In Darwin's Own Words: Using the Web to Combat Creationist Quote-Mining

In Darwin’s Own Words using the web to combat creationist quote-mining Hey, that’s not what I said… that wasn’t my intention! Michael D. Barton http://thedispersalofdarwin.wordpress.com

To suppose that the eye, with all its inimitable contrivances for adjusting the focus to different distances, for admitting different amounts of light, and for the correction of spherical and chromatic aberration, could have been formed by natural selection, seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest possible degree. ,[object Object],On the Origin of Species (1859, 1st ed.)

To suppose that the eye, with all its inimitable contrivances for adjusting the focus to different distances, for admitting different amounts of light, and for the correction of spherical and chromatic aberration, could have been formed by natural selection, seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest possible degree. Yet reason tells me, that if numerous gradations from a perfect and complex eye to one very imperfect and simple, each grade being useful to its possessor, can be shown to exist; if further, the eye does vary ever so slightly, and the variations be inherited, which is certainly the case; and if any variation or modification in the organ be ever useful to an animal under changing conditions of life, then the difficulty of believing that a perfect and complex eye could be formed by natural selection, though insuperable by our imagination, can hardly be considered real. How a nerve comes to be sensitive to light, hardly concerns us more than how life itself first originated; but I may remark that several facts make me suspect that any sensitive nerve may be rendered sensitive to light, and likewise to those coarser vibrations of the air which produce sound. ,[object Object],On the Origin of Species (1859, 1st ed.)

At some future period, not very distant as measured by centuries, the civilized races of man will almost certainly exterminate, and replace, the savage races throughout the world. ,[object Object],The Descent of Man (1871, vol. I, 1st ed.)

The great break in the organic chain between man and his nearest allies, which cannot be bridged over by any extinct or living species, has often been advanced as a grave objection to the belief that man is descended from some lower form; but this objection will not appear of much weight to those who, from general reasons, believe in the general principle of evolution. Breaks often occur in all parts of the series, some being wide, sharp and defined, others less so in various degrees; as between the orang and its nearest allies -- between the Tarsius and the other Lemuridae -- between the elephant, and in a more striking manner between the Ornithorhynchus or Echidna, and all other mammals. But these breaks depend merely on the number of related forms which have become extinct. At some future period, not very distant as measured by centuries, the civilised races of man will almost certainly exterminate, and replace, the savage races throughout the world. At the same time the anthropomorphous apes, as Professor Schaaffhausen has remarked, will no doubt be exterminated. The break between man and his nearest allies will then be wider, for it will intervene between man in a more civilised state, as we may hope, even than the Caucasian, and some ape as low as a baboon, instead of as now between the negro or Australian and the gorilla. ,[object Object],The Descent of Man (1871, vol. I, 1st ed.)

2008 Books Magazines Websites Documentaries Word-of-mouth 1997 Back cover: “These relevant quotations bring to light the fatal weaknesses of the entire structure of evolutionism - inadvertently exposed by its own promoters!”

Context of quote-mining Fits with a variety of ways in which antievolutionists attack the theory of evolution by not discussing the actual science itself - Attacks on Darwin or other figures in history of science connecting them to Hitler, the Nazis, and the Holocaust, and other 20th century genocides ,[object Object]

Referring to Darwin as a racist (he did live in the 19th century!) although he was an abolitionistAntievolutionists can only sustain their claim that even experts in biology doubt their own work if they selectively mine quotes Quotes are blindly taken, trusted, and then spread taking on a life of their own, without much thought about the original context by those whom the quotes are intended 1997

Resources The Quote Mine Project, John Pieret (blog: Thoughts in a Haystack): http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/quotes/mine/project.html Collapse of a Texas Quote Mine: http://www.anevolvingcreation.net/collapse/ Darwin Correspondence Project: The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online: http://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/homehttp://darwin-online.org.uk/ Google Books: Internet Archive: http://books.google.com/http://www.archive.org/ 1997

I look at it as absolutely certain that very much in the Origin will be proved to be rubbish. ,[object Object],October 1862

Nevertheless just to explain by mere valueless conjectures how I imagine the teeth of your elephants change; I should look at the change, as indirectly resulting from changes in the form of the jaws, or from development of tusks, or in case of the “primigenius” even from correlation with the woolly covering; in all cases natural selection checking the variation. If indeed an elephant could succeed better by feeding on some new kinds of food, then any variation of any kind in the teeth, which favoured their grinding power would be preserved. Now I can fancy you holding up your hands and crying out what bosh! To return to your concluding sentence; far from being surprised, I look at it as absolutely certain that very much in the Origin will be proved rubbish; but I expect and hope that the frame-work will stand. ,[object Object],October 1862

A fair result can be obtained only by fully stating and balancing the facts and arguments on both sides of each question. ,[object Object],[object Object]

As an illustration of the change of thought, the lecturer spoke of evolution’s failure as a strong theory and the downfall of Darwinism. When the theory came out it was seized upon with avidity, and most of the great scholars examined it and accepted it. Now they had given it up. Prof. Virchow in the Edinburgh celebration said evolution had no scientific basis. No skull had yet been found differing to any extent from the general type. Prof. Tyndall had lately said that “evolution belongs to the twilight of conjecture.” Prof. Huxley, at first one of its strongest advocates, said the link between the living and the not living had not been found. It must be found to prove the evolution theory. ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

Conlusions Be skeptical about the use of quotes, whether in reading materials or using them in your own work. Join in combating quote-mining if and when you come across it. Get it online, whether on your own blog or commenting on others The importance of source material connects history of science to science journalism. Attentiveness to objective use of source material, and the ability to find primary documents online, connect the sciences and humanities.

The Big List of History of Science Blogs and Twitter: http://thedispersalofdarwin.wordpress.com/2010/08/04/hos_blogs The Giant’s Shoulders (HoS blog carnival): http://ontheshouldersofgiants.wordpress.com/ Enjoy the rest of

In Darwin's Own Words: Using the Web to Combat Creationist Quote-Mining

In Darwin's Own Words: Using the Web to Combat Creationist Quote-Mining

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In Darwin's Own Words: Using the Web to Combat Creationist Quote-Mining