Comments for Survival Machine http://www.survivalmachine.org Science Science Revolution! Mon, 06 Oct 2008 21:16:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 Comment on Live in Reno, Nevada by jen http://www.survivalmachine.org/2008/08/24/live-in-reno-nevada/#comment-9047 jen Fri, 29 Aug 2008 01:25:46 +0000 http://www.survivalmachine.org/?p=77#comment-9047 have fun! be safe. post when you return...if you didnt find internet there! have fun! be safe. post when you return…if you didnt find internet there!

]]> Comment on A life well spent: Aubrey Williams by Dvora http://www.survivalmachine.org/2008/05/12/a-life-well-spent-aubrey-williams/#comment-8381 Dvora Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:43:16 +0000 http://www.survivalmachine.org/?p=50#comment-8381 I, too, just learned of Aubrey's death, and am saddened by it. I took one undergraduate class with him. I remember liking him as a teacher from day one. One day he offered to bring in cookies made with worms (he never did, but the idea of "new" ingredients made me think!). I was also thrilled with the idea that we could make up our own final exam questions and present them as if we were graduate students. Apparently the question I came up with was at that level, and Aubrey gently suggested I come up with a different question. Class was wonderful and a joy to attend because of the love he had for the subject. Thanks for this photo of him. The smile says it all. I, too, just learned of Aubrey’s death, and am saddened by it. I took one undergraduate class with him. I remember liking him as a teacher from day one. One day he offered to bring in cookies made with worms (he never did, but the idea of “new” ingredients made me think!).
I was also thrilled with the idea that we could make up our own final exam questions and present them as if we were graduate students. Apparently the question I came up with was at that level, and Aubrey gently suggested I come up with a different question.
Class was wonderful and a joy to attend because of the love he had for the subject.
Thanks for this photo of him. The smile says it all.

]]> Comment on Request for site logo. by Hal http://www.survivalmachine.org/2008/07/10/request-for-site-logo/#comment-6689 Hal Fri, 01 Aug 2008 03:59:13 +0000 http://www.survivalmachine.org/?p=67#comment-6689 I'm really glad you liked it. I'll be honored to see it on your site. Thanks for letting me create for you. Little projects like that keep me from aimlessly wandering the web filling my head with who knows what. You are still writing good posts to by the way. I wish I could focus more on my blog. I’m really glad you liked it. I’ll be honored to see it on your site. Thanks for letting me create for you. Little projects like that keep me from aimlessly wandering the web filling my head with who knows what. You are still writing good posts to by the way. I wish I could focus more on my blog.

]]> Comment on Hiatus? No, just tenacity. I mean, Tennessee. by simian http://www.survivalmachine.org/2008/07/29/hiatus-no-just-tenacity-i-mean-tennessee/#comment-6562 simian Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:16:41 +0000 http://www.survivalmachine.org/?p=69#comment-6562 Agreed, that pic made me laugh too. I fixed the comment - I think it was because your link, even though it ended in .jpg, went to the Wikipedia page about the image. The actual jpg file itself is hosted here: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Man_and_dog.jpg Agreed, that pic made me laugh too. I fixed the comment - I think it was because your link, even though it ended in .jpg, went to the Wikipedia page about the image. The actual jpg file itself is hosted here:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Man_and_dog.jpg

]]> Comment on Hiatus? No, just tenacity. I mean, Tennessee. by mike http://www.survivalmachine.org/2008/07/29/hiatus-no-just-tenacity-i-mean-tennessee/#comment-6546 mike Wed, 30 Jul 2008 22:55:34 +0000 http://www.survivalmachine.org/?p=69#comment-6546 hahaha, this photo: <img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Man_and_dog.jpg" alt="Dog has eyeshine, human does not" /> and this comment: "Dog has eyeshine, human does not" hahaha, this photo:
Dog has eyeshine, human does not
and this comment:
“Dog has eyeshine, human does not”

]]> Comment on Hiatus? No, just tenacity. I mean, Tennessee. by C http://www.survivalmachine.org/2008/07/29/hiatus-no-just-tenacity-i-mean-tennessee/#comment-6519 C Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:01:56 +0000 http://www.survivalmachine.org/?p=69#comment-6519 Why, no! I didn't know that. Fascinating. Why, no! I didn’t know that. Fascinating.

