Friday, October 07, 2005
Neat drawing: In Saturday's New York Times there was an Op-Ed, Evolution as a Zero-Sum Game. It covered the ususal territory. But what was of interest was an associated drawing. You can see the full size here. Look at it closely. UPDATE: Wow! Sorry about that. Didn't mean to waste everybody's time. We only thought that the picture was interesting because some of the panels on the pulpit were neat - for those familiar with science. - The atom at the top
- The Pythagorean theorem behind the scientist
- The heliocentric solar system
- Evolution
- Gravity (apple falling)
- The double helix on the staircase
There was no hidden secret image. Wish that there was.
posted by Quiddity at 10/07/2005 07:26:00 AM
26 comments
Okay, Quiddity, I see a fairly typical "Church of Science" illustration, with a bespectacled old white man lecturing a flock with some rather simplistic icons of science for the hoi polloi. While I reject it as representative of what science teaching should be or generally is, it does illustrate the theme of the Op-Ed (borrowed from Michael Ruse, without acknowledgement) that people sometimes stretch evolution to become a philosophy of life. Ruse terms this 'evolutionism' to distinguish it from the biological theory of speciation.
I'm pretty sure I'm missing your point, so please explain.
VKW
Gotta agree with the previous anonymous. It's the usual reductio ad absurdem of science usually promulgated by those who are proud of their ignorance of science. Why give it more importance than it deserves?
Yah I see the weirdness of the icons, the pulpit reference, but as is my tendancy, the structure, as drawn would collapse in several places. *8^P
Looks to me like evolution is right between heliocentricity and gravity in terms of scientific understanding. Which is mostly true, except how it seems to be depicted as chimp -> vampire mime -> 50s dad.
Now, why DNA is only a handrail and an almost right triangle illustrating the Pythagorian theorem is the backdrop, I don't know. Also, the scientist guy has really short legs.
Would it be that the artist is somewhat subversively suggesting that rejecting the theory of evolution would be on a par with believing that the sun revolves about the earth and that gravity doesn't exist?
I'm stumped too. Please reveal.
You guys all missed the double helix underneath the stair railing. I'm sure that's significant.
Oops! apparently I didn't read enough.
I think the gist of it is that evolution has given us the mental capacity for intelligent thought and reasoning, yet we still come up with stupid ideas.
The staircase looks like a shoe?
Whoa! Was that drawn by Scott McCloud?
/no?
//got nothin.
Dinnerdog, stairs? What stairs?
Besides the DNA, the evolution, the Newton with apple, the pythagorium theorem, the atom, and the heliocentric solar system. I don't see anything. I've tried printing it and turning it upside down and folding it ... nothing. and I don't see and hidden penis or tits.
He is leaning on the railing because of his badly "designed" human spine...it would, of course, make sense to have such a spine if the silly biped had evolved from a quadriped.
Is that an arsenic atom on top of the pulpit?
Pretty ionized, but the nucleus could be right.
In which case the preacher might be said to
be wearing an AS-hat ???
I do hope Q explains the "trick" he saw.
I'll take a stab at it.
The center of gravity means the edifice will fall over to the right?
Much less likely guess: Newton has no hair?
I see it now - Maxwell Smart's Cone of Silence.
Is it the 44 on the man suit as i bush 44 ?
art, those are two pens. And little Bush is #43, I think. Quiddity, you gotta tell us what you see. The structure would tip, if we didn't know it was nailed down. The thing looks vaguely like a toilet bowl. He has short legs. The right triangle isn't right when viewed *from this angle.* The atom has two electrons in each orbit...
But what do YOU see?
I have faith Quiddity will eventually tell us. Although,
Quiddity may have lost his mind. He forgot to post the Friday morning sunrise picture.
Would this be a good thread to tell you all my suspicion that Newton was actually a woman that was passed off as a girl from birth by his/her mother to save the inheritance?
Oh my God. The scientist's right hand has no thumb. Where's your precious natural selection now?!
"There was no hidden secret image. Wish that there was."
Dudes! The Conspiracy got to Quiddity! Now he can't tell us the Horrible Truth about the Image!
VKW
PS: Man, it's like the DaVinci Code or something!
Dudes,
atomic THEORY
Pythagorean THEOREM
The Theory of Relativity
Evolutionary THEORY
THEORY of Gravity
Genetic THEORY
Scientists are trying to claim that “Theory” has a number of distinct meanings in different fields of knowledge, depending on the context and their methodologies.
But Quiddity’s trying to clue us in to the real deal!!! The Dude is on a pulpit, man!! Just like a preacher-dude!! Scientists are just guessing, like everyone else!! Martian could be causing Atomic bombs! Have you ever seen a natural, like organic triangle? They could MAKING triangles do the Pythagor-dude’s rule! Don’t U GET IT, MAN? Look I’m gonna’ PROVE gravity’s just a THEORY, watch me jump out this window……………..
"Few things are more bitter than to feel bitter." ~ Charles Buxton (1823-1871)
"To the sweet man, sick tastes bitter." E.J. Gold
"The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet."
Aristotle (384-322 BC)
Greek philosopher, student of Plato, tutor of Alexander the Great
Sweet & sour soup? You want egg roll with that? I give you extra fortune cookie, free!
I'm still positive that if you built that, it would topple over. The center of balance is all wrong.
:op
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