PZ Myers live blogs the Nye vs Ham debate.

[longship]

Last edited Wed Feb 5, 2014, 05:02 AM - Edit history (1)

This is so awesome. Forgive me for not quoting much. This is a mandatory click-through. PZ is a biology professor. Neither Nye nor Ham is. I take his word on this before anybody.

You can read about it here:
Live Blogging the Nye-Ham Spectacle.

It's a great read!

Here's PZ's opening:

Before the debate starts, I looked around a bit for opening statements, to get an idea of how the debate will go. Bill Nye has given away his strategy: he’s focusing on the actual debate question, Is creation a viable model of origins?, and plans to talk about how creationism is useless for leading us to new ideas and testing models experimentally. That’s good. That’s a solid foundation he can ‘win’ on. Ken Ham, on the other hand, is talking about how there is observational science (true science), and historical science, which is not only a totally bogus distinction using criteria invented by creationists, but doesn’t even answer the debate question. Expect much talking past each other. Nye will talk about science appropriately. Ham will be blowing dogwhistles for his audience of true believers.

Click through DUers. It's worth it. Much substance there.

[longship]

1. Self kick.

[X_Digger]

2. Pretty accurate. I, too, wish Bill had pounced a bit better in some spots. n/t

[Avalux]

3. I watched the whole thing - PZ's assessment is aligned with mine.

There were points I wish Nye had explained more effectively, and those he didn't address at all. His jokes were terrible. But he did make the point that this country needs scientists and engineers to advance economically (which some people with no skin in the game will hear).

Creationists watching will not change their minds when presented with facts, so they're a lost cause. But as Nye pointed out, there are billions of people on this planet who believe in some sort of higher power who don't agree with Ham's version of how the universe got here.

Ham was exposed as the nutjob he is just by opening his mouth - that's a good thing. I do have to give him props for clever wordsmithing of science jargon and biblical bullshit to give the appearance of legitimacy.