Folding Ideas video on the Paluxy "Man tracks"

[Arkalen]

Here's a 1h25mn video on the Paluxy river fossils by Dan Olson (of
various videos fame, but most relevantly here maybe he had a
high-profile one on Flat Earth theory).

I'm only halfway through it so far but I'm really enjoying it, it's full
of rich historical context I hadn't really learned about from basic
"promoting vs debunking the Paluxy tracks" resources.

[RonO]

Post by Arkalen
Here's a 1h25mn video on the Paluxy river fossils by Dan Olson (of
various videos fame, but most relevantly here maybe he had a high-
profile one on Flat Earth theory).
I'm only halfway through it so far but I'm really enjoying it, it's full
of rich historical context I hadn't really learned about from basic
"promoting vs debunking the Paluxy tracks" resources.
http://youtu.be/2UDXdqqJQPE

When I was a post doc in Michigan around 1993 the CRS (Creation Research
Society) was still active. Even after the failure in the Supreme Court
the CRS still wanted to teach creationism in the Michigan public
schools. The ICR (Institute for Creation Research) was an offshoot of
the CRS, and the CRS put out a news release (they were taken seriously
in Michigan) that the ICR was removing the Paluxy tracks from their
creation museum in California. The news article in the local paper had
a picture of Henry Morris with the "man track" that he could no longer
keep on display because it was likely faked.

Ron Okimoto

[jillery]

Post by Arkalen
Here's a 1h25mn video on the Paluxy river fossils by Dan Olson (of
various videos fame, but most relevantly here maybe he had a
high-profile one on Flat Earth theory).
I'm only halfway through it so far but I'm really enjoying it, it's full
of rich historical context I hadn't really learned about from basic
"promoting vs debunking the Paluxy tracks" resources.
http://youtu.be/2UDXdqqJQPE

The video is an excellent presentation of the history and facts
surrounding how these fossils apply to modern Creationism and
anti-science. It's a shame that it's length will likely discourage
some people from watching it.

[Vincent Maycock]

Post by jillery

Post by Arkalen
Here's a 1h25mn video on the Paluxy river fossils by Dan Olson (of
various videos fame, but most relevantly here maybe he had a
high-profile one on Flat Earth theory).
I'm only halfway through it so far but I'm really enjoying it, it's full
of rich historical context I hadn't really learned about from basic
"promoting vs debunking the Paluxy tracks" resources.
http://youtu.be/2UDXdqqJQPE

The video is an excellent presentation of the history and facts
surrounding how these fossils apply to modern Creationism and
anti-science. It's a shame that it's length will likely discourage
some people from watching it.

One of my favorite dinosaur books as a kid was Gregory S. Paul's
*Predatory Dinosaurs of the World.* In that book, I remember he
stated that some of the indistinct elongated Paluxy tracks were made
by theropods crouching down and creeping along on their haunches as
they stalked their prey.

[Kestrel Clayton]

Post by Arkalen
Here's a 1h25mn video on the Paluxy river fossils by Dan Olson (of
various videos fame, but most relevantly here maybe he had a high-
profile one on Flat Earth theory).
I'm only halfway through it so far but I'm really enjoying it, it's full
of rich historical context I hadn't really learned about from basic
"promoting vs debunking the Paluxy tracks" resources.
http://youtu.be/2UDXdqqJQPE

Thank you for this. I finally got around to watching it. I loved the
subtle shout-out to Nick Matzke, BTW. Don't know what he's up to these
days, but I hope he's well.

The creationist embrace of the "Paluxy man-tracks" is a fascinating
demonstration of the right's evaluation of scientific claims based not
on the evidence, but on the conclusion. The footprints proclaimed to
overturn the theory of evolution are obvious fakes, but they still have
True Believers because it means (in their eyes) the Earth is young, all
of it was created for our exclusive use, and there's a benevolent God
watching out for you. It abjures the terrifyingly vast and impersonal
universe pitched by those dumb egghead scientists, who are all gay
atheist liberals anyway.

From this point of view, the scientific insistence on the primacy of
evidence is perverse and spiteful — why would you "want" bad things to
be true? Isn't it NICER if global warming is a myth, if the existing
power structure is a true meritocracy, if people do not suffer
disprivilege rooted in ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, or
religion? Why must those smug ivory-tower geeks bring us all down?

It's a lovely way to live... right up until the point you find you can't
shut out or shout down reality.

[jillery]

On Sat, 15 Feb 2025 20:42:19 -0500, Kestrel Clayton

Post by Kestrel Clayton

Post by Arkalen
Here's a 1h25mn video on the Paluxy river fossils by Dan Olson (of
various videos fame, but most relevantly here maybe he had a high-
profile one on Flat Earth theory).
I'm only halfway through it so far but I'm really enjoying it, it's full
of rich historical context I hadn't really learned about from basic
"promoting vs debunking the Paluxy tracks" resources.
http://youtu.be/2UDXdqqJQPE

Thank you for this. I finally got around to watching it. I loved the
subtle shout-out to Nick Matzke, BTW. Don't know what he's up to these
days, but I hope he's well.
The creationist embrace of the "Paluxy man-tracks" is a fascinating
demonstration of the right's evaluation of scientific claims based not
on the evidence, but on the conclusion. The footprints proclaimed to
overturn the theory of evolution are obvious fakes, but they still have
True Believers because it means (in their eyes) the Earth is young, all
of it was created for our exclusive use, and there's a benevolent God
watching out for you. It abjures the terrifyingly vast and impersonal
universe pitched by those dumb egghead scientists, who are all gay
atheist liberals anyway.
From this point of view, the scientific insistence on the primacy of
evidence is perverse and spiteful — why would you "want" bad things to
be true? Isn't it NICER if global warming is a myth, if the existing
power structure is a true meritocracy, if people do not suffer
disprivilege rooted in ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, or
religion? Why must those smug ivory-tower geeks bring us all down?
It's a lovely way to live... right up until the point you find you can't
shut out or shout down reality.

Donald Trump, when asked why he doesn't need evidence to blame
Democrats and DEI policies for the helicopter/jet air crash near DCA,
"Because I have common sense, ok?"

Gotta watch out for them stoopid dwarfs, dontchaknow.