In February, celebrated scientist Bill Nye engaged in a much-publicized debate with Christian celebrity Ken Ham about whether creationism was “viable” as a scientific theory. Polls found that Nye roundly won the debate.
Triumph in this debate, however, did not necessarily mean a win for science education. In the United States, there is still an uphill battle not only for funding and better teachers, but also to stem the proliferation of charter schools that cast doubt on evolution or flatly deny it. Nye’s biggest worry, he says, is about children — and specifically about their ability to compete and innovate in the future.
The debate with Ham eventually led Nye to pen his newest book, “Undeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creation” (out tomorrow), which broadens, contextualizes and connects evolution to everyday life.
Salon spoke to Nye about everything from climate change and evolution, to Ken Ham and John Oliver. This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity. (Audio from the upcoming book is below.)
“That’s where I’ve failed as a scientist”: Bill Nye opens up about the climate wars - Salon.com
Showing posts with label Bill Nye. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bill Nye. Show all posts
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Monday, February 3, 2014
Ham-on-Nye debate pits atheists, creationists - The Washington Post
Another opinion on the Ham/Nye Debate taking place tomorrow,,,
Bill Nye may be “The Science Guy,” but Ken Ham is the “Answers in Genesis” man, and a debate between the two over the origins of life has nonbelievers and Christians wringing their hands.
Nye, host of a beloved television science series, and Ham, president of a creationist apologetics ministry, will meet at the Creation Museum, where Ham is also the president, on Feb. 4. In what some wags are calling “the Ham-on-Nye debate,” they will weigh this question: “Is creation a viable model of origins?”
In truth, both sides answered that question long ago — Nye with Charles Darwin’s work on the origin of species and Ham with the first book of the Bible. Yet many observers — both religious and nonreligious — say the debate is a very bad idea.
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“It is this huge stereotype that all Christians reject science and an event like this reinforces that stereotype,” said Deborah Haarsma, president of the BioLogos Foundation, an organization whose motto is “science and faith in harmony.” ‘’It looks like science versus Christianity and it ignores the people who have accepted the science of evolution and have not let go of their faith.”
Ham-on-Nye debate pits atheists, creationists - The Washington Post
Bill Nye may be “The Science Guy,” but Ken Ham is the “Answers in Genesis” man, and a debate between the two over the origins of life has nonbelievers and Christians wringing their hands.
Nye, host of a beloved television science series, and Ham, president of a creationist apologetics ministry, will meet at the Creation Museum, where Ham is also the president, on Feb. 4. In what some wags are calling “the Ham-on-Nye debate,” they will weigh this question: “Is creation a viable model of origins?”
In truth, both sides answered that question long ago — Nye with Charles Darwin’s work on the origin of species and Ham with the first book of the Bible. Yet many observers — both religious and nonreligious — say the debate is a very bad idea.
[,,,,]
“It is this huge stereotype that all Christians reject science and an event like this reinforces that stereotype,” said Deborah Haarsma, president of the BioLogos Foundation, an organization whose motto is “science and faith in harmony.” ‘’It looks like science versus Christianity and it ignores the people who have accepted the science of evolution and have not let go of their faith.”
Ham-on-Nye debate pits atheists, creationists - The Washington Post
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
As a Reformed Creationist, I Hope Bill Nye Doesn't Underestimate Ken Ham | David MacMillan
This debate is more than academic for me. I grew up steeped in creationism. I was homeschooled with creationist curriculum, my family took us to creationist conferences, and I was deeply proud that I knew the real story about evolution and the age of the earth. I was taught there was absolutely no way the universe could be explained without creationism. Evolution was a fairy tale based on faith; creation was good science. I was taught that Christianity wasn't consistent without creationism... that all "Bible-believing Christians" rejected evolution and long ages in favor of a six-day creation and a global flood.
My proudest teenage achievement was mowing lawns to earn $1,000 so I could help build the Creation Museum. My donation earned me lifetime free admission, a polo shirt, and my name engraved in the lobby. I wrote back and forth with many prominent creationists and hotly debated origins with anyone who dared argue in favor of evolution. On two occasions I even wrote featured articles for the Answers In Genesis website... a high honor for Teenage Me.
I'm writing all this because I don't know many people who were as far into the creation science movement as I was and came out of it. After graduating high school, I went on to college and got my Bachelor's degree in physics; I now work in energy regulation. Despite four years of physics, it still took me a long time before I actually came to understand evolution, geology, and cosmology. Now, I'm always learning, always finding out new information, always excited.
Because so much of what I'd been taught was flatly false, I had to re-learn practically everything about biology, geology, and the history of science. I'm amazed by the amount of evidence I systematically ignored or explained away, just because it didn't match creation science.
As a Reformed Creationist, I Hope Bill Nye Doesn't Underestimate Ken Ham | David MacMillan
My proudest teenage achievement was mowing lawns to earn $1,000 so I could help build the Creation Museum. My donation earned me lifetime free admission, a polo shirt, and my name engraved in the lobby. I wrote back and forth with many prominent creationists and hotly debated origins with anyone who dared argue in favor of evolution. On two occasions I even wrote featured articles for the Answers In Genesis website... a high honor for Teenage Me.
I'm writing all this because I don't know many people who were as far into the creation science movement as I was and came out of it. After graduating high school, I went on to college and got my Bachelor's degree in physics; I now work in energy regulation. Despite four years of physics, it still took me a long time before I actually came to understand evolution, geology, and cosmology. Now, I'm always learning, always finding out new information, always excited.
Because so much of what I'd been taught was flatly false, I had to re-learn practically everything about biology, geology, and the history of science. I'm amazed by the amount of evidence I systematically ignored or explained away, just because it didn't match creation science.
