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    Robert B. Sklaroff, M.D. F.A.C.P.1219 Fairacres Road

    Rydal, PA 19046-2911215-333-4900May 31, 2012

    To: Robert Watrous, Dean of Student Services and Campus Life

    CC: Sean A. Dallas, Assistant Director [Media] of University Relations{610=683-4180 & 267=228-3136}andWilliam J. Mowder, Ph.D., Dean, College of Visual & Performing ArtsAndAnke B. Walz, Ph.D., Associate Professor of MathematicsKutztown University, School Education House, P.O. Box 730Kutztown, PA 19530

    Re: Commencement Address [Surviving the Future] by Anke B. Walz, Ph.D. FOLLOW-UP

    Appended is my 5/12/2012 memo, in which I lambasted [from memory] thethrust of these remarks; included herein is a rough-transcript of the last half of the offending speech [minus its predictable coda, intended to motivate youth

    to get out there to engage and to improve the world]. It is derived from thestreaming-tape [ http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/22537285], per the hyperlink that youkindly provided. If anything, I read words/ideas that are even morereprehensible than those I had recalled hearing.

    My transcript [@ 1:18:05 - 1:23:09] enhances outrage over pseudo-simplicitymasquerading as academe, over elitism smothering philosophy, over invokingProgressivism to launch youth into a world of complexity and opportunityand, most importantly, over political bias dominating the very scientificmethod that is allegedly being espoused. This is perhaps characteristic of some who reside in the Ivory Tower, but one hopes it doesnt characterize the

    approach adopted by Penn State [plus affiliates] towards pedagogy. This isNOT what The Forgotten Taxpayers would want to support, as per ourConstitutional responsibility.

    In her introductory comments, she had lambasted the inability of a trueliberal arts graduate to emerge, and she had included concern that science-majors couldnt compose a simple-sentence in English. Thus, that there are somany [sic] inserts may bespeak the need for this pot to pause when

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    tempted to call the kettles in her audience the color blackparticularlywhen she is obviously reading her remarks:

    Logical thought is increasingly being replaced by faith andreligion. So, rather than wrapping your own head around the

    difficulties life presents you with [sic], you choose to invent somehigher-being that is in charge of you and everybody else, thusexcusing yourself from taking any responsibility whatsoever. As apersonal, individual choice, that is perfectly acceptable; I donthave a problem with that. It does become problematic when thiskind of attitude interferes with our lifes [sic] in a morefundamental way than we can imagine.In my mind, we have arrived at a very bizarre situation. Ourlifestyle is the lifestyle of the 21st Century, while our mindset isprogressing rapidly back into the Middle Ages. Just as a quickreminder for those of you that [sic] are not very familiar with the

    Middle Ages. The Middle Ages rampaged through Europe roughlybetween the 5 th and the 15 th Century. They were characterized bythe fact that all scientific act and thought was strictly focused onthe validation of religion. Even mathematical proofs wouldhabitually start with the sentence, Assume that God exists.

    They would finish with, And thus, it has been proven, thanks tothe grace of God. The period also brought usamong otherthingsCrusades, war, mayhem, the Black Plague, witch-burnings,the Inquisitionjust to name a few of the highlights. It wasultimately ended by the Renaissance, with its renewed drive forintellectual improvement and scientific endeavor.

    Well, at this point, of course, we could all just hope that we haveleft the Middle Ages behind, once and for all. It was quite a longtime ago, weve made some progress. However, somethingchanged in this country, in the last half of the last century.Maybe it had to do with the fact that wed stopped trying to go tothe moon. We are now facing religious movements that are all notall that different from the medieval practices.

    As an example, we all find the idea of a flat earth downrightridiculous. We all agree on this. There is scientific evidence that

    the earth is not flat. However, we are seriously entertainingdiscussions as to whether or not Evolution indeed happened.Despite the fact that Evolution, the Evolution Theory comes with alot of scientific evidence attached to it, we are actually engagingin discussions about whether or not we should teach Evolution inschools.

