Gay marriage and the level of science education at the University of Lagos

[ajb]

I know this is not exactly new, the article is from 2013 but it is amazing...

 

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/science-of-gay-marriage/158265/

 

 

The claim is that postgraduate student (he was at the time anyway) Chibuihem Amalaha has proved gay marriage wrong using physics, mathematics, chemistry and biology. In reality he as just embarrassed himself and the University of Lagos, Nigeria.

 

Before I move onto one of of his 'arguments', one of his mathematical claims is...

 

I have also been able to prove that the mathematical symbol pi which people thought of as 22 over 7 is not actually 22 over , but rather a transcendental number while 22 over 7 is a rational number.

Oh dear, his mathematical skills are already very much in question.

 

Anyway, his physics claim why gay is wrong...

 

To start with, physics is one of the most fundamentals of all the sciences and I used two bar magnets in my research. A bar magnet is a horizontal magnet that has the North Pole and the South Pole and when you bring two bar magnets and you bring the North Pole together you find that the two North Poles will not attract. They will repel, that is, they will push away themselves showing that a man should not attract a man. If you bring two South Poles together you find that the two South Poles will not attract indicating that same sex marriage should not hold. A female should not attract a female as South Pole of a magnet does not attract the South Pole of a magnet. But, when you bring a North Pole of a magnet and a South Pole of a magnet they will attract because they are not the same, indicating that a man will attract a woman because of the way nature has made a female.

This is just so stupid.

 

Now, I have read that the University of Lagos has disconnecter itself with the comments of Amalaha. If he was my student I would have given him the boot for being so stupid.

[dimreepr]

Education is no defence against wilful ignorance or a spiteful nature.

[ajb]

Education is no defence against wilful ignorance or a spiteful nature.

True, but I do question the education of this guy!

 

 

Anyway, this is old news, but new to me. I was just shocked by his arguments and that a postgraduate student in science could make such silly claims.

Edited August 15, 2015 by ajb

[John Cuthber]

Well, showing that pi is transcendental is at least confirming something known to be true, though it was known not to be 22/7 since antiquity.

Someone should get him some different magnets to play with.It's possible to magnetise three bars such that each will attract both of the others either way up.

[Fuzzwood]

So his entire physics ramble consists of people being magnets? I totally see us attracting iron now.

[ajb]

The pi thing just shows his amazing ignorance. (Maybe today he has learned more mathematics.)

 

 

So his entire physics ramble consists of people being magnets? I totally see us attracting iron now.

Yes, by some great analogy I guess!

[dimreepr]

“Then, he zeroed in on his research about gay marriage. He said: “In recent time I found that gay marriage,which is homosexuality and lesbianism, is eating deep into the fabric of our human nature all over the world and this was why nations of Sodom and Gomora were destroyed by God because they were into gay practice. That is, a man marrying another man and a woman marrying another woman.”

 

I think I have zeroed in on the problem; he studied the bible far more than his physics text books.

[John Cuthber]

I think it's only fair to point out that the title of the thread is almost certainly misleading.

I have no doubt that this individual is not representative of education at Lagos.

I think he's "special"

[ajb]

I have no doubt that this individual is not representative of education at Lagos.

I think you are right.

[studiot]

One of my best fluid mechanics textbooks at university was

 

Essentials of Engineering Hydraulics by J M Dake of the University of Lagos.

 

So there is proper science conducted there somewhere.

[MonDie]

True, but I do question the education of this guy!

His education... or history of mental illness. Apparently mania may actually aid academic progress, at least until the later years when the disease progresses.

http://psychcentral.com/lib/intelligence-linked-to-bipolar-disorder/

Research has indicated that bipolar disorder may be up to four times more common in young people who were straight-A students.

 

[...]

 

“These data suggest that IQ deficits in bipolar patients are likely to reflect a decline in functioning due to the onset of the disease, and more specifically due to the onset of psychosis.”

 

[Commander]

Natural is Natural and Unnatural is Unnatural ! It all depends on the Nature of the Thinker !

[Unity+]

To be honest, I don't even see the point of making a case at all unless it is affecting the political side of things(or it is infecting science). Simply arguing against it sort of makes it more of a public debate, which it shouldn't be. Clearly the information is incorrect and has no basis, therefore it shouldn't even brought up.

[CharonY]

Well, the displayed biological knowledge is as limited as the mathematical, so at least there is some consistency here.

[ajb]

To be honest, I don't even see the point of making a case at all unless it is affecting the political side of things(or it is infecting science). Simply arguing against it sort of makes it more of a public debate, which it shouldn't be. Clearly the information is incorrect and has no basis, therefore it shouldn't even brought up.

Fair enough... but I am not really interested in his arguments, they are as you say baseless. The thing that amazed me was that as science student could think like this, let alone try to make these thoughts public. This is largely irrespective of the actual subject of his 'proofs'.

 

 

His education... or history of mental illness. Apparently mania may actually aid academic progress...

Okay, bright people do suffer more mental illness, I think this is now fairly well established. However, Amalaha's comments and 'proof' do not suggest a great intelligence level.

