h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Today, not for the first time, I performed, for no charge, a public service to science education.

I was in Waterstone's bookshop in Manchester, browsing, as I often do, the "Popular Science" section. While there, I noticed a book titled "Darwin's Black Box", by Michael Behe, a book which details Mr. Behe's difficulties with the theory of evolution, and specifically his concept of "irreducible complexity". "Irreducible complexity" may be summarised as "I don't understand how this could have evolved, therefore it didn't evolve". Mr. Behe's unstated but clear corollary to "it didn't evolve" is, of course, that the god of his choice "created" it, whatever it may be. This book has recently been republished in a "tenth anniversary edition", an edition which rather disingenuously fails to mention Mr. Behe's comprehensive drubbing at the hands of the judge in the Dover Pennsylvania "intelligent design" court case: http://pharyngula.org/index/weblog/comments/thank_you_michael_behe/

Obviously the presence of such a book in a section about *science* was an error on the part of the bookshop staff, so, to save them some time and embarrassment, I personally, out of the goodness of my heart, relocated the book to where it belongs - the "Mind Body and Spirit" section of the shop, amongst the books about astrology, crystal healing, speaking to the dead, bending spoons and other superstitious irrational garbage.

I urge anyone who cares about the integrity and continuity of science education to check their local bookshop, and if you find this booked shelved incorrectly among books on science, please do as I did and return it to the "woo woo" section where it belongs.

I would like to make it clear I in no way support or condone anyone who shoplifts this book and uses the pages as toilet tissue.

Thank you

SoRB

Mind you, these days I think 'popular science' is rather wishy washy compared with 'proper science'.
What about the proposed new science currclum for schools?

Please bear in mind also, if you do find this book shelved incorrectly in the science section, that it's JUST A MISTAKE on the part of the bookshop staff. They haven't done it on purpose, and anyone can make a mistake. They're only humans recently descended from an ape-like ancestor by a process of random mutation and natural selection - right?

SoRB

"I personally, out of the goodness of my heart, relocated the book to where it belongs - the "Mind Body and Spirit" "

I'm sure that your intentions were good and that your heart was no doubt in the right place, but I must vehemently disagree with your actions. The book obviously should have been relocated to the science fiction section. Maybe next time.

What bookstores think "science" is really gets on my .

For one, I heartily applaud this act of selfless public service and will endeavour to follow your fine example.

[I once hid an ID book in the DIY section, but no thought went into it's destination, just to get rid of the offending material]

Ste

I strongly disagree with JCNSmith.

The science fiction section is full of interesting, engaging books written by intelligent, talented people who have something to say about the real world and do so through the medium of honestly labelled fantasy.

The woo-woo section is full of tedious, dull books written by dishonest and rather stupid people who have nothing to say about objective reality and instead peddle lies masquerading fraudulently as fact.

Looked at in those terms, it is clear to me at least where Behe's book belongs.

SoRB

Ah, yes, I suppose you're right about that. What could I have been thinking? Perhaps they should create a new category called fictional science!?

"Perhaps they should create a new category called fictional science!?"

Hmm. You could be onto something. Books containing such stuff could be collected together in a section of the bookshop marked "Ridiculously Egregious Lies, Idiocy, General Ignorance & Obvious Nonsense". If only there were a catchy acronym...

SoRB

Yes! I think you're onto something now! If only we could come up with something! Perhaps if we all put on our thinking caps! Let's see now; what would be a good acronym for Ridiculously Egregious Lies, Idiocy, General Ignorance & Obvious Nonsense? I'll give it some thought and get back to you later!

In response to the post about the new science curriculum:

Yes it is a bit wishy washy but it doesn't help when on Radio 4 (Today programme) last week, a few old bids were talking about how dumbed down it was and how pupils would not be able to get into the University of their choice because the new science GCSEs would not be accepted.

Think of the poor kids who are studying the course at the moment while there are people in the media saying it's all a load of rubbish.

What they failed to point out was that it was the Applied Science GCSEs they were talking about not the ones that most kids are studying.

Rant over

I'm quite enjoying teaching it actually.

Dang! I never was able to come up with a catchy acronym for your proposed category of Ridiculously Egregious Lies, Idiocy, General Ignorance & Obvious Nonsense. Having finally dispaired of that quest, I'd suggest maybe trying a different category such as Regretable Erroneous Lapses In Garnering Insights On Nature. Might be easier to come up with a catchy acronym for that one. When at first you don't succeed ...

Off to town later to do just that!!!!

Bloody journos. Turn a non-story into a national issue just because they a) wanted to or b) do not know what *applied* stands for.



Why? No hard equations to remember?

I'm a physics teacher. There are lots of equations to remember. I just look them up though.

OK point tsken.

Alex.

While on the Waterstones website ordering a really exciting book on six sigma I did a search for Darwins Black Box and it is listed in the Scientific, Technical and Medical section here.

http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/simpleSearch.do?simpleSearchString=Darwin%27s+Black+Box&searchType=0&Image1.x=8&Image1.y=12

I do believe a Randi inspired e-mail to them is required if it has not been done already.

The link given in the first post pretty much states it is not a scientific book.

Could it conceivably be medical, as a delusional state of mind?

Hmmm.. found four copies in the Waterstones in Wrexham. I placed three of them back to front between copies of the New Testament, and the last next to the the D&D Players Handbook.

Thanks for the heads up.

Blessings,
Matholwch .

I made my contribution today:

two copies taken from the 'Science: Evolution' section to the 'Religion' section of the branch of Chapters (the largest bookstore chain in Canada) in the third largest municipality in the Province of Alberta.

It was pleasant to see that there were only two copies. And, irrelevantly, there was not a single copy of Bunyan's 'Pilgrim's Progress' available in the store.

Borders in the Trafford Centre, one copy relocated.

Waterstones just across the way didn't have a copy. Not sure whether to be pleased or put out!

SoRB