God is real

[Mog]

John, I'd suggest you look into the phenomena of Self-Organization and emergence. An intelligent catalyst is unnecessary for life to begin.

John A. Davison wrote

While I am a Roman Catholic, I am also a scientist who recognizes that matters of faith have nothing to do with matters of science.

Do you not understand the conundrum that science poses to religion? You are already on the path of destroying your own religious beliefs. There is nothing that proves that god is real, so therefore let your scientific process reveal to you the errors of religion.

I am inclined to agree that God is not alive although I am certainly not convinced. One of the most significant commentaries on God was made by Frederich Nietzsche -

"Gott ist Tot."

When I went to school one cannot die before having lived. That is all that I am claiming.

I repeat my conviction that it is unthinkable that it is intrinsic in the nature of matter to self assemble even once into a living evolving creature of any sort. Actually the facts as revealed by the fossil record indicate several separate "creations." It is only at the Order level and below that we have convincing proof for reproductive continuity. I am inclined to agree with Leo Berg -

"Organisms have developed from tens of thousands of primary forms, i.e, polyphyletically."
Nomogenesis, page 406

For further documentation I recommend -

jadavison.wordpress.com

Now I anticipate a further attack on myself, Leo Berg, the greatest Russian biologist of his generation, Robert Broom, William Bateson, Otto Schindewolf, Pierre Grasse, Richard B. Goldschmidt and all my other sources, not one of whom was either an atheist or a religious fanatic.

Don't disappoint me.

I love it so!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

[Professor Chaos]

Two posts, two links to your shitty blog. Final warning.

[Tenspace]

Nah, let's keep him around, PC. First, I noticed that his great blog he promotes hasn't been updated in nearly a year. His promotion of such stale material benefits no one.

Second, if you check out his blog, you'll see he is a staunch supporter of intelligent design; in other words, he denies that evolutionary theory is an accurate description for the diversity of life.

John, your position is that "Darwinism simply does not work." I would be happy to discuss the tenets outlined in your paper (I'm reading it now), but to be honest, I don't think you really understand evolutionary theory from a scientific viewpoint.

Your adherence to ancient religion clouds your comprehension, and it is obvious by the questions you ask in the introductory portion of your paper that you really don't get it. I'll post more after I finish reading your work, but feel free to respond to my comments anytime.

Tenspace, whoever that is,

My first response is why do any of you insist on being anonymous? A man who is unwilling to sign his comments with his real name is not going to get any respect from me. Got that? Write that down.

[Philboid Studge]

Get fucked, jizzchugger.

Did it ever occur to you that some people wish to remain anonymous for professional reasons? You'd think a glory-hole inspector such as yourself would appreciate the discretion.

Philboid Studge wrote

Get fucked, jizzchugger.

Did it ever occur to you that some people wish to remain anonymous for professional reasons? You'd think someone who is a glory-hole inspector such as yourself would appreciate the discretion.

I agree, in a society full of religious nutters it is best to remain anonymous to protect your career. People just don't tolerate someone not sharing their beliefs and will seek to either get you fired or try to change you with peer pressure. Either way, those things can become annoying and troublesome.

[Professor Chaos]

Well I, for one, choose to use my real name.

So tell me, Mr. Davison, do you like luxury?

He's using a luxury right now called a computer. So I would say his answer is yes.

[Irreligious]

John A. Davison wrote

Tenspace, whoever that is,

My first response is why do any of you insist on being anonymous? A man who is unwilling to sign his comments with his real name is not going to get any respect from me. Got that? Write that down.

Then, this is not the place for you, I'm afraid. We are not compelled to reveal our nonvirtual identities here. There is no inherent benefit in it, and there are lots of sound reasons to refrain from doing so, namely to avoid reprisals and possible identity theft perpetrated by malicious people.

Anyway, presenting you with our real names, occupations and addresses does not bolster nor does it diminish the quality of anyone's arguments here. Besides, you telling us your real name is John A. Davison does not necessarily make it so, nor does it really matter to me who you are. And claiming to have revealed your true identity on the Internet certainly does not make you any more credible than the next poster as far as I can see.

[Tenspace]

John A. Davison wrote

Tenspace, whoever that is,

My first response is why do any of you insist on being anonymous? A man who is unwilling to sign his comments with his real name is not going to get any respect from me. Got that? Write that down.

How long have you been using the internet? Do you value your privacy? Have you ever had your identity stolen? There are many reasons not to post public information in a forum where controversial subjects are discussed.

Sounds more like an attempt to avoid reasonable discussion than a genuine position.

Case in point: Here is the information publicly available on you, much of it by your own hand:

Name: John A. Davison
Employer: University of Vermont, Burlington, VT (Professor of Biology)
Work Email: jdavison@zoo.uvm.edu
Alternate Email: jdavison@moose.uvm.edu
Alternate Email: nosivadaj@msn.com
Fax: (802) 656-2914
Phone: (802) 656-2922
Address: L4 Grandview Drive, South Burlington, VT 05403

Here's a picture of your house: John A Davison's Home

You are currently retired, and the University of Vermont claims no affiliation with you, although you give that appearance in your writings.

Not even arch-idiot William Dembski is willing to associate with you.

