Freethought & Rationalism Archive

RufusAtticus · 05-20-2002, 04:21 PM

It's unfortunate that he died at age 60. But at least he left his mark in those 60 years. His death is probably a good thing because he is suffering no longer. He doesn't have to listen anymore to creationists lying about his work.

Oh well, once more time into the breech my friends.

~~RvFvS~~

ksagnostic · 05-20-2002, 04:22 PM

Well, damn. I knew something was up when his columns ended in Natural History last year. He had been seriously ill, as indicated in the obituary, on and off for twenty years. He wrote a great column on his initial diagnosis back then.

He was a great and prolific writer, and even when I was pretty sure I disagreed with him, I knew where he was coming from.

Sometimes, people should be honored for beating the odds, when they pull more out of life than anyone would have expected under the circumstances. Such people included Carl Sagan, Stephen J. Gould, and my late, darling wife

. Currently, Stephen Hawking is a champion odds beater. Has anyone else even come close to surviving so long with ALS (not to jinx anything here by any means)?

[ May 20, 2002: Message edited by: ksagnostic ]

[ May 21, 2002: Message edited by: ksagnostic ]

NeilUnreal · 05-20-2002, 04:26 PM

I just heard the news. It's a really sad day. SJG influenced more than one generation of students to pursue a career in science. He's left science a great legacy in this, in addition to his own work.

-Neil

cricket · 05-20-2002, 04:39 PM

I didn't even know he had cancer. This is a shock.

I'm glad I checked in here today. This is the sort of thing that mightn't have made the news, where I live. (everyone's head in the sand)

I recently read Full House, and loved it. Will look through the library or bookstore for the rest of Gould's work.

(btw, who was it here I've seen photographed with Gould? Can't remember where I saw that.. one of the infidels was pictured w/ Gould.)

cricket · 05-20-2002, 04:44 PM

Quote:

He wrote a great column on his initial diagnosis back then.

That's right!; you're making me remember; he wrote a bit about his illness in Full House, how he was diagnosed years ago. He explained how the odds they gave him for his survival were not the correct odds...

Damn. I always miss library books after giving them back; wish I could look that up.

MrDarwin · 05-20-2002, 04:47 PM

lpetrich · 05-20-2002, 04:49 PM

He had had a kind of cancer called mesothieloma; one of the less common kinds of cancer.

Milkman Dan · 05-20-2002, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by atheist_in_foxhole:
Those freepers are really sick. Gould has only been gone for a few hours and they're already calling him an "ambassador of the devil" and joking about him burning in hell for denying the "truth" of creationism.

Well, some of them though not all. There is a hard core of creationists over there that's sure but at least there are some who address their drivel.
I haven't been to BB or other fundamentalist boards yet but I assume that it's even worse since no one counters their poppycock.

Abacus · 05-20-2002, 05:26 PM

Stupid, creationist quote:

Quote:

Evolutionists are Christ-deniers as Jesus Himself did not believe in evolution or other such modern fables.

If I'm not mistaken, Jesus didn't believe in a round earth either. Stupid, fucking, retarded, creationist assholes!

This makes me as sad as the day Sagan died.

I think I'll go read Bully for Brontosaurusagain.

DrLao · 05-20-2002, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cricket:


That's right!; you're making me remember; he wrote a bit about his illness in Full House, how he was diagnosed years ago. He explained how the odds they gave him for his survival were not the correct odds...

Is this the one you're thinking of?
<a href="http://www.cancerguide.org/median_not_msg.html" target="_blank">http://www.cancerguide.org/median_not_msg.html</a>

05-20-2002, 04:22 PM	#32
ksagnostic Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Wichita, KS, USA Posts: 2,514	Well, damn. I knew something was up when his columns ended in Natural History last year. He had been seriously ill, as indicated in the obituary, on and off for twenty years. He wrote a great column on his initial diagnosis back then. He was a great and prolific writer, and even when I was pretty sure I disagreed with him, I knew where he was coming from. Sometimes, people should be honored for beating the odds, when they pull more out of life than anyone would have expected under the circumstances. Such people included Carl Sagan, Stephen J. Gould, and my late, darling wife . Currently, Stephen Hawking is a champion odds beater. Has anyone else even come close to surviving so long with ALS (not to jinx anything here by any means)? [ May 20, 2002: Message edited by: ksagnostic ] [ May 21, 2002: Message edited by: ksagnostic ]</p>

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05-20-2002, 04:21 PM	#31
RufusAtticus Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: NCSU Posts: 5,853	It's unfortunate that he died at age 60. But at least he left his mark in those 60 years. His death is probably a good thing because he is suffering no longer. He doesn't have to listen anymore to creationists lying about his work. Oh well, once more time into the breech my friends. ~~RvFvS~~

05-20-2002, 04:26 PM	#33
NeilUnreal Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: USA Posts: 77	I just heard the news. It's a really sad day. SJG influenced more than one generation of students to pursue a career in science. He's left science a great legacy in this, in addition to his own work. -Neil

05-20-2002, 04:39 PM	#34
cricket Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: St Louis MO USA Posts: 1,188	I didn't even know he had cancer. This is a shock. I'm glad I checked in here today. This is the sort of thing that mightn't have made the news, where I live. (everyone's head in the sand) I recently read Full House, and loved it. Will look through the library or bookstore for the rest of Gould's work. (btw, who was it here I've seen photographed with Gould? Can't remember where I saw that.. one of the infidels was pictured w/ Gould.)

05-20-2002, 04:47 PM	#36
MrDarwin Veteran Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 4,140

05-20-2002, 04:49 PM	#37
lpetrich Contributor Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Lebanon, OR, USA Posts: 16,829	He had had a kind of cancer called mesothieloma; one of the less common kinds of cancer.

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