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EspañolQUOTE MINING
'Quote mining' is the practice of compiling quotes from large volumes of literature or spoken word.[1] The term is used pejoratively to accuse the "quote miner" of contextomy and misquotation, where favorable positions are amplified or falsely suggested, and unfavorable positions in the same text are excluded or otherwise obscured.
The expression is also sometimes used in a slightly weaker sense, merely meaning that a quote is being used to support an idea that the original author rejects. In this second case, even a quote which is accurate can be considered a mined quote.
The phrase originated in the mid-1990s.[2] It is commonly used by members of the scientific community to describe a common method that creationists use to support their arguments by reference to "quote mines" of nuanced statements which, out of context, appear to undercut evolution. It may not be widely used or understood in other contexts.
Although the phrase itself is new, complaints about the practice are not. Theodosius Dobzhansky wrote in his famous 1973 essay "Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Except in the Light of Evolution" that
Entire books of quotes have been written by creationists, such as Henry Morris' ''That Their Words May Be Used Against Them'' and Answers in Genesis' ''The Revised Quote Book''. In September 2006, the Discovery Institute quoted an article in ''Nature Reviews Microbiology'' even before it was printed (see author Nick Matzke's rebuttal Alert! Alack! I have been quote mined!).
An example of creationist quote mining [3] is taken from ''The Origin of Species'' by Charles Darwin in which he considers the evolution of the eye:
This quote is clearly taken out of context because Darwin continues:
Darwin goes on to devote three further pages to this subject.[4] Answers in Genesis, have acknowledged the lack of context of the quote and urged others not to use the quote without quoting the context.[5]
Skeptics have also been accused of quote mining Bible verses which, out of context, appear to undercut the Bible.
An example of quote mining Bible verses, shown belown, is taken from a popular atheistic website:
As compared to Jesus' statement:
Here is the verse in its context:
After further review, the verse in question is show to be a hyperbole. Jesus is exhorting a crowd to count the cost of becoming his disciple. He is telling them that he requires absolute and total devotion and obedience. For someone to follow him he must love God above and beyond every other thing, so much so, that the love he has for his friends, family and even his own life should seem like hatred when compared to the love he has for Jesus. Anyone who does not cherish God in such a way cannot be Jesus' disciple.
★ Prooftexting
★ Contextomy
1. Creationism's Trojan Horse: The Wedge of Intelligent Design, , Barbara, Forrest, Oxford University Press, 2004,
2. According to the Quote Mine Project at TalkOrigins Archive, the first record of the term in talk.origins was a posting by Lenny Flank on March 30, 1997, with a February 2 1996 reference in another Usenet group, rec.arts.comics.misc[1]
3. http://wiki.cotch.net/index.php?title=Darwin_on_evolution_of_the_eye
4. http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/ce/3/part8.html
5. http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/faq/dont_use.asp#darwin_eye
★ The Quote Mine Project - hosted by the talk.origins archive
★ Quote-mining
★ Index to creationist claims claim CA113 - quote mining
★ Atheists.org's Bible Contradictions
★ Creation Quotes list from Answers in Genesis
★ Errant Skeptics Quote List
★ Scientists Speak About Evolution
★ Selected Creation/Evolution Quotes
The expression is also sometimes used in a slightly weaker sense, merely meaning that a quote is being used to support an idea that the original author rejects. In this second case, even a quote which is accurate can be considered a mined quote.
| Contents |
| Overview |
| Darwin on the eye |
| The Bible |
| See also |
| Notes and references |
| External links |
| Some lists from creationists of quoted-mined quotes |
Overview
The phrase originated in the mid-1990s.[2] It is commonly used by members of the scientific community to describe a common method that creationists use to support their arguments by reference to "quote mines" of nuanced statements which, out of context, appear to undercut evolution. It may not be widely used or understood in other contexts.
Although the phrase itself is new, complaints about the practice are not. Theodosius Dobzhansky wrote in his famous 1973 essay "Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Except in the Light of Evolution" that
Entire books of quotes have been written by creationists, such as Henry Morris' ''That Their Words May Be Used Against Them'' and Answers in Genesis' ''The Revised Quote Book''. In September 2006, the Discovery Institute quoted an article in ''Nature Reviews Microbiology'' even before it was printed (see author Nick Matzke's rebuttal Alert! Alack! I have been quote mined!).
Darwin on the eye
An example of creationist quote mining [3] is taken from ''The Origin of Species'' by Charles Darwin in which he considers the evolution of the eye:
This quote is clearly taken out of context because Darwin continues:
Darwin goes on to devote three further pages to this subject.[4] Answers in Genesis, have acknowledged the lack of context of the quote and urged others not to use the quote without quoting the context.[5]
The Bible
Skeptics have also been accused of quote mining Bible verses which, out of context, appear to undercut the Bible.
An example of quote mining Bible verses, shown belown, is taken from a popular atheistic website:
As compared to Jesus' statement:
Here is the verse in its context:
After further review, the verse in question is show to be a hyperbole. Jesus is exhorting a crowd to count the cost of becoming his disciple. He is telling them that he requires absolute and total devotion and obedience. For someone to follow him he must love God above and beyond every other thing, so much so, that the love he has for his friends, family and even his own life should seem like hatred when compared to the love he has for Jesus. Anyone who does not cherish God in such a way cannot be Jesus' disciple.
See also
★ Prooftexting
★ Contextomy
Notes and references
1. Creationism's Trojan Horse: The Wedge of Intelligent Design, , Barbara, Forrest, Oxford University Press, 2004,
2. According to the Quote Mine Project at TalkOrigins Archive, the first record of the term in talk.origins was a posting by Lenny Flank on March 30, 1997, with a February 2 1996 reference in another Usenet group, rec.arts.comics.misc[1]
3. http://wiki.cotch.net/index.php?title=Darwin_on_evolution_of_the_eye
4. http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/ce/3/part8.html
5. http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/faq/dont_use.asp#darwin_eye
External links
★ The Quote Mine Project - hosted by the talk.origins archive
★ Quote-mining
★ Index to creationist claims claim CA113 - quote mining
★ Atheists.org's Bible Contradictions
Some lists from creationists of quoted-mined quotes
★ Creation Quotes list from Answers in Genesis
★ Errant Skeptics Quote List
★ Scientists Speak About Evolution
★ Selected Creation/Evolution Quotes
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