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    I will not expend energies attacking her environmental assumptions [global-warming/climate-change] except to note that there is a distinctly-PSUcomponent to the scandals perpetratedvia Michael Mann[http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2009/11/30/psu_investigates_climategate.aspx]thatshe unabashedly has chosen to perpetuate. This, of course, contradicts her

    pro-science protestations.

    I will note that claims about Medieval proofs in Mathematics do not inclu de her alleged quote-bookends [http://www.math.tamu.edu/~dallen/masters/medieval/medieval.pdf ], as per hyperlinks directly drawn from citations therein. The temptation exists to becomprehensive, a few counter-examples should suffice when primary-sourcesare drawn from the Internet, and this is not surprising when confronted withsuch a sweeping denunciation of a thousand years of historyobviously usedfacetiously, politically.

    Gherard of Cremona & Adelard of Bath: No proofs were cited, for they focused

    on translations.

    Fibonacci wrote Liber Quadratorum and it appears this website has primary-photostats of such work [ http://mathdl.maa.org/mathDL/46/? pa=content&sa=viewDocument&nodeId=1296&bodyId=1433]. Here, after the introductory-phraseology, I dont see any DEO-type lingo.

    Jordanus Nemorarius wrote Arithmetica and one page thereof doesnt referto the Deity [ http://mathdl.maa.org/mathDL/46/? pa=content&sa=viewDocument&nodeId=2591&bodyId=3052].

    Nicole Oresme wrote numerous books, but their introductory pages have noreference to the Deity.

    Robert Suiseth was apparently prolific, but none of the [5 pages of] hyperlinkshave Deus-phraseology [e.g. , http://mathdl.maa.org/mathDL/46/? pa=content&sa=viewDocument&nodeId=2591&bodyId=2590, and http://mathdl.maa.org/mathDL/46/? pa=content&sa=viewDocument&nodeId=2591&bodyId=3036].

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    http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2009/11/30/psu_investigates_climategate.aspxhttp://www.math.tamu.edu/~dallen/masters/medieval/medieval.pdfhttp://mathdl.maa.org/mathDL/46/?pa=content&sa=viewDocument&nodeId=1296&bodyId=1433http://mathdl.maa.org/mathDL/46/?pa=content&sa=viewDocument&nodeId=1296&bodyId=1433http://mathdl.maa.org/mathDL/46/?pa=content&sa=viewDocument&nodeId=2591&bodyId=3052http://mathdl.maa.org/mathDL/46/?pa=content&sa=viewDocument&nodeId=2591&bodyId=3052http://mathdl.maa.org/mathDL/46/?pa=content&sa=viewDocument&nodeId=2591&bodyId=2590http://mathdl.maa.org/mathDL/46/?pa=content&sa=viewDocument&nodeId=2591&bodyId=2590http://mathdl.maa.org/mathDL/46/?pa=content&sa=viewDocument&nodeId=2591&bodyId=3036http://mathdl.maa.org/mathDL/46/?pa=content&sa=viewDocument&nodeId=2591&bodyId=3036http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2009/11/30/psu_investigates_climategate.aspxhttp://www.math.tamu.edu/~dallen/masters/medieval/medieval.pdfhttp://mathdl.maa.org/mathDL/46/?pa=content&sa=viewDocument&nodeId=1296&bodyId=1433http://mathdl.maa.org/mathDL/46/?pa=content&sa=viewDocument&nodeId=1296&bodyId=1433http://mathdl.maa.org/mathDL/46/?pa=content&sa=viewDocument&nodeId=2591&bodyId=3052http://mathdl.maa.org/mathDL/46/?pa=content&sa=viewDocument&nodeId=2591&bodyId=3052http://mathdl.maa.org/mathDL/46/?pa=content&sa=viewDocument&nodeId=2591&bodyId=2590http://mathdl.maa.org/mathDL/46/?pa=content&sa=viewDocument&nodeId=2591&bodyId=2590http://mathdl.maa.org/mathDL/46/?pa=content&sa=viewDocument&nodeId=2591&bodyId=3036http://mathdl.maa.org/mathDL/46/?pa=content&sa=viewDocument&nodeId=2591&bodyId=3036
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    Rather than continuing this exercise [noting that its more difficult to find thelast page of such writings], it is instructive to note the discussion by theM.A.A. of The conflict between religion and philosophy. The conclusion[by simply allowing the (a) world Medieval Mathematics with no beginning,

    the infinities come right back. This seems to be a most interesting interplay of philosophy and religion that ultimately benefitted mathematics.] reflects abalancing-act, rather than the result of any imposed phraseology.

