Is this what the kids call “trash talk”?


That creationist with the chromosome argument put out another video raging about me today. It mainly consist of him declaring that I’m stupid, that he’d destroy me in a debate, but he’s not going to debate me, and that I ran away from debating him (I’d never even considered a debate with this bozo). Although if you advance to 17:10 in the video, he does do an imitation of me which is amusing.

His reply to my earlier comments is that he didn’t have the human chromosome number memorized, which is fine. I wasn’t testing him on rote memorization. More significant is that his guesses were that we had an odd number of chromosomes, which would be unusual for a diploid organism (yeah, you’re raising your hand and saying “male bees!”, but that’s a detail G Man is not ready for.)

What’s more important is that he takes a step back and tries to clarify the concept he was trying to explain. That’s good. That’s more important than the specific number, and I’m glad he could deliver a brief, crystal-clear summary of what he thinks. Of course, what he then has to do is demonstrate that he can get the concept right. So here goes G Man’s short summary of The Chromosome Argument that all of us atheists are using all the time.

What is the meat and potatoes of what I was trying to say there? I was trying to say that since tobacco had more chromosomes than human beings, then that means the next step in our evolution was to become, you know, tobacco. You know what I mean, because they have more chromosomes. That was the whole point I wanted to talk about.

Uh, no. No biologist makes that argument, as I said.

You can now ignore the video. Unless you really want to listen to him rant about destroying me. Oh, yes, and also Matt Dillahunty and Aron Ra.

Comments

  1. StonedRanger says

    If this is what constitutes trash talking these days, woe is us. But its Gman so really, who cares? If he knew half what he thinks he does, he wouldn’t be on youtube trying to make his fortune.

  2. malachiconstant says

    Not interested in watching the video, but that quote is is amazing for the several layers of wrongness it contains in such a small space:

    – That species evolve into other, already existing species
    – That more chromosomes means “more advanced” or something (?)
    – That species are destined to become “more advanced” over time
    – That biologists believe that humans will become plants

    I don’t teach biology, but this comment is an extreme example of things I’ve heard my students say and it sets off warning bells of “you need to come in for one-on-one tutoring, cause we need to start over from the beginning”.

    G Man, if you’re reading this, please go pick up a book written by a reputable biologist that lays out the actual arguments for evolution. You’re arguing against things that no one is saying.

  3. Alt-X says

    Hahaha. Oh man. He just wants everyone to be clear on just how little he knows about Evolution. Excellent work my man. We are all now crystal clear on just how silly you are. Mission accomplished. O_o

  4. handsomemrtoad says

    1. As species evolve, they have more and more chromosomes.

    2. Humans have 46 chromosomes.

    3. Turkeys have 80 chromosomes.

    SO,….

    4. Maybe, seven million years from now, this guy will rise to the level of a turkey.

  5. sc_f149b45a35182340a831b9e703bd61bd says

    This guy popped up on YouTube a couple of years ago and announced that he had now become an atheist. A few days later he re-appeared saying he had fooled everyone and had thereby destroyed the “No True Scotsman” fallacy.
    What a towering intellect!

  6. blf says

    That quote is not even fractally wrong.

    As poopyhead observes, it is good he tried to explain, and that it is the concept he tried to explain — and the English is fine and comprehensible — it’s just these pesky concepts of “logic” and “coherence” are lacking entirely, and what “evidence” there is is interpreted in a stunningly unique manner. (I assume — without checking — it’s “unique”; if so, then perhaps an extra point for creativity? Except he didn’t seem to be intending to write fiction.)

  7. rietpluim says

    Isn’t this the guy who wasn’t going to waste more time on you, PZ? I guess you’re going to hear from him again very soon.

  8. emergence says

    To the guy who made the video;

    Evolution doesn’t require that organisms gain greater numbers of chromosomes over time. Often, a series of evolutionary adaptations can simply change the function of pre-existing genes to something new. Organisms can also lose genetic material that’s no longer useful. If you actually bother to look up the models of long-term evolutionary change that scientists construct, you won’t find any of them that say that we’re destined to gain more chromosomes over time.

  9. Pablo Campos says

    Anti-Intellectualism in work, I see. I don’t understand why people believe that “My ignorance is just as good as your facts/education” is fair and acceptable. This guy on the video is continuing that tradition. Bad and sad.