Magnets: How do they work?

Today I was back at work. I was more displeased about being back in Inverness in general rather than specifically unhappy about being back at work, but the ridiculous heat in the store did add to the unpleasantness of the day. It wasn't very busy but not particularly quiet; an average sort of day which meant it passed fairly quickly.

This evening I went to see Richard Dawkins in the Drummossie Hotel. I wasn't planning on doing this, but Angus phoned me in the afternoon with a spare place. The lecture was nothing to do with his atheist writings, but a general look at science, with the focus being on evidence and reason for everything, describing evolution through studies of cuckoos. It was interesting, if a bit rambling, but the question and answer afterwards was well worth going. There were genuinely good questions, to which Dawkins offered great insight to, but one man appeared and questioned the moral side of animal behavior. He met this with professional restraint, as I would have immediately annihilated him for posing such a ridiculous point. He basically explained that nature is cruel, but that's how it is, and how it must be. The man's retort was if that's the viewpoint you have, then surely it should be applied to the human world, for example if a person knifes someone we should all just go "oh well, that's natural selection for you." Dawkins remained very controlled, but it had gotten ridiculous. Nonetheless, he continued and seemingly rebutted the foolish argument.

Until we got outside.

One of the many cars had now got a car-boot sale style table erected, with books emblazoned with Dawkins' face upon them. One of the men manning the temporary stall was the same one as in the above story. They were Christians. One walked over to us, handing over a book for which I have forgotten the name, but the blurb on the back explained that science is wrong, and promised a full explanation of the true nature of the planet through reference to the Bible and such. We chose to converse with the dimwit. He introduced his point, stating that "all this science" is wrong, to which Angus brilliantly halted him, pointing out he is handing around books printed from a printing press, from the boot of a car which he drove here in, and having the audacity to decry science. He calmly retorted: "And where did the cars come from?"; Angus rightly stated it was from mankind's experiments, discoveries and ideas over thousands of years. The conversation quickly became lead to "the creation", as this seems to be a Christian's only argument that isn't instantly rebutted. I immediately interjected that evolution etc cannot be argued against. There was a beginning that cannot be explained by modern science, but from that point on, science is all right, and Richard Dawkins doesn't suggest anything other than that. He negated my summation of the last 4.6 billion years, rekindling the point of the beginning. Angus then guessed correctly that he was gearing this towards God being the start of it all, before saying, I quote:

"There is no more evidence for God creating the universe than there is for us all growing off of a piece of toast." The Christian was amused by this in a smug manner, turning the point on it's head; "Well, actually, there's far more evidence for man 'evolving' from a piece of toast than there is for him evolving from apes." We realised at this point that the argument was pointless. He informed us to read the book, as though the 50-odd A5 pages would have somehow concluded that for thousands of years, scientists have been completely wrong, and that a shiny man in the clouds is in fact to cause for everything ever. I flatly refused the book, even though it was free. They were clearly there to cause a fuss, as who in their right mind would think it is a good idea to peddle Christian propaganda at a Richard Dawkins lecture?

One last thing before I collapse on my bed: when asked by an audience member about the teaching of Creationism in American schools, Dawkins made this fanastic insight: in gallop polls, 40% of Americans firmly believe that the book of Genesis is a literal textbook, and are content in the belief that the earth is 10,000 years old. Science can without doubt prove that the earth is 4.6 billion years old, meaning that the Americans' margin of error, when applied to other means, would mean they should believe that their country is 8 yards wide. He finished off this point by saying "... and yet they manage to secure jobs..." before the audience erupted in laughter and applause.