Posted: Nov 06, 2015 6:59 pm
Thommo wrote:MS2 wrote:I think McGrath is mistaken to call it denialism. I guess he is upset and perhaps even feels threatened that people don't defer to the specialists when it comes to this particular issue, whereas with most other issues the specialists are deferred to.
Sounds about right, his response definitely feels a bit tinged with emotion, to me. I think consensus in ancient history does deserve some "deference" (for want of a better word), but any sceptic is surely going to afford deference commensurate to the level of evidence, and that's never going to be the same with regard to evolution or modern history as it is for ancient history and really he's going to have to make his peace with that or be forever irked.
Not to mention the scope and composition of the consensus.