    Therefore, although she probably would not have expected anyone tochallenge an assertion that would be derived from her particular academicpursuit, I have found not a shred of support for her broad-claims. Therefore,her scholarship is in-question, suggesting that she has permitted her politics tobleed into her professorial responsibilities. Candidly, I didnt expect toencounter this mini-endpoint, but I harbor a love of Mathematics [I receivedthe H.S. Award in 69 and a 4-volume copy of a history thereof, after having

    won a competition (for two consecutive years) sponsored by the M.A.A.]. But Ipounce when I smell a rat.

    In the interest of full-disclosure, I co-wrote an essay about a key-case inPennsylvania, a few years ago, focused on its flaws[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitzmiller_v._Dover_Area_School_District] which waspublished by a local newspaper [ The Bulletin ]; a framed copy is available forenhanced crit ique [ http://www.doctor-bob.biz/AA-Political%20Essays/Domestic%20Concerns/Intelligent_Design.htm].

    Executive Summary

    Therefore, I again suggest that something must be done this year to fix theerrors conveyed through this abortion of a Commencement Address. Itconveys a false-sense of a dichotomy between Science and Religion [and Ihave refrained from quoting from books that Ive accumulated over the yearsthat have focused on this topic], and it admixes personal bias with whatshould be a pure portrayal of critical thought. Frankly, I care not that youwould claimin her defensethat you try to train students to see throughsuch endeavors; this was hardly the environment for her to convey an avatarof a multitude of such errors.

    Furthermore, now, her credentialing must be analyzed, for she articulated abroad-brush condemnation of The Church [past/present] that has failed topass a superficial scratch-and-sniff test [as documented supra ]. Remember, Ido not approach this issue as a Fundamentalist Christian [her clear target,throughout], but I do apply Conservative-Republican core-principles thathave been manifest elsewhere in society/culture [as the casual reader willundoubtedly note while perusing my (now-frozen, for various reasons) web-site.]

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    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitzmiller_v._Dover_Area_School_Districthttp://www.doctor-bob.biz/AA-Political%20Essays/Domestic%20Concerns/Intelligent_Design.htmhttp://www.doctor-bob.biz/AA-Political%20Essays/Domestic%20Concerns/Intelligent_Design.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitzmiller_v._Dover_Area_School_Districthttp://www.doctor-bob.biz/AA-Political%20Essays/Domestic%20Concerns/Intelligent_Design.htmhttp://www.doctor-bob.biz/AA-Political%20Essays/Domestic%20Concerns/Intelligent_Design.htm
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    I have added her to the cc-list and I would like to read either her support forher [incorrect] claims [encompassing all points made in these two memos] orher Mea Culpa for having misled the graduates.

    And if she fails to do so, I will ask that the academic ladder be climbed, evenif the Legislature has to be invoked in the process; I routinely attend $-raisersfor incumbents (whom I know personally) and I will be eager to MAKE IT MYBUSINESS to nail her perfidy to the proverbial crossa fate she richlydeserves.

    But, Im open-minded. So if I erred, I will subject myself to the same fate; athird letter will rescind mistakes in both substance and its portrayal. I lookforward to this problem being rectified productively, for both the good of theUniversity and of the Commonweal. The Forgotten Taxpayer has suddenlybeen roused.

    Robert B. Sklaroff, M.D. F.A.C.P.1219 Fairacres Road

    Rydal, PA 19046-2911215-333-4900May 12, 2012

    To: Robert Watrous, Dean of Student Services and Campus LifeandSean A. Dallas, Assistant Director [Media] of University Relations

    {610=683-4180 & 267=228-3136}andWilliam J. Mowder, Ph.D., Dean, College of Visual & Performing ArtsKutztown University, School Education House, P.O. Box 730Kutztown, PA 19530

    Re: Commencement Address [Surviving the Future] by Anke B. Walz, Ph.D.

