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'''Quote mining''' is the practice of using the words of partisans against them to undermine support for the viewpoint held by the partisans. 

'''Quote mining''' is a term typically used by evolutionists to attempt to justify a knee-jerk allegation made by an evolutionist that a quote of a prominent evolutionist admitting one or more of the many weaknesses of the evolutionary paradigm is being taken out of context when in most cases it is certainly not. This reflexive denialism and/or obfuscation occurs because Darwinism is an errant religion often practiced by dogmatists and it is not [[science]]. The Darwinist and atheist philosopher of science [[Michael Ruse]] admitted: "[[Evolution]] is a religion. This was true of evolution in the beginning, and it is true of evolution still today.”<ref>[http://creation.com/15-questions 15 questions for evolutionists]</ref>

Quote mining does not refer simply to taking a [[quote out of context]], as there is already a well-understood phrase for that. Rather, the charge of "quote mining" reflects an objection to quoting someone for criticizing his own belief system, on the theory that if he still believes in the system then it is somehow unfair to quote his criticism of it.  

Another objection sometimes made is that it is wrong to ignore evidence which supports a partisan viewpoint when evidence which disproves it is found. This is clearly an anti-scientific notion, as it violates the modern principle of [[falsifiability]]: no amount of evidence in favor of a scientific theory has merit if even a single counterexample can be found (see [[Thomas Kuhn]]).

 

Quote mining does not refer simply to [[quoting out of context]], as there is already a well-understood phrase for that.  Rather, the charge of "quote mining" reflects an objection to quoting someone for criticizing his own belief system, on the theory that if he still believes in the system then it is somehow unfair to quote his criticism of it.

 

Evolutionists have unfortunately chosen to hold onto their Darwinists religion, despite the fact that evidence which disproves Darwinism has been found repeatedly. This is clearly an anti-scientific practice, as it violates the modern principle of [[falsifiability]]: no amount of evidence in favor of a scientific theory has merit if even a single conclusive counterexample can be found (see [[Thomas Kuhn]]).

[[Evolutionists]] are notorious for expressing objection when their quotes are used against them. This reveals the [[dogma]]tic nature of their [[faith]], because real scientists always welcome evidence which contradicts mainstream theories (see [[scientific method]]).  

[[Evolutionists]] are notorious for expressing objection when their quotes are used against them. This reveals the [[dogma]]tic nature of their [[faith]], because real scientists always welcome evidence which contradicts mainstream theories (see [[scientific method]]).  

==Quote mining and the creation-evolution controversy==

==Quote mining and the creation-evolution controversy==

Scientists and their supporters used the term ''quote mining'' as early as the mid-1990s in newsgroup posts to describe quoting practices of certain [[creationists]].<ref>[http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/quotes/mine/project.html The Quote Mine Project], John Pieret (ed), [[TalkOrigins Archive]]</ref><ref>[http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/ce/3/part5.html The Revised Quote Book], E.T. Babinski (ed), ''TalkOrigins Archive</ref><ref name=qmproject>According to the [http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/quotes/mine/project.html Quote Mine Project] at ''TalkOrigins Archive'', the first record of the term in [[talk.origins]] was a posting by Lenny Flank on March 30, 1997, with a February 2, 1996 reference in another [[Usenet]] group, rec.arts.comics.misc</ref> It is used by members of the [[scientific community]] to describe a method employed by creationists to support their arguments,<ref name="forrest">{{cite book | last = Forrest | first = Barbara | authorlink = Barbara Forrest | coauthors = [[Paul R. Gross]] | title = Creationism's Trojan Horse: The Wedge of Intelligent Design | url = http://www.creationismstrojanhorse.com/ | accessdate = 2007-03-09 | year = 2004 | publisher = [[Oxford University Press]] | location = Oxford | page = 7| isbn = 0195157427 | quote =In the face of the extraordinary and often highly practical twentieth-century progress of the life sciences under the unifying concepts of evolution, [creationist] "science" consists of quote-mining — minute searching of the biological literature — including outdated literature — for minor slips and inconsistencies and for polemically promising examples of internal arguments.  These internal disagreements, fundamental to the working of all natural science, are then presented dramatically to lay audiences as evidence of the fraudulence and impending collapse of "Darwinism." }}</ref><ref name=counter>"The Counter-creationism Handbook",

