Saturday, April 14, 2007
Dear Doctor: Tab A Goes In Slot B
Our friend, the scarecrow surgeon of the Discovery Institute, Dr. Michael Egnor, is at it again. He took a roasting from Dr. Steven Novella, a neurologist on the faculty at Yale University School of Medicine, who has expertise in evolutionary theory and is not just a highly skilled meat cutter, like some doctors. Egnor then proceeded to try to put out his smoldering nether regions by dousing them in a generous portion of gasoline. It seems that Egnor's ignorance extends to simple matters of how things reproduce.
Dear Doctor: When cancer cells ... er ... screw they don't give birth to humans or their brains. And when humans screw, they don't give birth to cancer tumors. Since you seem not to have noticed, there is a ... you should pardon the term ... fundamental disconnect of anatomy there, doctor ... unless you are sneaking off to the laboratory at night to engage in unholy acts ...Cancer is a test of Darwin’s theory. Cancer is real biological evolution by random mutation and natural selection, writ fast. ...
[B]rain tumors ought to be generating quite a bit of "meaningful and even useful new information." Better neuroanatomy and better neurophysiology ought to be popping up "easily." Better frontal lobes and cognition, from cancer. Better temporal lobes and memory, from cancer. Better cerebellums and coordination, from cancer. If random mutations and natural selection -- Dr. Novella’s "two stroke engine"—is the source of all functional integrated biological complexity, brain tumors ought to help our brains evolve in some way.
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It also appears that Egnor took offense at Dr. Novella's use of the term "rube," saying "I'm just a rube, not a Darwinist from Yale." Frankly, based on this performance, Egnor is going to have to work his way up to the exalted title of "rube."
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As always, any mention of Dr. Egnor is a good reason to link to more demonstrations of his inability to buy a clue:
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I don't even know where to start with this one. . .
Egnor on Selection, Cancer and Cells
Egnor: A rube if I ever saw one
Another stunner from Egnor
Dr. Egnor reaches a new low
The March of Egnorance: Which is it?
Egnor has Phenomenon confused with real life
Dr. Michael Egnor must really want to operate on my brain or something...
Egnor with Another (shockingly) Bad Argument
There is even:
A Music Video for Dr. Egnor
The Evolutionary Rubes Strike Back
