Comments on Niamh Middleton on Evolution

[Mercer (John Mercer)]

@Eddie

In the past, when you have mocked the idea of science involving any “debate”, you have made it as a general statement, not restricted to evolution or even to biology. You have said that in science everything is about data, and that debate has no place. (Yes, I’m paraphrasing, but that’s the sense, that is what has clearly come across.)

No, Eddie. You manufactured quotes. Is that ethical?

I would also note with glee that your assessment of what has “clearly come across” is at odds with reality.

From a mere month ago:

@Eddie

@Mercer

Yet peptidyl transferase is an incredibly important biological structure that is not a protein.

Which does not falsify my claim that protein changes are necessary for evolution. So your mentioning this appears to be just to show off your technical knowledge, not to advance the discussion.

I’m not sure how “peptidyl transferase is not a protein” could come through more literally and clearly, yet only 13 days ago, you claimed that it was a protein!

@Eddie

It’s an enzyme (an aminoacyltransferase enzyme to be exact), and enzymes are proteins…

@Eddie

That doesn’t justify making the simply false statement that scientists don’t debate things.

Did I make such a statement? Your evasions clearly come across as an admission that you fabricated quotes to that effect and falsely attributed them to me.