.” (Popper, “Unended Quest,” p 151, 1978 PB edition)
Popper’s actual position on natural selection is far more nuanced than pseudoskeptical creationists let on, and he has many complimentary things to say about the “invaluable” theory of natural selection: “I do not see how, without it, our knowledge could have grown as it has done since Darwin” (p 171).
Of course, these facts explain why creationists quote Popper but do not risk actually reading him.
UD looks like a nice blog. I enjoy seeing the Intelligent Design perspective treated respectfully and without the Kent Hovind style theatrics.
ditto!
Actually Terry that is a gross misquote on your part there is no “and” in the sentence I quoted. The sentence I quoted is on page 195 and reads precisely “I have come to the conclusion that Darwinism is not a testable scientific theory but a metaphysical research program– a possible framework for testable scientific theories.”
Here is a link to page 195 on google books and it contains none of the words you posted.
It’s pretty telling that you come here criticizing creationists (snidely as if it’s derogatory) for not risking reading the text when you obviously didn’t even look it up yourself.