this chair is made of plants
Apr. 23rd, 2006 12:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fictionalSo in discussing the perennially fascinating debate of "creation" vs. "evolution" (Why are we still having this conversation?) with my students before break, I was greeted with the following, which I present for your delectation, sans commentary.
dramatis personae:
Me: twenty-something professor, exhausted, over-worked, grad. student.
Student: indeterminate 40 or 50 something, moonlights as cab-driver, dedicated, hardworking.
Greek Chorus: rest of Class, largely composed of fundamentalists from ages 18-22.
~Act I, scene i: in medias res~
Student: The difference between creation and evolution is that creation can be proved, while evolution can't.
Me: Er?
Student: There's no proof for evolution, but there is one for creation.
Me: Eh?
Student: Creation can be proved.
Me: Really. Well then, prove it.
Student: Huh?
Me: If there's a proof, what is it?
Student: Oh. Well. You see this chair? *points to chair sitting in front of him*
Me: Yes.
Student: There you go.
Me: Interesting. Can you elucidate?
Student: *looks around, as if to highlight ultimate stupidity of instructor* This chair is made of wood!
Me: Looks more like fiberboard really, but okay. It could be made of wood, at any rate.
Student: Wood comes from plants!
Me: Well, yes. Very logical. And this helps your proof because...?
Student: Evolutionists have no explanation for plants! But Creationists do! We say that God created them.
Greek Chorus: *nods* Ahhh...
Me: Uh...
Student: See...
Me: Well, actually evolutionists believe that all life (including plants) evolved from amino acids and other compounds in the primordial soup, stimulated by lightning - and the experiment's been duplicated.
Student: Oh.
Me: You know plants are alive, right?
Student: ...yes?
Me: By the way...what's your major, if you don't mind my asking?
Student: Biology.
***
I felt the conversation needed to be logged for posterity.
***
Edited for GIP
dramatis personae:
Me: twenty-something professor, exhausted, over-worked, grad. student.
Student: indeterminate 40 or 50 something, moonlights as cab-driver, dedicated, hardworking.
Greek Chorus: rest of Class, largely composed of fundamentalists from ages 18-22.
~Act I, scene i: in medias res~
Student: The difference between creation and evolution is that creation can be proved, while evolution can't.
Me: Er?
Student: There's no proof for evolution, but there is one for creation.
Me: Eh?
Student: Creation can be proved.
Me: Really. Well then, prove it.
Student: Huh?
Me: If there's a proof, what is it?
Student: Oh. Well. You see this chair? *points to chair sitting in front of him*
Me: Yes.
Student: There you go.
Me: Interesting. Can you elucidate?
Student: *looks around, as if to highlight ultimate stupidity of instructor* This chair is made of wood!
Me: Looks more like fiberboard really, but okay. It could be made of wood, at any rate.
Student: Wood comes from plants!
Me: Well, yes. Very logical. And this helps your proof because...?
Student: Evolutionists have no explanation for plants! But Creationists do! We say that God created them.
Greek Chorus: *nods* Ahhh...
Me: Uh...
Student: See...
Me: Well, actually evolutionists believe that all life (including plants) evolved from amino acids and other compounds in the primordial soup, stimulated by lightning - and the experiment's been duplicated.
Student: Oh.
Me: You know plants are alive, right?
Student: ...yes?
Me: By the way...what's your major, if you don't mind my asking?
Student: Biology.
***
I felt the conversation needed to be logged for posterity.
***
Edited for GIP