Kurieuo wrote:That the results of an experiment must be repeatable in order to qualify as acceptable? Why does macroevolution get a free ride then...
It doesn't. There aren't real experiments that can be done with it, but the theory is tested in other ways, such as through unearthing fossil evidence. If there was a fossil that was completely out of place then they would have to change the theory to encompass the new find.
By the way, have you got links to the repeated studies? If they exist, I'd be interested to know the differences or similarities between them.
I read it in the paper some time ago. Tomorrow I migh ttry to dig up some online refrences, but i doubt I should be procrastinating as much as I already am (4 assignments due tomorrow of which I have finished two... eep)
Now the thing about the miraculous is that they're not meant to happen. If "miracles" normally happened, or could be repeated under certain conditions at whim, then discussion of them would be pointless.
Well, then the entire study is rather pointless. As miracles only happen on the whim of god, which may not mean that only certain people are to be saved, then it is pointless to make a scientific study out of it. It woudl be dishonest to only include the studies where it worked, and if you can't count the studies where it doesn't work as god not wanting them to happen at that time then well... We're at a loss.
It could be a big coincidence, and I wonder why CSICOP didn't simply take this approach? Yet, it seems that by the seriousness they have (and other skeptics) treated the study. This leads me to conclude that the result is quite astonishing in and of itself.
Some people figure that if they give the opposition an inch, they'll take a mile. You can often see such examples on young earth creationist websites if you wish to see the christian side doing such things as well. Oh my, the abuses of science there...
and of course, I don't think a single phd on those websites has a phd in anything remotely related to biology or biochemistry or anything that would qualify them to make scientific commentary on the subject.