Scientists and their supporters used the term ''quote mining'' as early as the mid-1990s in newsgroup posts to describe quoting practices of certain [[creationists]].<ref>[http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/quotes/mine/project.html The Quote Mine Project], John Pieret (ed), [[TalkOrigins Archive]]</ref><ref>[http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/ce/3/part5.html The Revised Quote Book], E.T. Babinski (ed), ''TalkOrigins Archive''</ref><ref>According to the [http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/quotes/mine/project.html Quote Mine Project] at ''TalkOrigins Archive'', the first record of the term in [[talk.origins]] was a posting by Lenny Flank on March 30, 1997, with a February 2, 1996 reference in another [[Usenet]] group, rec.arts.comics.misc</ref> It is used by members of the scientific community to describe a method employed by creationists to support their arguments,<ref name="fomrrest">{{cite book | last = Forrest | first = Barbara | authorlink = Barbara Forrest | coauthors = [[Paul R. Gross]] | title = Creationism's Trojan Horse: The Wedge of Intelligent Design | url = http://www.creationismstrojanhorse.com/ | accessdate = 2007-03-09 | year = 2004 | publisher = [[Oxford University Press]] | location = Oxford | page = 7| isbn = 0195157427 | quote =In the face of the extraordinary and often highly practical twentieth-century progress of the life sciences under the unifying concepts of evolution, [creationist] "science" consists of quote-mining — minute searching of the biological literature — including outdated literature — for minor slips and inconsistencies and for polemically promising examples of internal arguments.  These internal disagreements, fundamental to the working of all natural science, are then presented dramatically to lay audiences as evidence of the fraudulence and impending collapse of "Darwinism." }}</ref><ref name=counter>"The Counter-creationism Handbook",

  Mark Isaak, ISBN 0520249267 p 14</ref><ref>[http://www.ncseweb.org/resources/rncse_content/vol22/2089_quotemining_comes_to_ohio_12_30_1899.asp Quote-Mining Comes to Ohio], [[Glenn Branch]]</ref> though it can be and often is used outside of the [[creation-evolution controversy]]. Complaints about the practice predate known use of the term: [[Theodosius Dobzhansky]] wrote in his famous 1973 essay "[[Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Except in the Light of Evolution]]" that {{quotation|Their [Creationists'] favorite sport is stringing together quotations, carefully and sometimes expertly taken out of context, to show that nothing is really established or agreed upon among evolutionists. Some of my colleagues and myself have been amused and amazed to read ourselves quoted in a way showing that we are really antievolutionists under the skin.}}

  Mark Isaak, ISBN 0520249267 p 14</ref><ref>[http://www.ncseweb.org/resources/rncse_content/vol22/2089_quotemining_comes_to_ohio_12_30_1899.asp Quote-Mining Comes to Ohio], [[Glenn Branch]]</ref> though it can be and often is used outside of the [[creation-evolution controversy]]. Complaints about the practice predate known use of the term: [[Theodosius Dobzhansky]] wrote in his famous 1973 essay "Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Except in the Light of Evolution" that {{quotation|Their [Creationists'] favorite sport is stringing together quotations, carefully and sometimes expertly taken out of context, to show that nothing is really established or agreed upon among evolutionists. Some of my colleagues and myself have been amused and amazed to read ourselves quoted in a way showing that we are really antievolutionists under the skin.}}

The [[Institute for Creation Research]] (ICR) described the use of "[a]n evolutionist's quote mistakenly used out of context" to "negate the entirety of [an] article and creationist claims regarding the lack of transitional forms" as "a smoke screen".<ref>[http://www.icr.org/article/1202/ Does Convincing Evidence For Evolution Exist?]</ref>

The [[Institute for Creation Research]] (ICR) described the use of "[a]n evolutionist's quote mistakenly used out of context" to "negate the entirety of [an] article and creationist claims regarding the lack of transitional forms" as "a smoke screen".<ref>[http://www.icr.org/article/1202/ Does Convincing Evidence For Evolution Exist?]</ref>

Both [[Answers in Genesis]] (AiG) and [[Henry M. Morris]] (founder of ICR) have been accused of producing books of mined quotes. ''[[TalkOrigins Archive]]'' (TOA) states that "entire books of these quotes have been published" and lists prominent creationist [[Henry M. Morris]]' ''That Their Words May Be Used Against Them'' and ''The Revised Quote Book'' (published by Creation Science Foundation, now AiG, and available from the AiG website)<ref>[http://www.answersingenesis.org/TheWord/downloads/aig_resources.asp The Word Downloads], [[Answers in Genesis]]</ref> as examples, in addition to a number of online creationist lists of quote-mines.<ref>[http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/quotes/mine/project.html The Quote Mine Project], John Pieret (ed), ''TalkOrigins Archive''</ref> Both AiG and ICR quote mine [[Stephen Jay Gould]] on intermediate forms.<ref name=gouldmine/>

Both [[Answers in Genesis]] (AiG) and Henry M. Morris (founder of ICR) have been accused of producing books of mined quotes. ''TalkOrigins Archive'' (TOA) states that "entire books of these quotes have been published" and lists prominent creationist Henry M. Morris' ''That Their Words May Be Used Against Them'' and ''The Revised Quote Book'' (published by Creation Science Foundation, now AiG, and available from the AiG website)<ref>[http://www.answersingenesis.org/TheWord/downloads/aig_resources.asp The Word Downloads], [[Answers in Genesis]]</ref> as examples, in addition to a number of online creationist lists of quote-mines.<ref>[http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/quotes/mine/project.html The Quote Mine Project], John Pieret (ed), ''TalkOrigins Archive''</ref> Both AiG and ICR quote mine [[Stephen Jay Gould]] on intermediate forms.

===Stephen Jay Gould on intermediate forms===

===Stephen Jay Gould on intermediate forms===