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Science Teacher Joining

Started by Waski_the_Squirrel, November 08, 2015, 05:10:17 AM

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xSilverPhinx

Quote from: Recusant on November 09, 2015, 05:06:42 AM
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on November 09, 2015, 02:02:33 AM. . . Almost all of them are from the engineering professions. . . .

The Salem Hypothesis in action again.  :-\

Makes sense!

QuoteThe Salem Hypothesis is the observation of the apparent correlation between the engineering trade and creationist beliefs (possibly due to crank magnetism, this can also include climate change denial and other crackpot beliefs). It holds that people who claim science expertise, whilst advocating creationism, tend to be formally trained as engineers[1] (with a possible exception of chemical engineers). This hypothesis does not address whether engineers tend to be creationists (the converse); however, it has been speculated that engineering predisposes people to a creation science view.

Over here one of the loudest faculty members who try to spread this virus is actually a chemical engineer. 
I am what survives if it's slain - Zack Hemsey


Firebird

Welcome! I'm a lapsed NY jew, though I've lived in Massachusetts for half my life. Got bar mitzvah'd  and all that but never really believed, nor did my parents. I was  an apathist and didn't care one way or another about religion until an incident a few years ago. My wife was taking her US citizenship test and when she tried to omit "So help me God" from the oath the interviewer got upset and tried to coerce her into saying it. Ever since I've been comfortably in the atheist camp. However, we also have some theists who hang around here too, so we welcome all sorts of viewpoints.

Very interesting story btw! I completely understand why you're feeling torn, it does seem you have found a close-knit group who cares for each other, and that's not something you can give up easily. Hopefully we can help you navigate this path.
"Great, replace one book about an abusive, needy asshole with another." - Will (moderator) on replacing hotel Bibles with "Fifty Shades of Grey"

solidsquid

Quote from: Recusant on November 09, 2015, 05:06:42 AM
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on November 09, 2015, 02:02:33 AM. . . Almost all of them are from the engineering professions. . . .

The Salem Hypothesis in action again.  :-\

Hmm, hadn't thought about it really but all the engineers I know are very religious, not sure if they're creationists though.  However, one did mention "finding Noah's Ark".

solidsquid

Quote from: Waski_the_Squirrel on November 09, 2015, 01:36:09 AMI always think it's funny when a nonBiologist questions my qualifications to question their creationism because I'm not a Biologist. Pot, meet kettle! A few years ago, I discovered logical fallacies, and that gave me a lot more tools.

Logic has so many tools that are quite useful in debates.  Unfortunately, that is usually met with fingers in the ears and screaming, "La la la, I can't hear you!"

Waski_the_Squirrel

Quote from: solidsquid on November 11, 2015, 01:04:17 AM

Logic has so many tools that are quite useful in debates.  Unfortunately, that is usually met with fingers in the ears and screaming, "La la la, I can't hear you!"

True!

But the fallacies have also helped me think about my own contributions to a debate.

Icarus

 I am a mechanical engineer and I have been blissfully unaware of any connection between engineering disciplines and theism. I have three friends who are engineers. All three of them are agnostic at the very least. We never mention religion because we are too much interested in what works and what does not work, as well as  the reasons. One of my friends is a mining engineer who has seen so many 40 thousand year old fossils and bones that he is not inclined toward young earth claims. Another one is an electrical engineer who does not believe that lightning bolts are demonstrations of the wrath of God. I can not imagine an engineer who refutes the sciences, that he or she knows so well, in favor of some kind of crackpot belief in things that can not be demonstrated.

I have worked in engineering departments where there were dozens of engineers and I can not remember any of them ever referring to God or Jesus except in some profane rant about a system failure.

I have suspected that dentists were more likely to be the religious ones. I used a certain dentist for 30 years and he was a devout Presbyterian. When he solved a difficult problem while messing around in my mouth, he would say, and I quote, "thank you sweet Jesus".  I had a few arguments about his blind faith in an imaginary biblical character. I always lost the arguments because he had an impenetrable  brick wall mentality.

OldGit

I also once had a very religious dentist.  When he broke some bad news to me, I said, "Oh, Jesus!" and got a serious reprimand about taking the name etc etc.

xSilverPhinx

Quote from: OldGit on November 16, 2015, 09:28:10 AM
I also once had a very religious dentist.  When he broke some bad news to me, I said, "Oh, Jesus!" and got a serious reprimand about taking the name etc etc.

This reminds me of a bad joke.

When the dentist mentioned I had a cavity I replied "Oh, sweet cheesus!"

:couchhide:
I am what survives if it's slain - Zack Hemsey