I once saw a toxicology graduate student's research poster for a study she had done on the comparative sensitivity of the enzyme, acetylcholinesterase to the inhibiting effects of the poison, parathion. The comparison was between blood samples taken from humans and lab rats. (Just to be clear...the blood was treated with the poison after it was drawn.) I can't remember which species, humans or rats, was more sensitive. But what I do remember was the huge amount of variation in the human responses compared to the tiny amount of variation in the rats. It was quite striking. The human values were all over the place, while the rat values all tightly clustered around an average.
Maybe I should not have been so surprised. Lab rats are bred to be a very similar group where each individual is very much like the next. But you sure can't say that about humans. I've seen the data.
Monday, April 28, 2008
The power of naming
I notice with some interest the church trial of Jane Spahr, a retired Presbyterian minister in California. Jane performed two wedding ceremonies for lesbian couples. There's no question of whether or not Jane performed the ceremonies, but rather it is a question of whether or not she committed a breach of Presbyterian church law. She has been through the machinery of the Presbyterian court system where she was found innocent of any wrong-doing by a local court, then guilty by a higher one. She appealed to the highest Presbyterian court and the verdict will be announced tomorrow.
In this case it only appears that Jane is on trial. What's actually on trial is the Presbyterian church. This is because in issuing a verdict on Jane, the Presbyterian Church (USA)...(sorry about that...there are numerous factions (sects? arms? flavors?...whatever) of Presbyterianism and the one bearing the suffix, USA, is the one at hand...I'm not a Presbyterian so I'm not too sharp on their labels and nomenclature)...anyway...the Presbyterian Church USA is forced to make a definitive statement on the OK-ness of same-sex marriage. If it is not OK, Jane is guilty of something, and if it is OK, Jane is declared innocent.
This is a hard spot for the PC-USA because they traditionally don't come down hard on one side or the other on nettlesome personal issues, preferring instead to be open and accepting to as many people as possible. Apparently, there are some in the PC-USA who are extremely pissed off because of such lack of clear definition of what is OK and not OK. They believe that right is right and sin is sin, damnit. (See President Bush's remarks, April 17). And then there are others who find this fuzzy ambivalence to be a very attractive feature because they appreciate that we human beings come in so many different varieties, the ambivalence allows more room for those who are at some variance from the norm.
Anyway, I started this post to address the power of naming, because I noticed in a blog that someone, I think it was a guy named Jim Berkley, who referred to Jane as, "the lesbian advocate Jane Spahr." and I thought Wow! He just renamed her. That's effective! She used to be a whole person, Jane Spahr, but now renamed she's just a fraction of a person. It would be fair to say that former whole human being Jane Spahr, who laughs and loves, who pays taxes and does her laundry, who has thousands of interests and friends of every stripe, who loves art and good jokes, who has a rich spiritual life, who prays for others and cries with them, who tends flowers and still rides a bicycle for fun, has now been reduced to "the lesbian advocate Jane Spahr." The renaming effectively seems to remove from her identity, all of the other aspects of her being that don't immediately address her advocacy for lesbianism. What a neat trick! I can't wait to try this out for myself.
Where can I start?...let's see....how about,
"the conservative demagogue Jim Berkley."
Cooool!
I like it!
In this case it only appears that Jane is on trial. What's actually on trial is the Presbyterian church. This is because in issuing a verdict on Jane, the Presbyterian Church (USA)...(sorry about that...there are numerous factions (sects? arms? flavors?...whatever) of Presbyterianism and the one bearing the suffix, USA, is the one at hand...I'm not a Presbyterian so I'm not too sharp on their labels and nomenclature)...anyway...the Presbyterian Church USA is forced to make a definitive statement on the OK-ness of same-sex marriage. If it is not OK, Jane is guilty of something, and if it is OK, Jane is declared innocent.
This is a hard spot for the PC-USA because they traditionally don't come down hard on one side or the other on nettlesome personal issues, preferring instead to be open and accepting to as many people as possible. Apparently, there are some in the PC-USA who are extremely pissed off because of such lack of clear definition of what is OK and not OK. They believe that right is right and sin is sin, damnit. (See President Bush's remarks, April 17). And then there are others who find this fuzzy ambivalence to be a very attractive feature because they appreciate that we human beings come in so many different varieties, the ambivalence allows more room for those who are at some variance from the norm.
