revised midterm.

Instructions http://jenniferscriticalthinking.blogspot.com/1. Be sure to place your entire midterm on your website and when youare finished send a link of your test to your teacher directly at neuralsurfer@yahoo.com2. Make sure that it is YOUR OWN work and that if you use otherauthors please be sure to quote and/or cite the material appropriately. Plagiarism will not betolerated and you will receive an "F" automatically for the examination.3. The test is due NO LATER than March 23rd at midnite.----------------------------------4. What is your real name? Jennifer Linnastruth 5. What is your "user" name? Jennifer6. What is your email address that you use for this class? Jlinnastruth@yahoo.com7. Name and address for your website. Jennifer’s Critical Thinking… JennifersCriticalThinking.blogspot.com8. Have you done all the reading for the first three weeks? Yes9. Have you watched each of the films that were required? Yes10. Please place here all of the postings you have done for thisclass (you can copy and paste them)
Week 1 & 2
Post 1- Richard Feynman Interview( 1981)
Richard Feynman talks about how flowers can enrich someone’s perspective of life. I think that flowers can show us in the inner beauty of the world and show us much more than just something pretty to look at. Feynman says that he looked more into flowers like into the cells for more answers. The colors that were born to each certain flower were done because insects would have to pollinate each flower. If the insects were not attracted to the flower they would not do their job. That can go for any kind of relationship in life.
The color or the scent of the flowers added questions to if the insects would pollinate. If the insects were not attracted to the flowers then pollination would not occur. I think that this can teach us a lot about life on a greater scale because from the simplest thing such as a flower reproduction occurs.
Post 2- Beyond Belief Video 1
In this video the speaker talked about the clash of cultures. The clash of cultures was conflicting between science and religion. Mentioned in the film the speakers said that sixty two percent of people don’t believe that humans were evolved from a earlier form. When he was talking about how people go to heaven and heaven doesn’t come to us I was kind of confused. I think I was confused because yes I think we go to heaven but God or heaven I think does come to us. When we need he’s there but I guess that does depend on your own religious beliefs.
In the sense of the clash of the cultures I don’t think there is ever going to a be a right answer because people are always going to disagree. For example I don’t agree with the fact that science made us, I believe that we evolved from god and not everyone is going to agree with me.
Post 3- Beyond Belief Video 1
Science deals with fact and religion deals with values. Is that true? I find that statement to be absolutely true. Science deals with that we see and what we can prove, and by we I mean scientist. Religion deals with values and what we want to believe. How we see things or what believe is the religious side to life. How can one say that this statement is false. Even if you don’t like science or have no religious values I don’t see how this can be proved wrong.
The speaker in this video thinks that the controversy with science and religion has deeper roots. Such as that they both will go on for some time but will always have negative affects on each other. I find that statement to be true because science and religion depict life on two different levels. One can believe we came about one and then another can believe something else.
Post 4- Beyond Belief Video 2
The law of gravitation doesn’t mention God at all. God created this world and everything in it right? Well one that is religion based would say so. So why doesn’t everything mention God as the sole creator? Well the answer to this is easy because not everyone believes that he created this world or even that he wasn’t the only reason why it was created. So a complex thing such as gravitation doesn’t give thanks to God. But should it? My answer that would be no because I think that sometimes things such just be unknown and then it makes us wonder what really happen or even how things can about.
A long time ago when there was no explanation of how things were people always answered God, but now we have science. When people didn’t understand science or didn’t know what it was the only answer for things was God. He created this world and he is our answer. I believe in God but science has helped our world and God can not be the answer for everything. Both God and science are important to this world but both help us live.
Post 5- Beyond Belief Video 2
I think that teaching young people about the sun, planets, and comets is a great thing. It is what surrounds us and there could be other intelligent life out there. Isaac Newton says there is another intelligent and powerful being in this world. He brought up an idea of intelligent design and told the world about it. The most brilliant people in this world are learning and researching intelligent design just as people are teaching it in the classrooms. How can this be? Well I think that people that everyone is still learning about it and there is no true answer.