 

I don't mean to attack him too personally, but his comments did open himself up for this.

 

 

Of course, in general being educated does not mean that you can never hold views that are 'not exactly intelligent' and make stupid comments. Professor Sir Tim Hunt is a great example of someone who made some silly comments and paid a price for them. I am sure we can find other examples, but what Amalaha said, and the pompous nature of how he said it made me gasp!

[Unity+]

Fair enough... but I am not really interested in his arguments, they are as you say baseless. The thing that amazed me was that as science student could think like this, let alone try to make these thoughts public. This is largely irrespective of the actual subject of his 'proofs'.

 

 

 

Okay, bright people do suffer more mental illness, I think this is now fairly well established. However, Amalaha's comments and 'proof' do not suggest a great intelligence level.

 

I don't mean to attack him too personally, but his comments did open himself up for this.

 

 

Of course, in general being educated does not mean that you can never hold views that are 'not exactly intelligent' and make stupid comments. Professor Sir Tim Hunt is a great example of someone who made some silly comments and paid a price for them. I am sure we can find other examples, but what Amalaha said, and the pompous nature of how he said it made me gasp!

Well I still think the public recognition of it is pretty bad. As they say, any publicity is good publicity.

 

A pompous nature can lead anyone down the road of irrationality as one feels himself or herself above facts.

[ajb]

Unity+, what was your first thought when you read the article?

[MonDie]

Okay, bright people do suffer more mental illness, I think this is now fairly well established. However, Amalaha's comments and 'proof' do not suggest a great intelligence level.

 

I don't mean to attack him too personally, but his comments did open himself up for this.

That's the thing. Bipolar people don't have elevated IQ, and severe mania can involve thought disorders. However mania and hypomania often involve an increased energy level, reduced need for sleep, increased goal-oriented behavior, and delusional over-confidence (grandiosity). This could be why many bipolar patients were over-achievers at one time. Edited August 17, 2015 by MonDie

[John Cuthber]

At the risk of derailing the thread slightly

Natural is Natural and Unnatural is Unnatural ! It all depends on the Nature of the Thinker !

No. It doesn't depend on the nature of the thinker.

Things that happen in nature are natural no matter what you or I think.

 

And homosexuality is fairly common throughout the animal kingdom, but homophobia is entirely artificial.

[ajb]

However mania and hypomania often involve an increased energy level, reduced need for sleep, increased goal-oriented behavior, and delusional over-confidence (grandiosity).

You think Amalaha is mentally ill, rather than just incredibly naive and holds very religious bigoted views?

 

And homosexuality is fairly common throughout the animal kingdom, but homophobia is entirely artificial.

It probabily depends to some extent on your definitions and human sexual behaviour is very diverse and complex. Anyway, I was not intending this thread to end up discussing homosexuality, same sex marriage etc. Our Nigerian friend could have been arguing for or against anything and he would still have shocked me! (Unless he was making a joke, maths and physics jokes are not uncommon in my work place and not all of them are good!)

Edited August 18, 2015 by ajb

[John Cuthber]

Anyway, I was not intending this thread to end up discussing homosexuality, same sex marriage etc.

Indeed, but I was simply pointing out that Commander was factually wrong. Nature and homosexuality are natural whether anyone likes it or not.

[ajb]

Indeed, but I was simply pointing out that Commander was factually wrong. Nature and homosexuality are natural whether anyone likes it or not.

Absolutley, and this was a 'false proof' given by our Nigerian friend. He clearly discounted any evidence that was contrary to his initial premise.

[CharonY]

Also, it should be noted that the nonsense from this student should not be seen as the standard of the whole University (as already noted). In fact the University issued a statement:

 

 

Our attention has been drawn to a publication containing research purportedly written by one of the Part Time Postgraduate Diploma Students in the Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Lagos - Stanley Amalaha, titled “Science of Gay Marriage” in THISDAY Newspapers of 5th September, 2013 and on several blogs on the Internet.

 

 

Although the University is a market place of different views and ideas, its platform should not be used for the propagation of ill-conceived, unsubstantiated and ill-digested opinions that have no basis in rigorous empirical research. The University of Lagos, which stands for excellence in teaching and research, cannot and should not be associated with such puerile and pseudo-scientific postulations.

 

 

Also there a handful of publications out there from the University that are some decently cited (though far from class-leading). Or in other words, crackpots are everywhere and they should not be considered representative of a given population.

If that was the case, imagine what SFN would be considered to be...

Edited August 18, 2015 by CharonY

[MonDie]

Okay, bright people do suffer more mental illness, I think this is now fairly well established. However, Amalaha's comments and 'proof' do not suggest a great intelligence level.

I concede. He doesn't even show the learnedness of someone who was once an enthusiastic learner. But we have to explain how he got his position at Lagos in the first place.

[John Cuthber]

But we have to explain how he got his position at Lagos in the first place.

No, we don't.

Which is just as well, because none of us can.

We can guess if we like but...