As a Reformed Creationist, I Hope Bill Nye Doesn't Underestimate Ken Ham | David MacMillan
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Bill Nye Explains Why He’s Debating Evolution: Creationism ‘Frightens’ Me | Mediaite
More of the Bill Nye v. Ken Ham "debate",,,
“I don’t think I’m going to win Mr. Ham over any more than Mr. Ham thinks he’s going to win me over,” Nye said this week. “Instead, I want to show people that this belief is still among us. It finds its way onto school boards in the United States.”
He said the push to include creationism in science classes across the country does “frighten” him, calling it a “deep concern.” He added, “If the United States produces a generation of science students who don’t believe in science, that is troublesome.”
Bill Nye Explains Why He’s Debating Evolution: Creationism ‘Frightens’ Me | Mediaite
“I don’t think I’m going to win Mr. Ham over any more than Mr. Ham thinks he’s going to win me over,” Nye said this week. “Instead, I want to show people that this belief is still among us. It finds its way onto school boards in the United States.”
He said the push to include creationism in science classes across the country does “frighten” him, calling it a “deep concern.” He added, “If the United States produces a generation of science students who don’t believe in science, that is troublesome.”
Bill Nye Explains Why He’s Debating Evolution: Creationism ‘Frightens’ Me | Mediaite
HamOnNye Pre-Debate Coverage: Interview with Ken Ham
When this debacle (err debate) was first announced earlier in the month, first thing out of my fingers, "Bad move on Nye's part, the legitimacy issue is is why Dawkins will not debate creationists as well: "‘See, I debated a prominent scientist; I must be taken seriously now.’" Hell no!!
Yea well, seems my worst nightmare is coming true,,,
",,,The fact that the world’s media have been reporting on this debate suggests that we have a wonderful opportunity to present the creationist message to people around the globe, most of whom have never heard the case against evolution and the evidence that confirms creation."
",,,I hope my debate with Mr. Nye will create a bigger spotlight on the whole creation vs. evolution debate and to the Word of God and its gospel message. The debate will help point out that there is significant dissent in the scientific community about whether or not molecules-to-man evolution is a true explanation of origins,,,"
",,,What is wrong with presenting people both sides of an issue, and encouraging students to think critically about origins? Secularists have been able to pass legislation that protects the teaching of atheistic evolution (atheism is naturalism) in the public school systems. As I have personally seen time and time again, this has great consequences on the lives of students. If these young people believe they are only animals and that there is no God, then who determines right and wrong? What is the purpose and meaning of life? Surely students have a right to be allowed to think critically about an issue that affects their whole view of life?"
The "problem" as I see it, once the debate is over, the only thing we will be hearing from the Creation Museum, is how the debate took place at all. It legitimizes their view that there is evidence of creation, that creationism is an accepted or acceptable alternative, and it lumps evolutionary theory in with the pogroms of Hitler, Stalin and Lenin to name a few.
HamOnNye Pre-Debate Coverage: Interview with Ken Ham
Yea well, seems my worst nightmare is coming true,,,
",,,The fact that the world’s media have been reporting on this debate suggests that we have a wonderful opportunity to present the creationist message to people around the globe, most of whom have never heard the case against evolution and the evidence that confirms creation."
",,,I hope my debate with Mr. Nye will create a bigger spotlight on the whole creation vs. evolution debate and to the Word of God and its gospel message. The debate will help point out that there is significant dissent in the scientific community about whether or not molecules-to-man evolution is a true explanation of origins,,,"
",,,What is wrong with presenting people both sides of an issue, and encouraging students to think critically about origins? Secularists have been able to pass legislation that protects the teaching of atheistic evolution (atheism is naturalism) in the public school systems. As I have personally seen time and time again, this has great consequences on the lives of students. If these young people believe they are only animals and that there is no God, then who determines right and wrong? What is the purpose and meaning of life? Surely students have a right to be allowed to think critically about an issue that affects their whole view of life?"
The "problem" as I see it, once the debate is over, the only thing we will be hearing from the Creation Museum, is how the debate took place at all. It legitimizes their view that there is evidence of creation, that creationism is an accepted or acceptable alternative, and it lumps evolutionary theory in with the pogroms of Hitler, Stalin and Lenin to name a few.
HamOnNye Pre-Debate Coverage: Interview with Ken Ham
Thursday, January 2, 2014
This is happening: Bill Nye ‘The Science Guy’ will face Creation Museum founder Ken Ham in debate
Bad move on Nye's part, the legitimacy issue is is why Dawkins will not debate creationists as well: "‘See, I debated a prominent scientist; I must be taken seriously now.’" Hell no!!
In an exciting and somewhat controversial development, Bill Nye “The Science Guy” will debate Creation Museum founder Ken Ham next month.
The topic of the debate will be whether the Bible-based version of Earth’s origins can hold up to scrutiny. The event will take place February 4 at the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky.
Ham, the president and CEO of Answers in Genesis, said that he’s excited to debate Nye.
“It’s quite rare these days for such a well-known evolutionist to publicly debate a creationist – so we do expect a lot of media interest,” Ham said on his Facebook page.
This is happening: Bill Nye ‘The Science Guy’ will face Creation Museum founder Ken Ham in debate
In an exciting and somewhat controversial development, Bill Nye “The Science Guy” will debate Creation Museum founder Ken Ham next month.
The topic of the debate will be whether the Bible-based version of Earth’s origins can hold up to scrutiny. The event will take place February 4 at the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky.
Ham, the president and CEO of Answers in Genesis, said that he’s excited to debate Nye.
“It’s quite rare these days for such a well-known evolutionist to publicly debate a creationist – so we do expect a lot of media interest,” Ham said on his Facebook page.
This is happening: Bill Nye ‘The Science Guy’ will face Creation Museum founder Ken Ham in debate
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