The speaker says that it is a deeper problem from teaching it in the classroom to scientist that are writing about it. Fifteen percent of the most brilliant minds accept this thought of intelligent design.
Post 6- Cargo Cult
This reading was very interesting and I enjoyed it. Cargo Cults are very interesting because it is what certain people believe. Some of the things that were mentioned in the reading were such things as UFO’s and mystical things that are unexplained. Theses things are said to be scientific because we study them right? The answer to that is yes, but no one can actually know the correct answer. We don’t actually know that there are UFO’s or aliens floating around.
I like the example about the teacher in that reading. Teachers know how they want to teach children how to read but the school system says they have to do it a certain way. I know if I was a teacher that would drive me crazy. I guess sometimes you have to do things you don’t like to actually do what you love and have a passion for.
Post 7- Richard Dawkins
Viruses can be a very dangerous and difficult thing to take care of. The part of the reading that interested me was about computers getting viruses. Computer viruses travel throughout computers on there networks and even on discs. Viruses are worms work the same way in computers. They both are bad and travel the same way whether one is worse than the other.
Viruses can attack us in many ways and now I would like to talk about the religious side to the matter. Richard Dawkins says that religion is like a viruses. Do you think that is true? Well I think that it is. Once a virus attacks you it is hard to get rid of, but religion is something that people accept in their lives and usual keep. They keep not because they have to but because they want too.
Post 8- Karma Video
WOW! That video was pretty intense if I have to say so myself. I never thought I would see something so crazy in a classroom. The violence and the language were pretty bad. When I think about it though it makes sense to show something like that because honestly that is what happens in our world today. Karma is something that a lot of people believe in. I know for myself I do and have done it to people. In the end it is probably not the right thing to do because it always comes back around especially when you least expect it.
Karma is a funny thing because everyone probably once in their life has done it to someone or had a friend that was involved. So is it a good thing to do someone? Well my answer to that would be at the time yes but in the long run no.
Post 9 - Skepticism- What is Cold Reading?
This reading was pretty interesting to me. I think that people who actually can believe a fortune teller are pretty gullible. How does this person know everything about you that you want to know. That is absolutely impossible. You know yourself probably the best and if you cant answer that question, how can a stranger?
The person that does these reading probably already knows that the client wants to know something about their personal lives. The client probably wants to know about their families, jobs, life, marriage, and so on. These people that do the readings but the client in a mood to where they probably will believe anything they hear. I think that this is pretty stupid and anyone that believes needs some serious help!
Post 10- Bertrand Russell on Clear Thinking
This film was very short on you tube.com so I didn’t really get much out of it. Bertrand Russell was a very intelligent man and I didn’t get that from the film but from other things I have read. He was the kind of guy that thought God wasn’t the wisest man. He looked at God as a great creator but nothing special. He choose not to be a Christian for many reasons.
He asked what a Christian actually was and his answer was someone that wants to live a pure and good life. What person doesn’t want to live like that? Any person that believes in any kind of religion would want that for themselves wouldn’t they? Well that’s what he believed. I think that is true but he mentioned that he would make the best Christian out there and if that’s true then why wasn’t he one?
Week 3
Post 1- John Maynard Smith and Evolution
John Maynard Smith was a big part in Evolutionary Biology, new ideas about Darwinism, and how natural selection began corporative behavior. He left with us many ideas after he died at the age of eighty four in two thousand and four. He wrote about three books and most where about evolution. John is atheist and he admits it but he did give up his faith in his earlier years.
He is very well known for bringing the game theory up. He has applied this to viruses but it has nothing to do with natural selection. He thinks that natural selection is to apply to something then ask the question how does it help. Natural selection is a process of design even if it doesn’t design anything. Whatever the rarer sex is they will have more children, that is what he states.
Post 2- John Maynard Smith and Evolution
As human beings we are not supposed to question whether we might run into someone again someday. During this film when this was brought I was very confused because I know myself I question that all the time. I was wonder if I am going to run into someone again. I am that type of person that always remembers faces and body language. Just the other day when I was at school I saw this girl that works in a nail saloon I went to just once. I thought it was pretty random.
