Paul Z. Myers is an Associate Professor of Biology at the University of Minnesota, Morris. He is the creator of the very impressive blog “Pharyngula,” and he has some strong words for Deepak Chopra, who recently came out in favor of Intelligent Design.
His post starts with: “…that New Age con-man, Deepak Chopra…says all the same stupid things the right-wing fundies do. He’s complaining that we have to take Intelligent Design out of the hands of the fundamentalist Christians AND those clueless scientists.…it doesn’t matter whether he’s right-wing or left-wing, he’s just an idiot.”
All in all, it’s highly recommended reading in the “intellectual ammunition” department.
This is hard for me – both as a Yoga teacher (professionally), as a student (personally) and as someone who has met and listened to Dr. Chopra – while at the same time being somewhat against the concept of ‘intelligent design’ being taught in our schools….
I find what happens here is that arguments like this pit ‘scientific’ people against ‘spiritual’ people and there never seems to be any middle ground to stand on (for someone like myself – I always feel like I am falling off one cliff or the other (somewhat))….I get trapped between my mind and my heart and my soul…
I think Dr. Myers ‘ripping’ on Dr. Chopra is rather ‘convenient’ as well as unprofessional – but that’s just my ‘humble opinion’ – and I don’t think any of this is ever going to be resolved.
I believe in a ‘God’ I certainly don’t believe in God in a ‘conventioanl way’ or even the way most people do – I don’t pretend to know the answers either – so I guess part of me gets a little bit sensitive when ‘scientists’ come marching out and screaming that there can be no such thing as ‘intelligent design’ – perhaps the argument would be better served if we could all find some middle ground – but I don’t know what that middle ground would be.
The issue is not whether scientists and proponents of “intelligent design” can find middle ground. The issue is whether the latter ought to be taught in schools as science.
Personally I find the approach that makes most sense is that the Universe was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster (see http://www.venganza.org)
Read first, expound later.
In response to anonymous#2, I think the issue is actually whether anonymous #1 read through Myers’ post.
Nowhere in Myers’ post did he pit scientists against spiritualists, rather he provided examples of Chopra’s own words (the better for Chopra to dig himself a hole) and his own succinct refutations.
It is unprofessional to avoid the hard work of careful reading and evaluation but expound anyway, and my opinion is not at all humble.
I am Anonymous #1 sweetie – and frankly I DID read through Myers tirade – which is ‘tiresome’ in my *real* opinion.
I was commenting on the fact that the argument itself (not *this* particular rant but the one about whether creationism should be taught in schools or not) – pits scientific thinkers against thinkers who have deep spiritual convictions – if you had read what *I* wrote you would have seen that I don’t agree with intelligent design being offered up as curriculum in schools…
(cause I don’t)
But I also feel that it is hard to find middle ground – I do believe in God – I do believe that a power (I happen to think it’s divine) other than atoms banging around together made this wondrous world we live in – so sue me…I don’t try to ram it down people’s throats and I have to wonder if this is simply an exercise (not that Leslie means it to be) for bashing Dr. Chopra – I believe he has done wonders for the medical community in terms of making them look into alternative healing practices and I just don’t think he should be judged that harshly…
Just some more of my 2 cents worth – not that it’s worth that much…–>