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Misconceptions about evolution

evolution.berkeley.edu

1–10 of 172 posts

Re: Misconceptions about evolution

#2
Publishing a long list of misconceptions is a really bad way to destroy them. Readers will skim and just remember the headlines, all of which are false statements.

Spread facts, not "myths"

Re: Misconceptions about evolution

#3
None of the evolution deniers that I've met would have the slightest interest in reading this list, but I suppose it's useful to quickly look up counter-arguments to their claims. A similar site with a greater focus on creationist claims can be found at http://www.talkorigins.org/indexcc/list.html

Re: Misconceptions about evolution

#4
post #2

Publishing a long list of misconceptions is a really bad way to destroy them. Readers will skim and just remember the headlines, all of which are false statements. Spread facts, not "myths"

It depends who the audience is. Most individuals I've known who hold these misconceptions wouldn't have bothered going to that page in the first place. So they're not the audience.

I am at least part of the audience by definition. I'll admit that I started with a skim of the list of headlines. I then read in detail on the misconceptions I hadn't heard before. I'm now familiar with these misconceptions and can more clearly articulate a response when I encounter them.

Re: Misconceptions about evolution

#8
post #2

Publishing a long list of misconceptions is a really bad way to destroy them. Readers will skim and just remember the headlines, all of which are false statements. Spread facts, not "myths"

> Spread facts, not "myths"

I think this guy [1], with his PhD thesis on the topic, would beg to differ.

Also, I don't think the website's sole purpose is to destroy them (misconceptions/people?). Some of us lay people who are knowledgeable, but have learnt the wrong factoid, for one reason or another, could still benefit from it.

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY_o4A1wzsg

Re: Misconceptions about evolution

#9
post #8
post #2

Publishing a long list of misconceptions is a really bad way to destroy them. Readers will skim and just remember the headlines, all of which are false statements. Spread facts, not "myths"

> Spread facts, not "myths" I think this guy [1], with his PhD thesis on the topic, would beg to differ. Also, I don't think the website's sole purpose is to destroy them (misconceptions/people?). Some of us lay people who are knowledgeable, but have learnt the wrong factoid, for one reason or another, could still benefit from it. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY_o4A1wzsg

Yeah. I haven't had time to read the list (I plan on reading it later, ) but the tone from the intro didn't seem to be concerned about destroying people.

I'm personally in the camp of folks that picks up information about evolution as I go, since it's not really related to anything I do in my day to day, and I appreciate a concise description of possible misconceptions.

Re: Misconceptions about evolution

#10

None of the evolution deniers that I've met would have the slightest interest in reading this list, but I suppose it's useful to quickly look up counter-arguments to their claims. A similar site with a greater focus on creationist claims can be found at http://www.talkorigins.org/indexcc/list.html

The vast majority of evolution deniers I've known wouldn't have the slightest interest, I agree. But, as someone who grew up totally immersed in an evolution-denying atmosphere, I would have been very interested during that time in which I was "seeking the truth." (And indeed I fondly remember from that time the talk.origins page you linked. Thanks for the nostalgia, what a great site!)
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