Why are we supposed to think this way? I think that we are supposed to think this way because there are so many people in this world and honestly we probably wont ever run into more than once again if we only see them once. Now in my case that was pretty random and probably wont happen again but it could, you never know.
Post 3- Kevin Miller on Intelligent Design
To me this video was not very interesting but it got the point across. Intelligent Design can be explained by one thing and that is intelligent cause. If something has a purpose then it must have a cause. Kevin Miller is a very intelligent man and wrote many books that were placed in classrooms all over the country so I believe what he says.
Kevin Miller totally thought that Michael Behe’s idea was wrong and I side with Kevin on this one. He says it was nonsense and I think that is true, for the reason that how can someone think that way.
Post 4- Eleven
WOW! This video was very warming to me because I felt as though I could relate in some weird way. I feel as though sometimes people look at me funny and I feel like I can’t pursue my dreams. In this video people were being pushed back because of who they were or even because of where they are from. That is the most ridiculous reason I can think of because it is so not fair. Ever since nine eleven a lot of people are viewed different because they are from those terrorists countries.
When I was in high school I was seen as this girl that always got good grades and always did well in everything I attempted. Now that I am in college for some reason my studying skills have dropped and now I feel as though people look at me different. So I can relate to this video.
Post 5- THE HIMALAYAN CONNECTION
I don’t believe in UFO’s and after reading this I still don’t. while reading this I agreed with some things such as how UFO’s can just merely be rare occurs that happen. The human eye is very interesting and maybe our eyes just play tricks on us. Maybe we want to see things like this and our eyes just all of a sudden see it, but that is just too weird.
Studies have been done and our scientist found no other living things in our world but that doesn’t necessary mean there is nothing out there. People always claim to see UFO’s but I think it is for mere attention. They think that they can get their fifteen minutes of fame on their local news, but in reality they are making themselves look stupid. There are no such things as UFO’s or anything like this. When I read the reading I laughed.
Week 4
Post 1- Freeman Dyson and the Mathematical Universe
Quantum physics is something that Freeman Dyson came up with. This has to do with mathematics but it is hard to describe with words but it is a great thing. It explains a lot but it is hard to understand and even explain. Scientific materialism is how people sometimes described themselves. They are still around but Freeman Dyson has no idea who they are or even what they do. Things at the micro level are what Freeman Dyson did very well. He was a very intelligent man and understood things that most don’t
Freeman Dyson says that religion is a way of life and not a matter of belief. He says that he is a very religious person and believes in Christianity. He is a Christian without the theology. God is such a mystery to him but he doesn’t try to depict God as anything bad.
Post 2- Freeman Dyson and the Mathematical Universe
Does science lead us to religion? Well Freeman Dyson thinks so and when I think about it I think it does too. Religion is a way of life like Dyson said but he thinks that science is too. I believe that statement to be kind of true but false too. What I mean by that is science has made our world better and without it we would be less technology based. If we didn’t have science we might be better though only because it creates so much hate and trouble it seems like. When we buy things they are not always perfect and then we have to get them fixed and that is trouble on us.
Is mind the way to describe things? The mind can choose what we do on a daily basis. In my perspective the mind is yes a way to describe things. When we make our choices in life the mind makes them for us, so of course they minds can describe things. Doesn’t that make sense? Well I think it does.
Post 3- Faqir Chand
After watching the film about Faqir Chand I was very shocked. Was he trying to say that religion doesn’t exist? I mean he said there is no God and no Jesus. In my understanding I think that is what he is trying to say. That is just so weird to me that someone believes that there is nothing out there. No nothing so I guess he is not religious at all. Usually people believe in at least something or are atheist. So is Faqir Chand atheist? That is a very good question and I am not sure. He seems to be a very different and out there person.
How can someone actually think that way? Especially since people back in the day were very religious. So I really don’t understand how he could think like that. What do they call people that believe in things like this? There must be some explanation for people like this.