]]> Comment on Request for site logo. by simian http://www.survivalmachine.org/2008/07/10/request-for-site-logo/#comment-6457 simian Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:56:48 +0000 http://www.survivalmachine.org/?p=67#comment-6457 Hey, Hal, thanks again for your effort. I have to fidget with WordPress to get it to display where I want it, and just haven't had time yet. I do like it though! Even if you'd had competition, I think your design would've won :) Hey, Hal, thanks again for your effort. I have to fidget with WordPress to get it to display where I want it, and just haven’t had time yet. I do like it though! Even if you’d had competition, I think your design would’ve won :)

]]> Comment on Request for site logo. by simian http://www.survivalmachine.org/2008/07/10/request-for-site-logo/#comment-5719 simian Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:27:11 +0000 http://www.survivalmachine.org/?p=67#comment-5719 Hey Hal! That looks great, thank you. I am still messing with my theme to see how to get it up there (I'm still sorta new to WordPress) but I'll put it up shortly. Thanks so much again for your help! Hey Hal! That looks great, thank you. I am still messing with my theme to see how to get it up there (I’m still sorta new to WordPress) but I’ll put it up shortly. Thanks so much again for your help!

]]> Comment on Request for site logo. by Hal http://www.survivalmachine.org/2008/07/10/request-for-site-logo/#comment-5535 Hal Sun, 20 Jul 2008 06:02:15 +0000 http://www.survivalmachine.org/?p=67#comment-5535 I created a little sample image of what it might look like. http://halwilson.us/examplesurvivalmachine.jpg I created a little sample image of what it might look like.
http://halwilson.us/examplesurvivalmachine.jpg

]]> Comment on Request for site logo. by Hal http://www.survivalmachine.org/2008/07/10/request-for-site-logo/#comment-5533 Hal Sun, 20 Jul 2008 05:50:46 +0000 http://www.survivalmachine.org/?p=67#comment-5533 I went with something simple. It matches the dimensions you gave me. Let me know if it would work OK. Thanks. http://halwilson.us/survivalmachine.jpg I went with something simple. It matches the dimensions you gave me. Let me know if it would work OK. Thanks.
http://halwilson.us/survivalmachine.jpg

