RE: [asa] Secret Emails Reveal How ISU Faculty Plotted to Deny Distinguished Astronomer Tenure

We seem to be getting involved in semantics: the meaning of the word
science. We shouldn't dismiss something just because it isn't science.
Scientific discoveries have affected people's philosophical views. The
claim that science shows that something is designed is not itself science.
Likewise the claim that science shows that something is an accident (i.e.
not designed) is not science, but the fact that such conclusions are not
science is not a logical reason for rejecting them.

Gordon Brown (ASA member)

On Fri, 7 Dec 2007, John Walley wrote:

>
> For GG to conclude a designer from all the just right characteristics of the
> universe is just as "scientific" as a jury finding Wayne Williams guilty of
> capital murder based on carpet fiber evidence.
>
> This is the hypocrisy of academia and those that deny the overwhelmingly
> obvious implications of the anthropic principle (aka, design inference) in
> nature.
>
> John
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu [mailto:asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu] On
> Behalf Of PvM
> Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2007 11:07 PM
> To: John Walley
> Cc: _American Sci Affil
> Subject: Re: [asa] Secret Emails Reveal How ISU Faculty Plotted to Deny
> Distinguished Astronomer Tenure
>
> What I find so fascinating is how the media has mostly refused to
> accept the claims by the Discovery Institute and I have looked at some
> of this supposed evidence and found that the arguments are pretty weak
> at best.
>
> Sure, Gonzalez's involvement with Intelligent Design were a concern to
> the faculty but the Discovery Institute is making some assertions
> which I find poorly supported by the evidence. Some people have looked
> at the publication record of Gonzalez (and Behe) and found a
> remarkable trend.
>
> Also interesting is how Rosenberg was quoted and what the full quote
> revealed
>
> <quote>
> "Contrary to his public statements, and those of ISU President
> Gregory Geoffroy, the chairman of ISU's Department of Physics and
> Astronomy, Dr. Eli Rosenberg, stated in Dr. Gonzalez's tenure dossier
> that Dr. Gonzalez's support for intelligent design 'disqualifies him
> from serving as a science educator.'"
>
> <quote>
> The full context of that quotation is:
>
> <quote> "on numerous occasions, Dr. Gonzalez has stated that
> Intelligent Design is a scientific theory and someday would be taught
> in science classrooms. This is confirmed by his numerous postings on
> the Discovery Institute Web site. The problem here is that Intelligent
> Design is not a scientific theory. Its premise is beyond the realm of
> science. . But it is incumbent on a science educator to clearly
> understand and be able to articulate what science is and what it is
> not. The fact that Dr. Gonzalez does not understand what constitutes
> both science and a scientific theory disqualifies him from serving as
> a science educator."
> </quote>
>
> Now the DI may be able to help Gonzalez by arguing that this was
> religious discrimination but that would involve accepting that ID is
> religious. Not a very palatable choice. Instead, the DI seems to have
> moved from tenure to viewpoint discrimination and hostile workplace.
> Again, not a very plausible argument either.
>
> The DI attempted to generate media interest in the Gonzalez case and
> failed, outside Iowa few noticed and within Iowa the reception was
> mixed.
> They lost in the scientific arena, they are losing in the media arena,
> and they are losing amongst conservatives.
>
>
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Received on Fri Dec 7 13:52:48 2007