Post 4- Session Five
What is an atheist? Well it is pretty easy to understand because they have no certain religion. This is a person who doesn’t believe in any kind of religion. Either for the reason that they cant choose one specific religion or because they don’t believe anything. In most cases that I find to believe is that people just don’t want to believe in God. In other cases it is that someone finds that all religions are wrong and there is no point believing in anything like that.
In my view there is nothing wrong with being atheist. Many people believe this way just as there are many people that believe in Christianity. How can someone say that being atheist is wrong? They shouldn’t because someone can say that being Catholic or even Christian is wrong. I guess it is just the way you see things and believe things.
Post 5- Session Five
Are meaning and purpose two different thoughts or ideas? We see this as trying to describe the universe. Maybe such questions like why are we here on earth and not on another planet? So is that meaning or purpose? Well in my perspective I see that as purpose because we are here for purpose I believe. Humans were put on the universe for a reason I think. If someone saw it as meaning maybe they would say that we were meant to be here, but I see it as having a purpose to make the world a better place.
Science is a great thing and you can apply it to purpose and meaning. When applying it to purpose someone might say that we are here for a purpose to work , become old, and change the world. When applying it to meaning someone might say that we have a meaning on this earth to serve our God that died for us.
11. Why does Richard Dawkins consider religion a "virus" of themind? Do you agree or disagree?Substantiate your view.
I think that Richard Dawkins considers religion a virus of the mind because I think once you believe in something it is stuck in your mind. Virus is something that can be taken away and fixed but it is very hard to do that. When I think of a virus I think of a computer virus or even a virus when you are sick. Dawkins thinks that people are going to replicate religion but the ones who are doing that are the ones who believe in it. He gives us the example of who fast children can be replicated or even how viruses in computers can be replicated. So when people talk about religion and give their input about others will hear and might believe. If these people believe then it is a chain reaction that will be happening to cause religion to grow like a virus. So actually viruses are not good things. So it sounds like Dawkins thinks religion as a virus which is bad. I don’t understand how religion could be such a virus when it is something that most people believe and live by. If someone does not have religion in their lives of course they are going to think of it as a virus.
12. Give an example of a "cargo cult" belief and critically analyzeit from a scientific perspective? Hint:think of something that people believe in that lacks overwhelmingevidence to support it.
The cargo cult that I am going to talk about it is how people believe in superstitions. A cargo cult is a group of unorthodox religious movements meaning that they are myths. When I was in high school I was a water girl/ trainer for the varsity football team and some of the boys believe that if they wore the same socks they would win the game. Some even believed if they brushed their teeth a certain way that day they would win the game. Now honestly the things they did, did not make a difference to whether the game that night was won or not, but they believed that. I think that when they did these certain things it was just in their minds to play their hardest and that is why we won, not because of some stupid superstition. Feynman said that everyone who thinks they want to become a cargo cult scientist should think twice and realize one thing. That one thing is that scientist have to learn that they are not always going to be right about everything they do or discover. These scientist have to question themselves and realize that they could be wrong about their discoveries. The cargo cult scientist must have to learn to investigate possible flaws in their experiments.
13. How does one do "science" according to Richard Feynman. Why isthis form of science so important tohuman beings? How can such a view of science help enrich one'sappreciation for beauty? Be sure to giveYOUR own example of Feynman's point (no "flowers" allowed).
According to Richard Feynman one can do science on a basic scale. What I got out of the film was that he looks into things with greater motivation of knowing all. The simplest things like a flower , a bird, or even a ball can mean much more than the human eye sees it as. This form of science is important to human beings because it makes us who we are I think. Even though I think God made us science has a lot to do with our daily lives. I think that this kind of science can enrich our appreciation for beauty because it makes us look at it in a different way. What average person looked a flower and wondered why it was scented that way. Most of us would just think it smelled nice and moved on with our lives. This shows us how everything in the world can mean more than be take it to be. Science to humans isn’t really anything until we can appreciate the beauty of it.