You are rated as one of the strangest anti-evolution cranks on the internet.

Your lame attempt at getting PZ Myers fired from UofM/M was just that... lame, but it did provide laughs for his many readers.

You have no concept as to what blogging is, evidenced by your many attempts at starting a blog, only to watch it die, since you didn't actually update it, but instead added your updates as comments to your original post. Even people who aren't science-oriented - regular bloggers - make fun of you and use your "blogs" as a style example of what not to do.

You attempt the same ruse with me as you have so many others, first claiming that someone unable to post their actual identity is therefore suspect.

You are such an idiot that someone even wrote a play about you. It's called, "John A Davison Orders a Pizza (A Play in One Act)", which I shall share with everyone here to give them an idea as to how much of a douche you really are. That is all I have to say. I take it back, I don't want to discuss your crackpot theory, it's already been done ad nauseum throughout the internet. I just hope that your final days are painless, and you still have the strength to admit that you are wrong.

Okay, here's the play (Thanks Jim Anderson for writing this)

[The stage is split in half. On the left, Davison's study--a room full of books, piles of books, thousands upon thousands of books. In the center a desk covered in manuscripts. Davison occupies the chair, quill in hand, dashing out another screed. Outside it is snowing, or raining, or sleeting.

On the right, a telephone on a card table. Seated at the table a youth, gender unimportant. Maintains perfect stillness until the phone rings--as it must.]



Davison: It is a frigid night, and possibly raining, snowing, sleeting perhaps. In five strokes of the quill I will have completely gutted Darwinism and replaced it with Bergism! Ah... but I am faint with hunger. To the telephone, anon! [He digs under stacks of manuscripts to find the phone. Success.] Hello, Domino's? I'd like to order a pizza. [to self] Damn these tiny buttons.

Youth: [picking up phone] Thank you for calling Domino's. How may I be of service?

Davison: I would like to order a pepperoni pizza. Extra cheese. Oh, and with olives.

Youth: Is that all?

Davison: That's about it. What's the total?

Youth: Twelve eighty including tax. Your phone number?

Davison: 555-6219. 232 4th Ave southeast... My name is John... John Davison... John A. Davison... I will not soon be forgotten. [awkward pause] I have my own blog.

Youth: [nonplussed] Uh... great. That pizza will be delivered in about a half hour. [tries to hang up]

Davison: Hold on there, youngster. Is it finished yet?

Youth: We've hardly had--

Davison: Okay... well... is it finished now?

Youth: Sir, I haven't even called the order in--

Davison: How about now?

Youth: No.

Davison: Now?

Youth: Still no.

Davison: I've changed my mind. I want salami instead of pepperoni. Genoa salami. With the fatty parts cut out.

Youth: I'm afraid we're--

Davison: Is it done yet?

Youth: Look, Mister John A. Davison, you have no idea how this works. Pizza doesn't appear magically when you say the word. It's a process. It takes time. Twenty minutes, plus driving time. Got it? Goodbye. [Youth and Davison hang up simultaneously]

Davison:[Davison picks up the phone again, dialing.] I have completely eviscerated Darwinism, you know.

Youth: You again? Look, Mr. Davison, the cheese is finished, and it's going in the oven, so--

Davison: Is it done?

Youth: Uh, no.

Davison: Then we have time to chat. You see, we deal here with fundamental differences in the way we view the world which I believe are rigidly fixed in our genome or, if I may use the term, "prescribed." I know that doen't sound right but I have no other explanation. There is also the problem of pride. Does anyone really expect those who have dedicated their professional lives to a phantom to easily come to grips with just that? Yet that is exactly what the situation boils down to. Can you imagine Dawkins conceding that everything he has ever written is meaningless drivel? In a way it is a blessing that Gould and Mayr were spared that realization but I am have no compassion for Dawkins whatsoever. It will be interesting to see how he responds to the inevitable. We shouldn't have to wait much longer.

Youth: I'm not sure exactly what you're talking about--

Davison: Well I guess nobody wants to hear about how many times life may or may not have been created. That is too bad. I may present that evidence anyway. For the moment let me explain how I intend to go about it.

Youth: [Slams phone down] Asshole.

Davison: [not missing a beat] As long as there exists simple criteria sufficient to account for a common ancestor, one can assume that such an ancestor existed. However, even that may not be so because it is possible that organisms which share a common genetic background may have independently aquired that condition through separate and independent evolutionary events. That is to say that evolution may have been repeatable. I do not favor this view but it cannot be eliminated at present.... Ah... What's that beeping noise? [Looks quizzically at the phone. Hangs up the receiver. Pauses. Picks it up again.]

[masking voice with an atrocious accent.] Ees thees Daw-mee-nose?


[Fadeout]

[Irreligious]

Tenspace, that was hilarious!

Truly, one of the best and most succinct one-acts I've read in a long time on the Internet. And it says so much, even without proper exposition and the absence of a narrative structure.

It tells me that's it probably best to leave Mr. John A. Davison alone or we'll never get rid of him.

I'm hopeful that it's not too late.

John A. who?

[Eva]

ok, Johhny: His name is Mr. Ten S. Pace.

de-bait!

(come on, John, earn the respect, old boy....)