    As you may recall, I was displeased with what I heard on 5/12/2012; the purpose of this memo isto provide a suggestion as to what might be done to rectify the anti-intellectual impact thereof.

    Remember, throughout, that Im not pro-Life, Im Jewish, and my overall philosophy is that of aLibertarian who believes that God Created Evolution; Im a Republican Committee-Person andhave a network of political-friends who have already heard my rendition of these events; duringmy two-decades in this position, I have not voted the party-line, and a Google-Search will revealthat I currently am suing my local [Abington] Commissioners on two major fronts [despite thefact that this Board is GOP-controlled]. So I believe I approach this observer-status with a certaintabula rasa and you should assume that my reaction to this rhetorical-disaster was not an

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    isolated phenomenon; about two-dozen of us walked-out of her address, and I assured them Id pursue it [yielding efforts to track-down the Press and, when that failed, yourselves].

    I will capture the essence of what happened [and what I said to you afterwards] but, regardless please remit a copy of her remarks so that I can confirm the accuracy of what I recall hearing.

    What I remember is a double-barreled, politically-correct, partisan-display that was demeaningandoh, by the wayabsolutely, incontrovertibly, totally, undeniably INCORRECT!

    She both endorsed gay-marriage [out-of-the-blue, it seemed] and demeaned both Christians andany effort to problem-solve in the scientific arena by invoking any Faith-based approach [withoutreferencing a thinker, philosopher, scientist, historian, or mathematicianher realm, noting thatshe is an Associate Professor who has written regarding n-Dimensional Polyhedra, The BellowsConjecture, and Einsteinin an effort to corroborate her sweeping assertion].

    I am quite aware that the double-defense [we teach critical thinking & she exercised freedom-of-speech] can be reflexly invoked, but certain key-information and dynamics must be weighed.

    Lets first note Charles R. Darwin, M.A. [On the origin of species by means of natural selection,or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life . London: John Murray, 1st Edition,1859, http://darwin-online.org.uk/content/frameset?itemID=F373&viewtype=text&pageseq=1].

    His Frontispiece captures the essence of the science/religion-conflict that his work has fueled:

    But with regard to the material world, we can at least go so far as thiswe can perceive that events are brought about not by insulated interpositions of Divine power, exerted in each particular case, but by the establishment of general laws.

    W. WHEWELL: Bridgewater Treatise.

    To conclude, therefore, let no man out of a weak conceit of sobriety, or an ill-applied moderation, think or maintain, that a man can search too far or be too wellstudied in the book of God's word, or in the book of God's works; divinity or philosophy; but rather let men endeavour an endless progress or proficience inboth .

    BACON: Advancement of Learning.

    Removing ambiguity, note his direct effort to tackle those who would mischaracterize his efforts[http://darwin-online.org.uk/content/frameset?viewtype=side&itemID=F373&pageseq=185]:

    For myself, I venture confidently to look back thousands on thousands of generations, and I see an animal striped like a zebra, but perhaps otherwise verydifferently constructed, the common parent of our domestic horse, whether or not it be descended from one or more wild stocks, of the ass, the hemionus, quagga, andzebra.

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    http://darwin-online.org.uk/content/frameset?itemID=F373&viewtype=text&pageseq=1http://darwin-online.org.uk/content/frameset?viewtype=side&itemID=F373&pageseq=185http://darwin-online.org.uk/content/frameset?itemID=F373&viewtype=text&pageseq=1http://darwin-online.org.uk/content/frameset?viewtype=side&itemID=F373&pageseq=185
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    He who believes that each equine species was independently created, will, I presume, assert that each species has been created with a tendency to vary, bothunder nature and under domestication, in this particular manner, so as often to become striped like other species of the genus; and that each has been created witha strong tendency, when crossed with species inhabiting distant quarters of the

    world, to produce hybrids resembling in their stripes, not their own parents, butother species of the genus. To admit this view is, as it seems to me, to reject a realfor an unreal, or at least for an unknown, cause. It makes the works of God a meremockery and deception ; I would almost as soon believe with the old and ignorantcosmogonists, that fossil shells had never lived, but had been created in stone so asto mock the shells now living on the sea-shore.

