It's Anthropic! CounterPunch Readers Reply

You gotta love those CounterPunch readers. Shortly after I shut
down my computer Thursday morning in order to make a trip to Dallas,
CounterPunch published the Intelligent Design article below. As
more than a few CounterPunch readers noted, I used the word
anthropomorphic, when I should have used the term anthropic, as in
‘anthropic principle.’ Gladly, the error didn’t seem to
hamper anyone’s enjoyment:

Mr. Moses

Right on!!!

I would love to have the Shrub, Cheney, and the ENTIRE criminal
administration making little rocks from big rocks for life also. Or, do
like they do here in Louisiana, they take some inmates and have them
wear orange or white coveralls, and they have them picking up trash on
the roadsides. Hell, I’d pay real US of A dollars to see that. We could

charge a nominal fee to take snap shots of the entire gang picking up
trash. Why, in a few short months we could almost pay off the national
debt by doing so.
Yes, let the Shrub teach his brand of horse shit from a prison cell.
How soon can the rat bastard start?
Great article sir. Thank you for your time reading this humble reply.

Mr. Moses,

I liked your article in Counterpunch.

If intelligent design exists, one wonders how it could
lead to the creation of someone as stupid as George
Bush.

Subject: Intelligent Design Daydream

Message: I don’t think there is going to be enough room at Huntsville….

Is Bush a war criminal? If so, then how many of his cabinet
members are also guilty by association or as accomplices?
What about aiding and abetting a wanton criminal? The
entire government and both houses of Congress? Where does it end? Bush is a cold blooded killer and I pray that if
there is a "god", one with punitive powers, Bush will suffer
for his mass murder spree in Iraq and Afghanistan. I think
that "collateral damage" is just a terrible Pentagonese term
for mass murder. But then I’m just an ordinary U.S. citizen
with very little real power. The democratic tradition in
America has become so impotent that the elites don’t even
bother to throw us a bone anymore. Long ago a French
aristocrat allegedly said "let them it cake!". Today’s
monied aristocracy in America would say "let them eat
dog food", referring perhaps to the poor elderly who must
make a choice between food or expensive drugs.
Daniel Boorstein was right, America WAS a grand experiment
in democratic rule and it has failed miserably.
Long live the King, George II. Pity we can’t find leaders like
Thomas Jefferson any longer. It would be so funny to hear
Georgie boy debate the likes of Abraham Lincoln. But these
are different times.

Sincerely, just another hapless American.

Thanks for this piece. Here in Utah, we have a state
legislator who wants intelligent design taught in schools, but being
Mormon (almost certainly) he misses the intent of "intelligent" in the
name of this movement. Mormons believe God is an exalted human who was
once much as they are and is as they will be, so the idea of an
intelligence that pervades the universe and puts very small cellular
components together doesn’t resonate with them, as it does with most
Christians. (Remember Woody Allen’s conversation with Diane Keaton (?)
about God in Sleeper when he wakes in the future: She (approximately):
"Do you believe there is an intelligence that pervades and guides the
universe?" He: "Yes, except in certain parts of New Jersey.") So this
guy–the legislator–has renamed it "divine design." He’s a little
short on constitutional nuance, but this may be a requirement for
admission to the inner halls of our State House.

I think you’ve misnamed the principle: It’s the "anthropic
principle" not the "anthropomorphic principle". Anthropomorphic is used
for the supposedly erroneous attribution of human emotions to lesser
animals. This was considered a grave error, almost a sin, when I was in
college many years ago. I don’t know where it stands now.

re: "it has taken me months to calm down to this level of compassion."

My friend, I envy you that you have managed to calm down.

Regards,

P.S. Hopefully no impromptu SS visits…

Dear Mr. Moses:

Your otherwise fine article in CouterPunch contained an unfortunate
malapropism. You substituted anthropomorphic principle for what should
have been anthropic principle. Please see one explanation of the idea
with the correct name at:

http://ourworld.compuserve.com
/homepages/rossuk/c-anthro.htm

The past century, unfortunately, has clearly shown that what
distinguishes a war criminal from a war hero is often nothing more than
the difference between who lost and who won. War is a business that is
rotten to the core and the rules of engagement merely paper over what a
rotten business it is. Our Presidents, of late, have supported
incredible evil and cruelty through war or the CIA. Any evil seems
acceptable if it can be justified by some version of "national
interest." The fact that our current President seems oblivious to his
immorality and is apparently willing to blatantly lie while wrapping
himself in flag and religion makes me just as spitting mad as you
describe yourself.

Thank you for your contribution to CounterPunch.

The best refutation of intelligent design is George Bush, himself,
since he obviously exhibits none of the most elementary characteristics
that would be expected when intelligently designing a human being,
although the physical resemblance is quite close.

The intelligent design supporters don’t realize how much they are
hurting their cause by using Bush as an icon when he is actually a
simulacra.

The Moonies once picked up a guy off the street who they held up as
the epitome of their ideology because of his absolute, total serenity.
They installed him in New Orleans as a subject of pilgrimages by the
faithful.

When it was finally removed, his brain tumor was the size of an orange and his serenity was revealed as catatonia.

Thanks for a good article,

Greg

Thanks for the article, which I thoroughly enjoyed. One nit, though
(which I mention to save you embarrassment, not to show how smart I
am): it’s the anthropic principle, not "anthropomorphic". If you doubt
me, check it on Wikipedia or anywhere else authoritative. (There are
thousands of references to the wrong version on the Web, but, hey, that
should come as no surprise).

Mr. Moses:

Your article was right on the money and very satisfying for me. I will look forward to reading your future articles

If you have Thomas Frank’s book “What’s the Matter with Kansas”, see
footnote 4 to the Introduction. If you don’t, email me your fax and
you’ll receive it.

Dear Mr Moses,

Hate to be pedantic but I think your article "Bush teaches intelligent
design in prison" you probably meant to write ‘anthropic principle’
rather than ‘anthropomorphic’.

As per usual the Wikipedia has nice entries on both:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropic_Principle

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropomorphism

Keep up the good work!

A Reader

Excellent. Excellent article in Counterpunch.