Worldtraveller
04-03-2008, 04:50 PM
I don't have a lot to add at this point, I've read the decision, and it was well written and very thorough. I rather liked the way the judge pointed out the multiple logical fallacies (strawmen, quote mining, etc.) in the plaintiffs' (the xian schools) case.
Bottom line is that the judge dismissed all requests fro summary judgement from the creationists, and granted almost all of the summary judgement requests for the University of California. Even better, the judge agreed with UC that some of the items should be settled in an actual court hearing, so there is more to come. :)
The money quote from the decision (page 40):
Plaintiffs' evidence also supports Defendants' conclusion that these biology texts are inappropriate for use as the primary or sole text. Plaintiffs' own biology expert, Professor Michael Behe testified that "it is personally abusive and pedagogically damaging to de facto require students to subscribe to an idea . . . . Requiring a student to, effectively, consent to an idea violates [her] personal integrity. Such a wrenching violation [may cause] a terrible educational outcome."
You know, when the decision quotes the plaintiff as supporting the defendant, they've scored a nice pwn goal... :D
The rest:
Yet, the two Christian biology texts at issue commit this "wrenching violation." For example, Biology for Christian Schools declares on the very first page that:
(1) "'Whatever the Bible says is so; whatever man says may or may not be so,' is the only [position] a Christian can take . . . ."
(2) "If [scientific] conclusions contradict the Word of God, the conclusions are wrong, no matter how many scientific facts may appear to back them."
(3) "Christians must disregard [scientific hypotheses or theories] that contradict the Bible."
The plaintiff's witness?? Michael Behe. :D I think we shoudl all send him a a thank you letter.
Relavent links:
Dispatches from the Culture Wars (http://scienceblogs.com/dispatches/2008/04/michael_behe_my_favorite_exper.php#more)
Thoughts in a Haystack (http://dododreams.blogspot.com/2008/03/ready-aim.html)
Pharyngula (http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2008/04/mike_behe_friend_to_evolution.php)
The Questionable Authority (http://scienceblogs.com/authority/2008/04/summary_judgment_in_california.php) (Read all three parts!)
The actual ruling (http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/acsi-stearns/msjruling_033108.pdf) (PDF)
Cheers,
Lane
Bottom line is that the judge dismissed all requests fro summary judgement from the creationists, and granted almost all of the summary judgement requests for the University of California. Even better, the judge agreed with UC that some of the items should be settled in an actual court hearing, so there is more to come. :)
The money quote from the decision (page 40):
Plaintiffs' evidence also supports Defendants' conclusion that these biology texts are inappropriate for use as the primary or sole text. Plaintiffs' own biology expert, Professor Michael Behe testified that "it is personally abusive and pedagogically damaging to de facto require students to subscribe to an idea . . . . Requiring a student to, effectively, consent to an idea violates [her] personal integrity. Such a wrenching violation [may cause] a terrible educational outcome."
You know, when the decision quotes the plaintiff as supporting the defendant, they've scored a nice pwn goal... :D
The rest:
Yet, the two Christian biology texts at issue commit this "wrenching violation." For example, Biology for Christian Schools declares on the very first page that:
(1) "'Whatever the Bible says is so; whatever man says may or may not be so,' is the only [position] a Christian can take . . . ."
(2) "If [scientific] conclusions contradict the Word of God, the conclusions are wrong, no matter how many scientific facts may appear to back them."
(3) "Christians must disregard [scientific hypotheses or theories] that contradict the Bible."
The plaintiff's witness?? Michael Behe. :D I think we shoudl all send him a a thank you letter.
Relavent links:
Dispatches from the Culture Wars (http://scienceblogs.com/dispatches/2008/04/michael_behe_my_favorite_exper.php#more)
Thoughts in a Haystack (http://dododreams.blogspot.com/2008/03/ready-aim.html)
Pharyngula (http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2008/04/mike_behe_friend_to_evolution.php)
The Questionable Authority (http://scienceblogs.com/authority/2008/04/summary_judgment_in_california.php) (Read all three parts!)
The actual ruling (http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/acsi-stearns/msjruling_033108.pdf) (PDF)
Cheers,
Lane