…and biologist PZ Myers, self-professed “godless liberal” whose weblog Pharyngula is attracting alot of complimentary attention, is not happy. He does make a stab at characterizing the logical fallacies in Vonnegut’s recent statements on NPR in support of intelligent design, but the piece starts with a long preface lamenting Vonnegut’s apparent cognitive decline, as if that were the real explanation for his blasphemy.

If one is to be critical of Vonnegut’s unreasonableness, one must do it in a reasonable manner. Myers is flirting with ad hominem-ism and undercutting his own position here, IMHO. Although I think it is clear that I am across the culture-wars divide from those who profess to creationism, I also know that it is sometimes from reasoned faith. To refute intelligent design, one must engage with the more thoughtful adherents rather than just ridicule the least reasoned arguments.

Moreover, it is often said that people become more like themselves as they decline cognitively. One would be hard pressed to suggest that Vonnegut took a new unreasonable position as he aged. Even a beloved author may have opinions at odds with those of readers who cherish his work, it goes without saying. Vonnegut had a term for that; don’t you suppose he would call the community of Vonnegut fans a granfalloon?