THE BALONEY DETECTION KIT PART ONE

This looks like it'll be a multi parter. Just not sure how far it's going to go. The basic information comes from the RationalWiki entry "The Fine Art of Baloney Detection." Which is based in part, on Carl Sagan's work.

OK, before anyone gets overly offended most of the arguments have to do with evolution vs. young earth Creationism. Probably because that's what's in the news the most. But once you recognize the arguments you can fight back against all sorts of baloney. Sagan was too kind. I tend to substitute bullshit for baloney, because frankly most of what we're hearing out there is bullshit. Prize for today. Candidate for congress from the cheese state of Wisconsin regarding gay marriage. "They can get married. Just not to each other." Face palm etc. Getting married to EACH other is the goal. What do you suggest? That they marry other people and have an affair behind their backs? That slope isn't just slippery. It's covered with six inches of ice.

Anyway here goes.

Type of Fallacy:
Ad hominem

Definition:
An ad hominem argument attacks the messenger not the message. Also known as “don’t kill the messenger.” The argument may be true. It may be false. The quality of the argument doesn’t depend who is carrying the message.

Example:
“The secular geologist can’t see or hear the message about Creationism because of their academic indoctrination in anti-biblical uniformitarian assumptions. The reason that most Christian geologists can’t see it is the same, plus the fact they have believed the scientific establishment more than the Bible that they claim to believe is the inspired, inerrant Word of God.”  Oh, that pesky secular education.

This doesn’t say anything about the argument of Creationism, but rather the scientists. And the assumption that because you happen to be a geologist and a believer you are also going to share the fundies belief that the theological library in a book is inspired, without error and to be taken literally There are believers in the sciences, they just don’t share the beliefs of the Ken Hamms and the guy who owns Hobby Lobby. They read the textbooks, read the papers, listen to the arguments and MAKE UP THEIR OWN MINDS.

Can't have that now can we?