    This summaries the reaction of those with Religious Attitudes to this seminal achievement[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species]:

    {The liberal theologian Baden Powell defended evolutionary ideas by arguing that the

    introduction of new species should be considered a natural rather than a miraculousprocess[167].} {This citation was in-the-margin, accompanied by a portrait of Mr. Powell.}

    The book produced a wide range of religious responses at a time of changing ideas andincreasing secularization. The issues raised were complex and there was a large middleground. Developments in geology meant that there was little opposition based on a literalreading of Genesis ,[164] but defense of the argument from design and natural theo-logy wascentral to debates over the book in the English speaking world .[165][166]

    Natural theology was not a unified doctrine, and while some such as Louis Agassiz werestrongly opposed to the ideas in the book, others sought a reconciliation in which evolutionwas seen as purposeful. [164] In the Church of England, some liberal clergy-men interpretednatural selection as an instrument of God's design, with the cleric Charles Kingsley seeingit as "just as noble a conception of Deity". [168][ 169] In the second edition of January 1860,Darwin quoted Kingsley as "a celebrated cleric", and added the phrase "by the Creator" tothe closing sentence, which from then on read "life, with its several powers, having beenoriginally breathed by the Creator into a few forms or into one". [170] While somecommentators have taken this as a concession to religion that Darwin later regretted,[57] Darwin's view at the time was of God creating life through the laws of nature ,[171][172] and even in the first edition there are several references to "creation". [173]

    Baden Powell praised "Mr Darwin's masterly volume [supporting] the grand principle of theself-evolving powers of nature" .[174] In America, Asa Gray argued that evolution is thesecondary effect, or modus operandi , of the first cause, design, [175] and published apamphlet defending the book in terms of theistic evolution , Natural Selection is not inconsistent with Natural Theology .[168][ 176][ 177] Theistic evolution became a popular compromise, and St. George Jackson Mivart was among those accepting evolution but

    attacking Darwin's naturalistic mechanism. Eventually it was realized that supernaturalintervention could not be a scientific explanation, and naturalistic mechanisms suchas neo-Lamarckism were favored over natural selection as being more compatible withpurpose. [164]

    Even though the book had barely hinted at human evolution , it quickly became central tothe debate as mental and moral qualities were seen as spiritual aspects of the immaterialsoul , and it was believed that animals did not have spiritual qualities. This conflict could bereconciled by supposing there was some supernatural intervention on the path leading tohumans, or viewing evolution as a purposeful and progressive ascent to mankind's position

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    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Specieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_geologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Genesishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-bowl202-163http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-bowl202-163http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-bowl202-163http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teleological_argumenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teleological_argumenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_theologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-Dewey26-164http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-Dewey26-164http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-Larson89-92-165http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-bowl202-163http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_Christianityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_Christianityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-Darwinanddesign-167http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-168http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-169http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-169http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-b95-56http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-b95-56http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-170http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-170http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-171http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-172http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baden_Powell_(mathematician)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baden_Powell_(mathematician)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-173http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-173http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-173http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asa_Grayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-174http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-174http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theistic_evolutionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theistic_evolutionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-Darwinanddesign-167http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-miles-175http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-176http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._George_Jackson_Mivarthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._George_Jackson_Mivarthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-Lamarckismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_selectionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_selectionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-bowl202-163http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_evolutionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_evolutionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_(spirit)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Specieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_geologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Genesishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-bowl202-163http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teleological_argumenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_theologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-Dewey26-164http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-Larson89-92-165http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-bowl202-163http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_Christianityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-Darwinanddesign-167http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-168http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-169http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-b95-56http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-170http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-171http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-172http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baden_Powell_(mathematician)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-173http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asa_Grayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-174http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theistic_evolutionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-Darwinanddesign-167http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-miles-175http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-176http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._George_Jackson_Mivarthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-Lamarckismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_selectionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-bowl202-163http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_evolutionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_(spirit)
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    at the head of nature. [164] While many conservative theologians accepted evolution, Charles Hodge argued in his 1874 critique "What is Darwinism?" that " Darwinism ", defined narrowlyas including rejection of design, was atheism though he accepted that Asa Gray did notreject design .[178][ 179] Asa Gray responded that this charge misrepresented Darwin's text.[180] By the early 20th century, four noted authors of The Fundamentals were explicitly opento the possibility that God created through evolution, [181] but fundamentalism inspired the