]]> Comment on Conclusive evidence for ‘Selfish Gene’ theory found. by Steve Davis http://www.survivalmachine.org/2008/06/25/conclusive-evidence-for-selfish-gene-theory-found/#comment-5492 Steve Davis Sat, 19 Jul 2008 06:19:10 +0000 http://www.survivalmachine.org/?p=62#comment-5492 Hi Simian, sorry I've taken so long to reply. Don't get me wrong, I see no problem with investigating selfish gene theory, it's Dawkins presentation of it that worries me. Non-scientific theorising has been defined as follows, (from Wikipedia I think) untestable claims, reliance on confirmation rather than refutation, lack of openness to testing, personalisation of issues and the use of misleading language. The only one to which he can claim "not guilty" would be lack of openess to testing as far as I know. His survival machine is untestable, he relies heavily on confirmation when for every example of selfishness an example of unselfishness can be found, he personalises debate as in his recent unprofessional treatment of Freeman Dyson, and his "selfish gene" is deliberately misleading despite his protests to the contrary. He claims that he uses the word in a technical sense but a careful reading of the book shows this is not the case. Dawkins did put science on high throttle as you suggest, but was that in reverse? A whole generation of biologists has grown up thinking that selfish gene theory as presented by Dawkins is serious science, even scientific orthodoxy, when in fact numerous scientists of greater repute and achievement than Dawkins do not accept his work. His success is due to his popularisation of biology, his journalistic skills, not for the fact that he advanced human knowledge. His work on memes is far more substantial, and will endure I believe, but this is more in the field of sociology rather than science. Thanks for taking the time to discuss the matter. Steve Hi Simian, sorry I’ve taken so long to reply.
Don’t get me wrong, I see no problem with investigating selfish gene theory, it’s Dawkins presentation of it that worries me.
Non-scientific theorising has been defined as follows, (from Wikipedia I think) untestable claims, reliance on confirmation rather than refutation, lack of openness to testing, personalisation of issues and the use of misleading language. The only one to which he can claim “not guilty” would be lack of openess to testing as far as I know. His survival machine is untestable, he relies heavily on confirmation when for every example of selfishness an example of unselfishness can be found, he personalises debate as in his recent unprofessional treatment of Freeman Dyson, and his “selfish gene” is deliberately misleading despite his protests to the contrary. He claims that he uses the word in a technical sense but a careful reading of the book shows this is not the case.
Dawkins did put science on high throttle as you suggest, but was that in reverse? A whole generation of biologists has grown up thinking that selfish gene theory as presented by Dawkins is serious science, even scientific orthodoxy, when in fact numerous scientists of greater repute and achievement than Dawkins do not accept his work. His success is due to his popularisation of biology, his journalistic skills, not for the fact that he advanced human knowledge. His work on memes is far more substantial, and will endure I believe, but this is more in the field of sociology rather than science. Thanks for taking the time to discuss the matter. Steve

]]> Comment on Request for site logo. by Hal Wilson http://www.survivalmachine.org/2008/07/10/request-for-site-logo/#comment-5163 Hal Wilson Mon, 14 Jul 2008 04:10:59 +0000 http://www.survivalmachine.org/?p=67#comment-5163 This may take longer than I thought. I've been searching for images to use and I've put together a couple of things and then didn't like them. Maybe it's the colors or the small image size. It might be like writer's block and inspiration will strike me suddenly. Sorry I didn't complete it this weekend. I'm not giving up just yet, but this one is very challenging. This may take longer than I thought. I’ve been searching for images to use and I’ve put together a couple of things and then didn’t like them. Maybe it’s the colors or the small image size.

It might be like writer’s block and inspiration will strike me suddenly.

Sorry I didn’t complete it this weekend. I’m not giving up just yet, but this one is very challenging.

]]> Comment on Conclusive evidence for ‘Selfish Gene’ theory found. by simian http://www.survivalmachine.org/2008/06/25/conclusive-evidence-for-selfish-gene-theory-found/#comment-5026 simian Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:28:31 +0000 http://www.survivalmachine.org/?p=62#comment-5026 Steve, that's kind of like when people argue that Darwin was not justified in proposing the theory of evolution by natural selection because he didn't know about DNA or Mendelian genetics. Your dig at the selfish gene here falls pretty well short of moving me. If not for selfish genes, how do you explain kin altruism or reproductive altruism (as I discussed in this post)? Dawkins himself presented very compelling evidence, but that does not need to stand on its own. Thousands of papers on biology and other evolution-related topics have cited Dawkins as a leading expert and incorporated the gene's eye view of natural selection into their theoretical frameworks. Dawkins put biological science on high throttle, and look at what's happened to it in the last three decades! You can say you don't like the survival machine metaphor if you like, but you're dead wrong on the testability and falsifiability thing. Steve, that’s kind of like when people argue that Darwin was not justified in proposing the theory of evolution by natural selection because he didn’t know about DNA or Mendelian genetics. Your dig at the selfish gene here falls pretty well short of moving me. If not for selfish genes, how do you explain kin altruism or reproductive altruism (as I discussed in this post)? Dawkins himself presented very compelling evidence, but that does not need to stand on its own. Thousands of papers on biology and other evolution-related topics have cited Dawkins as a leading expert and incorporated the gene’s eye view of natural selection into their theoretical frameworks. Dawkins put biological science on high throttle, and look at what’s happened to it in the last three decades! You can say you don’t like the survival machine metaphor if you like, but you’re dead wrong on the testability and falsifiability thing.

