There’s been some recent comment activity in my Scientists can’t get it right in their own field let alone others post; it includes some of my thoughts which really need their own posts, but I just hadn’t gotten around to ‘em yet.
I frequently argue that scientists who start putting forth notions that are outside their field of specialty, especially when their notions are significantly divergent from the experts in the field they are venturing into, should sit down and shut up.
Imagine a marine biologist, for example, putting forth the claim that the theory of relativity is wrong because physicists misunderstand basic optics. Of course, they are free to do so, but the burden of proof is upon them. Given that this is a field of hard science, they will find it difficult to do so (although, even if they can show some evidence, it is highly doubtful that the scientific powers that be, i.e. review boards, would allow them to publish the conjecture).
So, you only find scientists publicly putting forth universally rejected notions in fields where they are confident that nobody will be able to issue a formal proof that the the notions are blatantly wrong. Hence the spate of atheistic scientists spewing their anti-religion bullshit in the popular press. No need for peer review within the field of theology, no danger of being proven to be a raving lunatic, just sit back and let the profits from publishing bestsellers roll in. Any game that has the ability to provide positive benefits without any risk of loss is a good game to play. (more…)
This has got to be the funniest thing I’ve seen this week. You see, there’s a movie coming out in February 2008 which was co-written by and stars Ben Stein. It’s called “EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed” [trailer]. It is evidently about how even the mere concept of an intelligent creator has been effectively banned, and how any current-day teacher or scientist faces career suicide by publicly admitting to holding that concept. From the movie’s website:
[…] educators and scientists are being ridiculed, denied tenure and even fired – for the “crime” of merely believing that there might be evidence of “design” in nature, and that perhaps life is not just the result of accidental, random chance.
Of course, in the bigger picture, there’s nothing new there. Educators and scientists who have ideas contrary to the generally accepted “knowledge” have been screwed over since the beginning of time. And not just by outside influences, such as religion, but by their own peers. I’m sure Georg Cantor could provide some insight to the issue if his voice were to be heard.
Now this movie hasn’t even come out yet, so whatever grains of truth that it may or may not yield is speculation. But, speaking directly to the exact point I suspect the movie is trying to make, the self-righteous folk over at Pharyngula are all in a twitter.
