8 ms·

Intelligent design think tank’s “institute” is a Shutterstock image

35 points by shrikant 14y ago

Luyt 14y ago
Prop up an actor in a lab coat and you gain instant credibility because it looks so 'scientific'.
- jensnockert 14y ago
  Try it, it really does work. Some people assume you know everything about every disease known to man as soon as you wear one. I have also noticed that people are a lot more likely to ask you for directions while wearing one too.
- rmc 14y ago
  Whether the doctor was wearing a lab coat or not also affects the placebo effect. It makes sugar pills work better!
- rayiner 14y ago
  Relevant: http://www.lhup.edu/~DSIMANEK/cargocul.htm http://www.lhup.edu/~DSIMANEK/cargocul.htm
SparrowOS 14y ago
You know what's funny? "Forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those..." Guess who's gonna be mocked? ---- 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. 11:30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 11:31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 11:32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. ---- God says... 17:9 And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go. 17:10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. 17:12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. 17:13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people. 17:14 And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.
ben1040 14y ago
Also, it's got to be a pretty old stock photo, given that in the background you've got an ABI 373 DNA sequencer connected to what looks like a Mac II. Being a relic of the very early 90s, the only thing the 373's good for now is taking apart on YouTube and playing with the laser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_CdHkDVDRk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_CdHkDVDRk
- gpjt 14y ago
  This is why I love HN. You get an ID not just of the computer but of the goddamn sequencer!
Lio 14y ago
Hmm, this would presumably allow people, mischievous people, bad people, to broadcast from the same "lab" in parody. Of course I'm not suggesting that someone should DO IT, DO IT RIGHT NOW you understand. ;)
- brightsize 14y ago
  You are evil. And I can't wait for this to happen.
aarondf 14y ago
"As a think tank focused on intelligent design, the Discovery Institute presumably has no need for physical laboratories—its research is mostly imagination-based." This sentence turned me off tremendously. I understand that the writer doesn't believe in intelligent design, but that's quite a jab at something that these people are dedicating much of their working lives to. I know that (we) Christians are often accused of being closed-minded and myopic, which is something that I am truly saddened about in modern Christianity, but it's not becoming of either side! Disclaimer: Bible-believing Christian, but still a rational thinker ;)
- salgernon 14y ago
  Do you believe that creationism or Intelligent design should be given equal time in public education?
  - aarondf 14y ago
    No, I don't. (Unfortunately.) I think too many Christian parents leave it up to other people (Sunday school teachers, youth group leaders, private school teachers, etc etc) to teach their children about their (our) beliefs. Schools teach evolution, BFD. I don't believe evolution, but I'm not angry schools teach it. If you want your kids to know about the Bible's creation story, stop complaining about public schools and teach them yourself!
- pc86 14y ago
  If you're going to spout off nonsense like the folks at the Discovery Institute, I feel little remorse when you are publicly ridiculed. Edit: In my haste I think my reply may have been a little tangential. Intelligent Design is absolutely ridiculous. It carries no basis in scientific theory or observation. It is at best bad science and thinly veiled political and religious dogmatism, and at best a celebration of ignorance. If you want to believe the Earth is flat, or sitting on the shell of a turtle, or 6,000 years old, go for it. You can believe whatever you want. But when you start saying that publicly funded science classrooms should be teaching that drivel, you deserve every ounce of the hate, ridicule and ostracism that is coming your way.
chrisringrose 14y ago
Real, peer-reviewed, science, can't prove (or disprove) there is a god. But science has proven that if there IS a "design," it's far from intelligent.

35 points by shrikant 14y ago

Luyt 14y ago

Prop up an actor in a lab coat and you gain instant credibility because it looks so 'scientific'.

jensnockert 14y ago
Try it, it really does work. Some people assume you know everything about every disease known to man as soon as you wear one. I have also noticed that people are a lot more likely to ask you for directions while wearing one too.
rmc 14y ago
Whether the doctor was wearing a lab coat or not also affects the placebo effect. It makes sugar pills work better!
rayiner 14y ago
Relevant: http://www.lhup.edu/~DSIMANEK/cargocul.htm http://www.lhup.edu/~DSIMANEK/cargocul.htm

SparrowOS 14y ago

You know what's funny? "Forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those..." Guess who's gonna be mocked? ---- 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. 11:30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 11:31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 11:32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. ---- God says... 17:9 And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go. 17:10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. 17:12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. 17:13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people. 17:14 And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.

ben1040 14y ago

Also, it's got to be a pretty old stock photo, given that in the background you've got an ABI 373 DNA sequencer connected to what looks like a Mac II. Being a relic of the very early 90s, the only thing the 373's good for now is taking apart on YouTube and playing with the laser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_CdHkDVDRk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_CdHkDVDRk

gpjt 14y ago
This is why I love HN. You get an ID not just of the computer but of the goddamn sequencer!

Lio 14y ago

Hmm, this would presumably allow people, mischievous people, bad people, to broadcast from the same "lab" in parody. Of course I'm not suggesting that someone should DO IT, DO IT RIGHT NOW you understand. ;)

brightsize 14y ago
You are evil. And I can't wait for this to happen.

aarondf 14y ago

"As a think tank focused on intelligent design, the Discovery Institute presumably has no need for physical laboratories—its research is mostly imagination-based." This sentence turned me off tremendously. I understand that the writer doesn't believe in intelligent design, but that's quite a jab at something that these people are dedicating much of their working lives to. I know that (we) Christians are often accused of being closed-minded and myopic, which is something that I am truly saddened about in modern Christianity, but it's not becoming of either side! Disclaimer: Bible-believing Christian, but still a rational thinker ;)

salgernon 14y ago
Do you believe that creationism or Intelligent design should be given equal time in public education?
- aarondf 14y ago
  No, I don't. (Unfortunately.) I think too many Christian parents leave it up to other people (Sunday school teachers, youth group leaders, private school teachers, etc etc) to teach their children about their (our) beliefs. Schools teach evolution, BFD. I don't believe evolution, but I'm not angry schools teach it. If you want your kids to know about the Bible's creation story, stop complaining about public schools and teach them yourself!
pc86 14y ago
If you're going to spout off nonsense like the folks at the Discovery Institute, I feel little remorse when you are publicly ridiculed. Edit: In my haste I think my reply may have been a little tangential. Intelligent Design is absolutely ridiculous. It carries no basis in scientific theory or observation. It is at best bad science and thinly veiled political and religious dogmatism, and at best a celebration of ignorance. If you want to believe the Earth is flat, or sitting on the shell of a turtle, or 6,000 years old, go for it. You can believe whatever you want. But when you start saying that publicly funded science classrooms should be teaching that drivel, you deserve every ounce of the hate, ridicule and ostracism that is coming your way.

chrisringrose 14y ago

Real, peer-reviewed, science, can't prove (or disprove) there is a god. But science has proven that if there IS a "design," it's far from intelligent.