Are God and Keplerism Compatible?

Posted 20 October 2010 by Richard B. Hoppe

In view of the Disco 'Tute's recent frantic braying against theistic evolution and evolutionary creationism (having joined Ken Ham in that effort), Jeremy Mohn asks Are God and Keplerism Compatible? Some Catholic, Jewish and Protestant Authors Say No. The book's blurb tells us that

God and Revolution includes chapters by Willard Rembski, author of The Decline of Revolution; Steve Meyerson, author of Signature in the Solar System: Epicycles and the Evidence for Intelligent Design; Denise O'Lambert, co-author of The Spiraling Drain; Davis Hoffenkling, editor of Signature of Controversy: Responses to Critics of Signature in the Solar System; John Wellington, author of Icons of Revolution; and Jonathan East, author of Kepler Day in America. (John Pieret adds Casey Mustuvbeen, co-author of Traipsing Into Revolution.

Enjoy, and remember, it's all about the science! via John Pieret,

23 Comments

mrg · 20 October 2010

April 1 already? ICONS OF REVOLUTION indeed.

Mike Elzinga · 20 October 2010

From the Kansas City Star:

"Too few people have carefully teased out the various scientific, philosophical, and theological claims at stake," says Jay Richards, director of research for discovery Institute's Center for Science & Culture, and editor of God and Evolution. "As a result, the whole subject of God and evolution has been an enigma wrapped in a shroud of fuzz and surrounded by a blanket of fog."

Translation: We are not done playing contorted word games to make the history of science so confusing that our rube following will plunge with suicidal frenzy into arguments with “evilutionists” while we sit back and evaluate what our next set of political sound bites will be.

Flint · 20 October 2010

I like the site. And the linked article seems well written and presses all the right buttons.

mrg · 20 October 2010

PS: I didn't notice until I looked back that Mohn had marked "this post is satire" at the bottom. Clearly he understands how badly damaged the irony meters of the Pandas and their like have been by the, uh, expansive statements of creationuts.

Of course, to those creationuts who complain, we can refer them to the work of Robert Sungenis:

http://galileowaswrong.com/galileowaswrong/

I keep wanting to read that name as "Subgenius" for some reason: "Pull the wool over your OWN eyes!"

Paul Burnett · 20 October 2010

mrg said: April 1 already? ICONS OF REVOLUTION indeed.

And then there's "Signature in the Solar System" - LOVE it! It took me about three lines to realize it's a cruel, cruel satire. I wonder how long before they'll complain about it in Uncommon Dissent...

mrg · 20 October 2010

Paul Burnett said: I wonder how long before they'll complain about it in Uncommon Dissent...

Hmm. Consider the opportunities for performing a similar markup on a Denyse O'Luskin editorial.

DavidK · 20 October 2010

If I recall correctly from my teaching days, Kepler's mother was accused of witchcraft by the church officials. Hmmm. If for no other reason that deserves a note of incompatability.

DavidK · 20 October 2010

Also, does anyone know of this "Stationary Institute Press" that supposedly published this nonsense? A web search reveals nada.

Sepia · 20 October 2010

DavidK said: Also, does anyone know of this "Stationary Institute Press" that supposedly published this nonsense? A web search reveals nada.

Um, it is a parody.

W. H. Heydt · 20 October 2010

DavidK said: Also, does anyone know of this "Stationary Institute Press" that supposedly published this nonsense? A web search reveals nada.

It's a division of Nocturnal Aviation. --W. H. Heydt Old Used Programmer

Mike Elzinga · 20 October 2010

W. H. Heydt said:
DavidK said: Also, does anyone know of this "Stationary Institute Press" that supposedly published this nonsense? A web search reveals nada.
It's a division of Nocturnal Aviation. --W. H. Heydt Old Used Programmer

:-)

RBH · 20 October 2010

Flint said: I like the site. And the linked article seems well written and presses all the right buttons.

Yeah, Jeremy's one of the good guys.

David B. · 21 October 2010

'Keplerism' is a master touch, but sadly not original. Dinesh d'Souza used the term in "What's So Great About Christianity?" in defence of his outdated - and incorrect - use of 'Darwinism':

This is why we have Darwinism but not Keplerism; we encounter Darwinists but no one describes himself as an Einsteinian. Darwinism has become an ideology

What's all the more remarkable, or maybe not, is that d'Souza is completely wrong in his assertion. Charles Fort used 'Keplerism' in an equally pejorative sense in his writings, but it also appears in a few science histories and pop-sci books. E.g. in astronomer Patrick Moore's 1969 book, "The Development of Astronomical Thought":

Rudolphine tables - which were of course based on his system, and which were so much better than any others that even the opponents of Copernicanism (or Keplerism) were forced to use them.

Of course, having found this out I desperately want a t-shirt that reads "Keplerism: We have the observations. We win."

jimpithecus · 22 October 2010

Parody of the highest order. I love it!!

mrg · 22 October 2010

W. H. Heydt said: It's a division of Nocturnal Aviation. --W. H. Heydt

I had to look that one up. "A Division of Fly By Night Industries". Later, no doubt, bought out by Acme Corporation.

Henry J · 22 October 2010

Fly by night? That sounds batty. Or maybe owlly.

W. H. Heydt · 22 October 2010

I got the whole "a Division of Nocturnal Aviation" from a tape my brother-in-law has. He worked around the MIT student radio station in the '60s. The radio station, at that time, couldn't legally air advertisements. The students made up fake ads instead. If you ever hear of "Apple Gunkies", that was a "product" in several of the fake ads. All most all ads claimed that whatever "company" had the "product" being advertised was "a Division of Nocturnal Aviation."

I rather suspect Mr. Elzinga is familiar with this history as well.

--W. H. Heydt

Old Used Programmer

Mike Elzinga · 22 October 2010

W. H. Heydt said: I rather suspect Mr. Elzinga is familiar with this history as well. --W. H. Heydt Old Used Programmer

:-) It brings back old memories. Check out the links to audios there. I think just about anyone associate with a physics or engineering department at the time knew about the ads.

eddie · 22 October 2010

Is this a parody? Where William Dembski -- Willard Rembski, Stephen Meyer -- Steve Meyerson, Signature In The Cell -- Signature in the Solar System and Denyse O'Leary -- Denise O’Lambert?

I mean, WTF?

eddie · 22 October 2010

Sorry. I shoulda read the other commenters before jumping in. Would've made a great april 1st article.

John Vanko · 22 October 2010

Henry J said: Fly by night? That sounds batty. Or maybe owlly.

Moscas del noche!

Midnight Rambler · 23 October 2010

Interesting to see that in addition to a web support company called Nocturnal Aviation Consultants (the kind of person you would expect to take a name like that), there is also a heavy construction equipment leasing company in Colorado called Nocturnal Aviation.