14. Give your interpretation of the movie "Karma."
My interpretation of the movie Karma is pretty short and simple. Karma is something that you do to someone when you want to get them back for something they did. For example a boyfriend lied to his girlfriend about his age for six months and she was very mad. So she told him that she was pregnant and she really wasn’t. At the time the girl probably felt that was the right thing to do and that it would really make him sad when she told him that she had a miscarriage, but in the long run the truth always comes out. So eventually he probably found out that she was lying. This movie wasn’t really like that though it was more violent, but both cases someone was getting revenge on someone. So in the long run I don’t think that karma is a good way to solve your problems or even to make you feel better. It’s wrong!
15. Explain, in brief, Darwinian evolution and why John MaynardSmith's contribution is important inthinking differently about survival of the fittest.
His contribution is that he made people think differently about survival of the fittest. He thinks that if one species is very intelligent they will eventually out number all the other species. Obviously they will exist longer and be the survival of the fittest. He think that survival of the fittest is when only one certain species out numbers and out plays all the other ones. Maynard’s theory about natural selection was thought to have come out when he was attending school. The film said that he was raised in church and I find that hard to believe because he is an atheist. Doesn’t that seem a little weird? He also talks about how different people believe in different religions and how they will go to different places when they die.
16. What are Freeman Dyson's views on the "design" of the universeor the purpose of humankind?
The universe is very friendly to human life. Such things like water and air are things that we need to survive on this planet. The universe supports human life and mind to be challenged. There are so many properties that could have changed and this world would have been something totally different that we know today. Diversity has made our world what it is. No one is the same or what the same things in life. We have different ethical backgrounds and religions. The purpose of humankind is to live life and make the world a better place. There are many intelligent people in this world and they were meant to make this world better and more effective for everyone. Freeman Dyson’s also questions the obligations that God has on each and every single one of us. The design of the universe is a mystery in itself. Everyone around the world perceives God as something different. Some of us see him as this great being and others find him to be false.
17. What IS the "secret" that Faqir Chand discovered about religionand its founders?
Faqir Chand discovered that there is no Jesus or any kind of figure like that. He went on to name all kinds of people. Let me see if I can remember some of them. He said there was no angels, no Mother Teresa, no God, and no virgin. Those are just some of them but he said they do not exist. So if he is saying that these important figures do not exist then how can religion? Well my answer to that is I guess it doesn’t. so Faqir Chand is saying that there is no religion and nothing like that exist. He thinks that there is no kind of religion that can let everyday human beings speak their mind freely. Faqir Chand does not believe in miracles at all. He also goes on to say that he knows absolutely nothing. He had idea of changing how he preaches to people or even how anyone preaches to someone, and that was that we need to teach ourselves to help only us.
18. Explain the movie Eleven and what is YOUR interpretation of it?In other words, what is the underlying message that thedirector is trying to convey?
I think that the director is trying to convey that no matter who you are you have problems. No matter where you come from people are always going to look at you funny. Ever since nine eleven everyone from those eastern countries are looked as terrorists. This was a great film to show that not everyone is bad no matter what they look like or where they come from. Everyone can achieve their goals and nothing should hold them back, but we all know that they we are sometimes prevents our goals from happening. The underlying message of this film was to show that there are all kinds of different people that live in our society today, no matter the race, cultures, and religion. We all live together even though sometimes it is hard for all of us to get along. When people disagree there always is judgment and prejudice. Prejudice is a big role in our society today and I honestly don’t think that it will ever stop, solely because of what happened on nine eleven.
19. Why is distinguishing the message from the medium so important?Use the Da Free John article as your context.
Distinguishing the message from the medium is important because in reality they are different things. Some people think that they are the same but I took it as something different. When someone writes something about religious matters we think that he is profoundly intelligent on the matter. In reality how do we actually know that he or she is, we don’t! So this is why knowing what the writer is actually talking about is good. Then the message and the medium will be clear views and thoughts. Well in critical thinking the message comes from the medium because the medium is the person who comes up with the message. They give us information to point where sometimes it is very hard for even the critical thinker to understand.
20. What are Bertrand Russell's reasons for NOT being a Christian?Do you agree or disagree with him? GIVE RATIONALARGUMENTS FOR your position (pro or con).
