Changes

::: In ordinary usage, "data" means recorded representations: numerical measurements, written observations, etc., rather than the actual things that the measurements and observations are about. To illustrate: if you asked a solar researcher for his data, you would expect him to send you some records of observations, not the Sun itself. Calling the bacteria themselves "data" strikes me as figurative language to make a point.

::: In ordinary usage, "data" means recorded representations: numerical measurements, written observations, etc., rather than the actual things that the measurements and observations are about. To illustrate: if you asked a solar researcher for his data, you would expect him to send you some records of observations, not the Sun itself. Calling the bacteria themselves "data" strikes me as figurative language to make a point.

::: I understand that Dr. Paley's point was: you can't trust data (in the ordinary sense) from Darwinists, because it will contain misrepresentations and omissions designed to protect their theories from refutation; we should instead demand the bacteria themselves in order to examine them without bias. Lenski didn't affirm that point, of course. He said that Paley understood that you don't have to rely on recorded observations, because the bacteria themselves still exist and can still be observed. Lenski said he would share the bacteria, but only with qualified scientists, not the general public.

::: I understand that Dr. Paley's point was: you can't trust data (in the ordinary sense) from Darwinists, because it will contain misrepresentations and omissions designed to protect their theories from refutation; we should instead demand the bacteria themselves in order to examine them without bias. Lenski didn't affirm that point, of course. He said that Paley understood that you don't have to rely on his recorded observations (data), because the bacteria themselves still exist and can still be observed. Lenski said he would share the bacteria, but only with qualified scientists, not the general public.

::: So, it seems to me extremely misleading to say that Lenski refused to make his data public and to support that claim by citing his letter. I'll leave it to you to correct or clarify the page as you see fit.

::: So, it seems to me extremely misleading to say that Lenski refused to make his data public and to support that claim by citing his letter. I'll leave it to you to correct or clarify the page as you see fit.

::: —[[User:BenKovitz|Ben Kovitz]] 13:43, 21 August 2011 (EDT)

::: —[[User:BenKovitz|Ben Kovitz]] 13:43, 21 August 2011 (EDT)