The Question Will Be Raised

Todd Wood, quoting from (and commenting upon) "intelligent interventionist" Leonard Brand's book:

Last but not least, I got my copy of Leonard Brand's revised Faith, Reason, & Earth History today. Like the original edition, Leonard continues to use "intelligent interventionist" rather than "creationist," at least in part because he thinks "creationist" is too narrow to describe his position. Here's a passage that I really liked:

In the long run, the beneficial approach is for interventionists to conduct themselves as genuine scientists and get actively involved in research. It is better to develop an alternative paradigm than to merely poke holes in someone else's theory. If interventionist efforts only center around disproving the prevailing evolutionary paradigm, this question will be raised: What do you have that is better?

Amen to that.

Oh, indeed; the question will be raised. But the question is invalid; it is not a rational question, it is not a logical question. It is, putting it in the best light, an emotional tantrum; putting it in a more realistic light, it is intellectual dishonesty.

And, smuggled into the question is this assumption/assertion: "Unless you replace my false beliefs with other beliefs (and they must be beliefs that I will accept), then you have no right to punch holes in my false beliefs."

The "prevailing evolutionary paradigm" is wrong. It is, in fact, false. Period.

That truth must confronted and admitted. Letting the 'scientistes' (*) off the hook for their anti-reason and intellectual dishonesty does no one, including them, any good.

So, yes: "conduct [yourselves] as genuine scientists and get actively involved in research." But not because of an intellectually dishonest pseudo-question.


(*) 'Scientiste' is a word I coinded a few years ago to denote scientific poseurs; the word is coined on the model of 'artiste' (as in, Miss Piggy, 'The Artiste'). 'Scientiste' refers to any proponent of scientism (**) -- scientismist was too much a mouthful. And not nearly mocking enough.

(**) Or, 'Science!' as Matteo calls it.