Bertrand Russell has many reasons for not being a Christian. First he questions what a Christian really is. Isn’t a Christian someone who wants to live a pure healthy life? Well of course but doesn’t every person with any religion. He think that there is an unaided reason for believing in God. Bertrand’s father told him that everything had a reason or a cause so that must mean that God has a cause. Right? Well I think so. Most people that learn the teachings of God believe that he was the most intelligent or wisest of them all, but Russell does not believe that. Bertrand Russell could be the most faithful Christian he says but he chooses not to be for these reasons. My position on this is that I think if he could be such a great Christian then why is he not. I disagree with his reasoning because God was looked at as great being of the world and still is and that is how I view him.
21. Give a summary of Jim Lett's field guide to critical thinking (inyour own "300" words, no more). Don't use quotes but write it like aletterto a friend explain how to think critically in light of Lett'snumerous points.
Dear Josh,
After reading Jim Lett’s field guide to critical thinking I thought that I should share a brief explanation of it. He had three basic steps or rules that he think we should follow for critical thinking. The first step is falsifiability which means to experiment something. It is like doing a science project because if you try to prove something by experiment it at least shows you tried. The second step is logic which is pretty easy to explain. If we think logically then critical thinking should be easy. The third step is comprehensiveness which is means that the information you find must have meaning and be true.
22. Why does Kurtz believe that skepticism should be applied toreligion? Do you agree or disagree?
Kurtz refers to skepticism as skeptical inquiry and not to deny that reliable knowledge is possible. This has been an argument of historic conflict between the advocates of reason and the disciples of faith. He believes that skepticism definitely needs to investigate religious claims. In my opinion I think I believe what he is saying. I totally agree with him because how do we know that all religions matters are true. So if we apply skepticism maybe it will make us more aware of things. Maybe we can then see something we didn’t see before and make up our own decisions about religion. Applying skepticism to religion shows us the individual that maybe our religion to others is not right. I think that for every religion we should apply this. This can raise questions about every religion to every person who believes in certain things. People can perceive themselves as one thing but others that believe in something else will probably see it as something else.
23. Why is pretext, text, and context important in analyzing a bookor an argument. Provide your own example.
I think that the pretext, text and/or context in analyzing a book or an argument is important because if you don’t understand the text and can you come to a conclusion. It is a like reading something and not comprehending anything then trying to answer questions. If you understand the text then you most likely will want to continue on and learn more and be more interested in it. In analyzing a book or an argument wouldn’t you want to know what it is about so it makes your job easier and why would someone not want to understand something. That makes no sense. So it is very important to know the text of a book or an argument.
24. What is a "transformative" UFO encounter and does the author ofthe Himalayan Connection really believe in UFOs as genuineextraterrestrials?
I think that author is trying to explain what these certain extraterrestrials are and is trying to help us understand it completely. UFO’s are merely psychological, sociological, and even religious phenomena that is happening. He does his studying under studied under three distinct divisions: translative, transformative, and transfusive. Many studies have been done about other living things that could be living in other planets and nothing was found. So how can we say that there is extraterrestrials out there? I think it is people who are bored and have nothing to do that just all of a sudden see something random in the sky and call it a UFO. I don’t think there is anything out there because most likely we would have found it already.
25. How does one think more critically when using online sources?(hint: think of one of the required articles). Substantiate yourviews.
I think that one can think more critically when using online sources by thinking out of the box. Think of questions that no one else might not think about. Don’t just think for the easy way out and what I mean is think maybe why would this person think this way. Then maybe you will be questioning something that will make you think more critically and make your answers to have more thought and time in them. I guess it also depends on what you are actually reading and if you believe it. If it is something that you can relate your personal life to then it is probably an interesting read for you. I know that when I read something that has common interest in my life I want to continue to read it. It usually is not boring and I find it refreshing to read.