    American creationevolution contro-versy that began in the 1920s. Someconservative Roman Catholic writers and influential Jesuits opposed evolution in the late19th and early 20th century, but other Catholic writers, starting with Mivart, pointed out thatearly Church Fathers had not interpreted Genesis literally in this area.[182] The Vatican stated its official position in a 1950 papal encyclical , which held thatevolution was not inconsistent with Catholic teaching. [183][ 184]

    Her portrayal of the church-state dichotomy is reminiscent of the mistaken concept that theConstitution prevents this admixture [n.b. : First Amendments Establishment/Exercise Clauses] but, it is hoped, you-two are well-aware of Jeffersons 1802 Wall of Separation Letter[http://www.usconstitution.net/jeffwall.html] in which he manifest deep religious conviction byensuring that clarity regarding the role of government in this sensitive realm had been noted.So she launched half of your student population on a misconstrued course through which theywould survive the future of uncertainty, particularly when they are now confronted by a poor jobs-marketplace [a reality-based challenge that she chose not to confront, let alone traverse].

    I insert, here, reference to the Sandusky Affair. I noted the linkage between the Liberal Mind[unfortunately, not of the Classical variety in this Modern age] that would deliver such an anti-religious diatribe and an academic environment in which a pattern of moral turpitude had beentolerated for a decade by the most respected/honored leaders of the past four-plus decades. As aP.S.U.-Grad [B.S. 1972], I have monitored and spoken favorably regarding the uniqueness of theelevation of academe over athletics [whenever any choice had to be made between them]. Thus, itis all the more discomfiting to note the internal-rot that was taking-hold, and growing. The

    political implications thereof, this is a topic for oral discussion. But there can be no counter to mysense of awareness that atmospherics that downplay the fundamentals of good/evil will allowstudents to think its OK to apply principles of moral relativism when problem-solving.

    What should be done, justifiably, without embarrassing an academician who had been chosen for this honor by her constituency, the [mostly] undergraduate student-body? I have an idea, basedupon information provided by Mr. Victor B. Krievins [whose daughter, Victoria Sue, was one of the B.A. recipients in Speech Communication from the College of Visual & Performing Arts].He quoted one of you [Mr. Watrous] as having said, during Orientation, that this was not viewed asa Party-School, that the students are quite-aware of their need to equip themselves for life.

    For now, I have not chosen to compose a letter-to-the-editor of your local newspaper, but knowthat the threat I articulated is quite-real; Conservatives seek justification when administratorswant the Forgotten Taxpayer to continue to fund enterprises that foment denial of morality.

    A Proposaland A Disclaimer

    9

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-bowl202-163http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Hodgehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Hodgehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwinismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-177http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-177http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-178http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-GrayWhatisDarwinism.3F-179http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fundamentalshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-180http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-180http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamentalismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamentalismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creation%E2%80%93evolution_controversyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesuithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesuithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_Fathershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_Fathershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-181http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Seehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution_and_the_Roman_Catholic_Churchhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humani_Generishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humani_Generishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-182http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-183http://www.usconstitution.net/jeffwall.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-bowl202-163http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Hodgehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Hodgehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwinismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-177http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-178http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-GrayWhatisDarwinism.3F-179http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fundamentalshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-180http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamentalismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creation%E2%80%93evolution_controversyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesuithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_Fathershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-181http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Seehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution_and_the_Roman_Catholic_Churchhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humani_Generishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-182http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species#cite_note-183http://www.usconstitution.net/jeffwall.html
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    You may wish to disseminate a letter that embodies the principles I have recounted herein rephrased, summarized, whateverthat might be issued by Dean Mowder and become a routinevaledictory when you launch your twenty-somethings into an increasingly uncertain world. Itwould be positive-assertive, emphasizing interest in [and receptivity to discuss] graduates futureactivities on an ONGOING basis, capturing the core of pedagogy. But it must unabashedly

    advise that all seemingly-scientific acts be placed within the crucible of ethics , for eachinforms the other productively when meeting challenges of professional/personal life. [It wouldalso serve as a useful segue for the grads into the work of your Alumni/-ae Office.]