]]> Comment on Request for site logo. by simian http://www.survivalmachine.org/2008/07/10/request-for-site-logo/#comment-5022 simian Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:19:12 +0000 http://www.survivalmachine.org/?p=67#comment-5022 I'd be very grateful! 920x65 would be a good size. Something to fit in this image would be good (an if a transparent background is easy to do, great!) <a href="http://www.subspecies.org/images/blog/0708/survmachbanner.bmp" rel="nofollow">LINK TO IMAGE </a> I’d be very grateful! 920×65 would be a good size. Something to fit in this image would be good (an if a transparent background is easy to do, great!)

LINK TO IMAGE

]]> Comment on Request for site logo. by Hal Wilson http://www.survivalmachine.org/2008/07/10/request-for-site-logo/#comment-4993 Hal Wilson Fri, 11 Jul 2008 02:32:27 +0000 http://www.survivalmachine.org/?p=67#comment-4993 I put your blog in my feed reader at: http://feeds.halwilson.us I put your blog in my feed reader at:
http://feeds.halwilson.us

]]> Comment on Request for site logo. by Hal Wilson http://www.survivalmachine.org/2008/07/10/request-for-site-logo/#comment-4992 Hal Wilson Fri, 11 Jul 2008 02:28:06 +0000 http://www.survivalmachine.org/?p=67#comment-4992 Oh, I forgot. Do you have a particular set of dimensions in mind, or will you you just resize it to fit your needs? Oh, I forgot. Do you have a particular set of dimensions in mind, or will you you just resize it to fit your needs?

]]> Comment on Request for site logo. by Hal Wilson http://www.survivalmachine.org/2008/07/10/request-for-site-logo/#comment-4991 Hal Wilson Fri, 11 Jul 2008 02:26:05 +0000 http://www.survivalmachine.org/?p=67#comment-4991 I'll give it a shot this weekend. I did the banners at these sites. http://mikelanglaw.com http://fumcr-csi.com http://halwilson.us I'm an amateur, but I'd love to give it a go and send you the result. I’ll give it a shot this weekend. I did the banners at these sites.
http://mikelanglaw.com
http://fumcr-csi.com
http://halwilson.us

I’m an amateur, but I’d love to give it a go and send you the result.

]]> Comment on The Great Catholic Cracker Crack-Up by simian http://www.survivalmachine.org/2008/07/09/the-great-catholic-cracker-crack-up/#comment-4914 simian Thu, 10 Jul 2008 03:00:58 +0000 http://www.survivalmachine.org/?p=66#comment-4914 Yeah, was it not Christian prophet Kanye West who said, "Jesus Walks?" Yeah, was it not Christian prophet Kanye West who said, “Jesus Walks?”

]]> Comment on The Great Catholic Cracker Crack-Up by mobius http://www.survivalmachine.org/2008/07/09/the-great-catholic-cracker-crack-up/#comment-4913 mobius Thu, 10 Jul 2008 02:59:33 +0000 http://www.survivalmachine.org/?p=66#comment-4913 seriously, wow. I thought you were <i>supposed</i> to walk with Christ. seriously, wow. I thought you were supposed to walk with Christ.

]]> Comment on Atheist Soldier Sues The DoD, and The Evolution of Compassion by simian http://www.survivalmachine.org/2008/07/08/atheist-soldier-sues-the-dod-and-the-evolution-of-compassion/#comment-4912 simian Thu, 10 Jul 2008 02:54:18 +0000 http://www.survivalmachine.org/?p=65#comment-4912 Mobius, lol at your after-the-fact discovery of Hofstadter's quote. Thanks for the suggestion, I'll add that to my to-read list! Mobius, lol at your after-the-fact discovery of Hofstadter’s quote. Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll add that to my to-read list!

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