26. What are Steven Weinberg's views on religion? Do you agree ordisagree?
Well to start off Steven Weinberg believes that science has changed our views about religion. Even if we didn’t have religion good people would be doing good things and bad people would be doing bad things. He says that for good people to do evil things or even for bad people to do good things that is where religion comes into play. Religion is the reason why that happens he thinks. Steven Weinberg really dislikes religion. My opinion on this is that I agree with the good and bad person situation. When bad people do good things it probably is because of religion and visa versa. Most people believe in the same religion that their parents or their guardians believe in because that is what they were brought up with. That is the only thing they probably know until they adventure the world and see what other types of religions it has to offer. I think that most people are going to be biased about religions and always think that theirs is right.
27. Why is Sam Harris an atheist? Explain his reasons. Can you argueagainst his views? If so, how?
Sam Harris is atheist because he believes that religious faith is an abandonment of the normal rules of evidence. He mentions how can any religion be the correct one when there are so many. All kinds of people believe in different religions and most religions believe in different things. I guess that it would be to hard for him to believe in one when there are so many different views. Yes I think I can argue against him because I think it takes someone just to believe in something just because you do. Just because you can’t see what really happen in the eyes of Jesus doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist.
28. Of the first five installments of BEYOND BELIEF which speakerdid you find most persuasive? Explain why.
I find the second session speaker to be the most persuasive. I think this because when he was speaking he was interested and related to his subjects. He talked a lot about different intelligent people and what they accomplished. He had the facts to back up what he was talking about. When he brought up God I was very impressed and loved to listen to what he had to say. Even though I believe in God he persuaded me to want to know more about a great man which is God.
29. Ken Miller argues against Michael Behe's notion of irreduciblecomplexity and the notion of intelligent design in biology. Is he
right? If so, explain. If not, give your reasons why not.
Yes I think that Ken Miller is right. Ken Miller thinks that Michael Behe’s idea is totally nonsense. He think that it is a uncompromising way of thinking and doesn’t know why someone would think this way. Michael says that if one thing is missing the whole machine can not work. I find that to be kind true but at the same time something can work if its not all there. You can improvise and make something work. Intelligent design is a very interesting matter because they are explained by intelligent cause. Biology has nothing to do for whether a person has high intelligence or not. I think it just depends on where they go to school and how they apply themselves, but mostly on how they apply themselves. Where a person grows up could also depend on their intelligence.
30. In the conference BEYOND BELIEF, which speaker did you find tobe the weakest in terms of substance? Explain.
I find the first speaker to be the weakest for a good reason. His information was good but he was very boring. When someone tries to relay a message or teach something to someone you have to want to tell it. It seemed as though he was not excited about what he was talking about such as the second speaker. The substance for his information was good but I really didn’t want to listen at all.
31. What constitutes a scientific education according to Huxley?
The thing that constitutes a scientific education according to Huxley is how someone can welcome science or religion into their life. When I first thought about this I was actually thinking science but some people think of science as religion. You have to welcome it into your life and just pursue it the right way. Everyone in our society believe in something different and people can be very biased towards others views. People form their ideas based on what they have learned and what they know. So when someone comes to them with a different idea they blow up. I find that to be understandable because I know I can be that way too
32. Why is the book BELIEVER-SKEPTIC so critical of Ken Wilber and this thinking? Be specific in your answers.
The reason why this book is so critical of Ken Wilber is because the author wants to show what a great critical thinker he was. Ken Wilber was the kind of guy that exaggerated on the craziest things. Ken Wilber doesn’t just say straight out that he likes something or for example when he was talking about that book, he doesn’t say “ this is the best book I have ever read”. He tells us that but in other words that only critical thinkers could understand. Wilber says that he is book is “ perfectly obvious fact”, so there is another clue of him expressing his views but not straight out telling us. The author is so critical about Ken Wilber because it seems like he looks to him for advice about critical thinking. He said that he has read every book that Wilber has wrote, so that means he must admire him a great deal.
Extra Credit:
List any books you read from the list for extra credit. Provide cogent summaries of each.Make your own 3 minute movie on how to be an effective criticalthinker (be creative).DOUBLE EXTRA CREDIT:Give a 200 word interpretation of the required movie, Nicholas ofCusa. What do you think it actually means?