    As a physician, I must mesh the scientific method with a self-disciplined individualization of humanitys pressures. My specialties are Medical Oncology, Hematology and Disability, and youshould know that my gut-reaction of disgust has origins that are steeped in what I view as atradition of doctoring [not just of the body] and a theology of humility [meshing justice/mercy].Were I to think otherwise, this epistle would be far more caustic; the take-away message is that thisexercise [composed after a 24-hour cooling-off period] has been conveyed in language that waschosen to be as benign and unchallenging as possible, relative to my ambient mood.

    Addendum

    I mentioned earlier that I recoiled against endorsing gay-marriage, and I think I owe you myanalysis of this issue, based on blogging earlier this week. First, I quoted the etymology

    The modern English word "marriage" derives from Middle English mariage , which firstappears in 12501300 C.E. This in turn is derived from Old French marier (to marry) andultimately Latin martre meaning to provide with a husband or wife and martri meaning to get married. (The adjective mart-us -a, -um meaning matrimonial or nuptialcould also be used in the masculine form as a noun for "husband" and in the feminine form

    for "wife." [11]) The related English word "matrimony" derives from the Old Frenchword matremoine which appears around 1300 C.E. and ultimately derives fromLatin mtrimnium which combines the two concepts mater meaning " mother " and the suffix - monium signifying "action, state, or condition." "[12]

    to illustrate the fact that the fundamental sourcing is related to the sex-roles of participants.

    Therefore, my basic approach is to advocate that this word be reserved for -relationships,employing civil union to accomplish legally what would be necessary to accommodate thesocietal-goals of participants in this type of interaction [e.g. , including whether a state would havehealth insurers accommodate identified members of a household within a unitary policy].

    This approach would accommodate modernized awareness of parental activities [e.g. , surrogates]while acknowledging the fact that 30 states apparently now have adopted a definition of the wordmarriage that is consistent with my exploration of its originsand have rejected GLBT-isms.And this approach has served as the foundation for how I have functioned since medical-school.

    So, while I heard her endorse gay-marriage [and when I noted the loud reaction of some grads], Ialso heard her sudden end to her speech [and the rather muted level of applause that followed].

    10

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Englishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Englishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Frenchhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage#cite_note-OED_marriage-10http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motherhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motherhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage#cite_note-Etymology-11http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Englishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Frenchhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage#cite_note-OED_marriage-10http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motherhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage#cite_note-Etymology-11
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    11/11

    These are perceptions, however, that could only be corroborated by reading what she delivered andwatching a video of the reactions evoked by members of the audience [and the grads]. Yet, theseobservations are provided as an additional level of input to ensure that they are accepted asmutually exclusive of the thrust of this memo; regardless of whether I assuaged the angry-mob thathad walked-out [or had hosted an impromptu mini-prayer-meetingwhich I didnt do], know

    that my reaction was not isolated. As a friend remarked, if she thinks kids will be able[immediately and/or subsequently] to figure-out how to carve-out a productive occupation thatdepends solely upon data/facts/materialism, she has sadly misguided them, and has set-them-up toexperience profound disappointment. If nothing else, they must prep for office politics!

    I decided to extend the readership of this vignette to a [retiring] State Rep. [Curt Schroder] who,has an impeccable reputation for honesty, integrity, and forthrightness [sensitive but direct]. Hesa busy-guy, so I wont track him intensely [as I may regarding an issue with time-value], but hisreaction [as a legislator] will be instructive when gauging the mood that exists towards fundinghigher-education, for it is most-decidedly budget-time for the next month-plus.

    11