Anyway, I started this post to address the power of naming, because I noticed in a blog that someone, I think it was a guy named Jim Berkley, who referred to Jane as, "the lesbian advocate Jane Spahr." and I thought Wow! He just renamed her. That's effective! She used to be a whole person, Jane Spahr, but now renamed she's just a fraction of a person. It would be fair to say that former whole human being Jane Spahr, who laughs and loves, who pays taxes and does her laundry, who has thousands of interests and friends of every stripe, who loves art and good jokes, who has a rich spiritual life, who prays for others and cries with them, who tends flowers and still rides a bicycle for fun, has now been reduced to "the lesbian advocate Jane Spahr." The renaming effectively seems to remove from her identity, all of the other aspects of her being that don't immediately address her advocacy for lesbianism. What a neat trick! I can't wait to try this out for myself.
Where can I start?...let's see....how about,
"the conservative demagogue Jim Berkley."
Cooool!
I like it!
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Global Warming
I just watched the Frontline episode on the politics of global warming. The program makes the point that most of the uncertainty on global warming came from political opposition originating from the White House....not from the facts. It appears that the confusion over the topic arises from disinformation provided by the Bush administration. If you google "global warming" it looks like there are more sites claiming it's a hoax than otherwise.
It was an interesting program.
The EPA offers some good information from a conservatively cautious position.
If you really wonder whether global warming is a hoax here is some visual evidence. If you have a good rebuttal or a good explanation of why so much ice is melting, please, post it.
It was an interesting program.
The EPA offers some good information from a conservatively cautious position.
If you really wonder whether global warming is a hoax here is some visual evidence. If you have a good rebuttal or a good explanation of why so much ice is melting, please, post it.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Bush Welcomes Pope Benedict
April 17, 2008
....Here in America you'll find a nation that welcomes the role of faith in the public square. When our Founders declared our nation's independence, they rested their case on an appeal to the "laws of nature, and of nature's God." We believe in religious liberty. We also believe that a love for freedom and a common moral law are written into every human heart, and that these constitute the firm foundation on which any successful free society must be built.
Here in America, you'll find a nation that is fully modern, yet guided by ancient and eternal truths. The United States is the most innovative, creative and dynamic country on earth -- it is also among the most religious. In our nation, faith and reason coexist in harmony. This is one of our country's greatest strengths, and one of the reasons that our land remains a beacon of hope and opportunity across the world.
Most of all, Holy Father, you will find in America people whose hearts are open to your message of hope. And America and the world need this message. In a world where some invoke the name of God to justify acts of terror and murder and hate, we need your message that "God is love." And embracing this love is the surest way to save men from "falling prey to the teaching of fanaticism and terrorism."
In a world where some treat life as something to be debased and discarded, we need your message that all human life is sacred, and that "each of us is willed, each of us is loved" -- (applause) -- and your message that "each of us is willed, each of us is loved, and each of us is necessary."
In a world where some no longer believe that we can distinguish between simple right and wrong, we need your message to reject this "dictatorship of relativism," and embrace a culture of justice and truth. (Applause.)
--------------------------------
Pretty interesting stuff, especially coming form a man who supports the death penalty.
I'm worried about the weakness of the United States.
....Here in America you'll find a nation that welcomes the role of faith in the public square. When our Founders declared our nation's independence, they rested their case on an appeal to the "laws of nature, and of nature's God." We believe in religious liberty. We also believe that a love for freedom and a common moral law are written into every human heart, and that these constitute the firm foundation on which any successful free society must be built.
Here in America, you'll find a nation that is fully modern, yet guided by ancient and eternal truths. The United States is the most innovative, creative and dynamic country on earth -- it is also among the most religious. In our nation, faith and reason coexist in harmony. This is one of our country's greatest strengths, and one of the reasons that our land remains a beacon of hope and opportunity across the world.
Most of all, Holy Father, you will find in America people whose hearts are open to your message of hope. And America and the world need this message. In a world where some invoke the name of God to justify acts of terror and murder and hate, we need your message that "God is love." And embracing this love is the surest way to save men from "falling prey to the teaching of fanaticism and terrorism."
In a world where some treat life as something to be debased and discarded, we need your message that all human life is sacred, and that "each of us is willed, each of us is loved" -- (applause) -- and your message that "each of us is willed, each of us is loved, and each of us is necessary."
In a world where some no longer believe that we can distinguish between simple right and wrong, we need your message to reject this "dictatorship of relativism," and embrace a culture of justice and truth. (Applause.)
--------------------------------
Pretty interesting stuff, especially coming form a man who supports the death penalty.
I'm worried about the weakness of the United States.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)