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MicroRules of the EVOLUTION Echomail Conference.
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Modified 11 DEC 1992, ripped off from the SCIENCE Echo Rules

The Evolution Echo exists to provide a forum for discussion of biological 
science topics, especially evolutionary mechanism theory topics.  Also of
great interest to participants is how to counter the teaching of pseudo-
science in science classrooms.  The Evolution Echo is a *science* oriented
echo, and appropriateness of messages will be judged accordingly.

MetaRule 1) DO NOT respond to inappropriate messages with an echo message.

MetaRule 2) DO NOT enter inappropriate messages

Rules:

1) No illegal messages.  Posting an illegal message is to be considered
   excessively annoying.

2) No obscenity or foul language. There is no need to express a
   science message in vulgar language. 

3) There are many different echomail conferences.  Enter your message into 
   the *most appropriate* echo.

4) Advertisements should be limited to items of a scientific interest
   and should not be posted by those with a vested interest in the item
   being sold, unless specifically requested by another echo participant.

5) Appropriate messages will have a scientific component, or at least
   an asserted scientific component.

6) There is no Rule 6.  ;-)

7) Messages which insult or attack an individual are not appropriate. 
   Pointing out gaps in fields of reference (otherwise known as 
   "ignorance") is *not* an attack.

8) Each user is requested to consider the quantity and quality
   of his/her messages.

9) Evolution vs Creationism: This long running topic is obviously of
   considerable interest. Two points are important for keeping the
   discussion appropriate for the EVOLUTION echo.  Science makes no claim
   to be a source for all truth, i.e. events and activities which are
   unobservable and/or untestable are outside the realm of scientific
   inquiry. Religious beliefs that are outside the limits of science may
   be true or not. *Supporting* or *attacking* religious belief is 
   inappropriate in the EVOLUTION echo.

10) Moderation messages not entered by the moderator are NOT appropriate 
    in the echo. 


Echo Glossary:

[Evolution] is defined by most biologists to be "a change in allele 
frequency in a population over time."  This is *observed* to happen.  
This is the definition that is operative in this echo.

[Evolutionary mechanism theories] are scientific theories with much
utility in many practical areas such as genetic engineering,
antibiotic research etc. As theory, these are open to continuous
revision.

Most biologists who bother to use the terms [microevolution] and
[macroevolution] place the boundary at speciation events, with all
evolutionary change that occurs that does not cause speciation to
be considered microevolution and speciation or higher taxa changes 
to be macroevolution.  The boundary is *fuzzy*, because the 
terminology is not descriptive of differing mechanisms of action and 
because biologists are not a monolithic block.

[Creationism] is the belief that a creator somehow is responsible for the
universe and life found within it.  Many different forms of creationism
have been noted.  Several researchers in evolutionary biology are 
creationists, and some believe that science merely elucidates the mechanisms
which a creator used in bringing forth living beings.

[Scientific Creationism] is a phrase coined and defined by former members
of the American Scientific Affiliation who got fed up with the theistic
evolutionary focus of the ASA.  The phrase is often contracted in this
Echo to [SciCre].  SciCre is a subset of creationist belief that holds 
that the universe and all living "kinds" were brought into being by an
omnipotent creator in a six day period between six and ten thousand years
ago, in accordance with one of the creation tales in the book of Genesis.
Further, SciCre holds that the scientific evidence supports this belief, and
excludes anything except "microevolution" as defined by SciCre-ists.  (The
SciCre-ist definition of "microevolution" corresponds closely to the 
definition which biologists give to "evolution".  See above.)  SciCre is 
limited to Genesis as a source text, as various SciCre-ists have gone on 
record that all other religions and a-religious beliefs are "evolutionary"
at basis.  SciCre is also used as a catch-phrase to put forward the notion
that this belief set should be taught in public school science classes 
either alongside evolutionary theories or in place of them.

***** Signoff ******************

Thanks for your assistance in helping EVOLUTION fulfill its
purpose.  It can't happen without your help.

Wesley R. Elsberry, moderator Evolution echo conference
1:347/303  509-627-6267  elsberry@cse.uta.edu

***** The End (finally) ********