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Free Talk Live => The Polling Pit => Topic started by: AL the Inconspicuous on February 08, 2010, 10:10:57 PM

Title: Poetic metaphors for evolution
Post by: AL the Inconspicuous on February 08, 2010, 10:10:57 PM

... or what other potential poetic metaphors would you find particularly tasteful or distasteful?

Title: Re: Poetic metaphors for evolution
Post by: Harry Tuttle on February 09, 2010, 10:02:50 AM

The problem with using metaphors is that too many idiots take them literally. I try to avoid them, except when explaining things - in which case I make sure that I also mention that I'm using a metaphor. I don't want to perpetuate any kind of thoughtless belief.

Title: Re: Poetic metaphors for evolution
Post by: Rillion on February 09, 2010, 11:00:46 AM

Quote from: Harry Tuttle on February 09, 2010, 10:02:50 AM

The problem with using metaphors is that too many idiots take them literally. I try to avoid them, except when explaining things - in which case I make sure that I also mention that I'm using a metaphor. I don't want to perpetuate any kind of thoughtless belief.

Exactly.  I'll use them when talking about evolution in a context in which everyone knows they're metaphors, but not otherwise.  There are still people who think Richard Dawkins believes that genes are literally selfish, and that book has been out since before I was born.  

I wouldn't be surprised if there are also people who think that Mitochondrial Eve (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitochondrial_Eve) was the Eve from Genesis, and stuff like this doesn't help:

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/48/Adam_and_eve_newsweek_cover.jpg)

Quote

Newsweek Magazine reported on Mitochondrial Eve based on the Cann et al. study in January 1988, under a heading of "Scientists Explore a Controversial Theory About Man's Origins". The edition sold a record number of copies.

Title: Re: Poetic metaphors for evolution
Post by: AL the Inconspicuous on February 09, 2010, 12:49:53 PM

Quote from: Harry Tuttle on February 09, 2010, 10:02:50 AM The problem with using metaphors is that too many idiots take them literally.

How is it a problem exactly?  Idiots like those subjective cultural fairy tales, and some would argue that that's precisely the best means by which an idiot can be taught.  It is well documented (i.e. USSR, China, etc) that destroying those delusions does not make the world a better place.  Even the secular Europe is heading for collapse, economic as well as demographic, while Islam positions itself for rapid growth to fill the void.

Quote from: Harry Tuttle on February 09, 2010, 10:02:50 AM I don't want to perpetuate any kind of thoughtless belief.

There is a difference between irrationality and thoughtlessness.  Human emotions are thought too!  It is irrational to expect human beings to be 100% rational, even in purely subjective cultural and artistic attributes.  Many humans feel a need to establish an emotional connection with the things and concepts they interact with, and evolution -- the immutable driving principle of the universe and all life on the planet -- is especially important.  Any ideological movement that fails to address human emotions is doomed to failure!

Title: Re: Poetic metaphors for evolution
Post by: fatcat on February 19, 2010, 10:22:20 AM

The problem with most evolution metaphors is that they're always never a metaphor for the actual process.

If you talk about an invisible hand, or evolution "designing" things, it gives people false ideas about the nature of the process of evolution. Even some technical terms like "selection", can give people a false impression.

Which i assume is why you still hear retard creationists talking about how evolution is the atheists god.

Even I find myself using the word "designed" instead of "evolved" sometimes, cause it tends to sit better when you're talking about functional properties, though im trying to cut it out of my speech.