Posted on 01/31/2005 12:15:48 PM PST by Grey Rabbit
WND EVOLUTION WATCH Smithsonian in uproar over intelligent-design article Museum researcher's career threatened after he published favorable piece Posted: January 29, 2005 1:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
The career of a prominent researcher at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in Washington is in jeopardy after he published a peer-reviewed article by a leading proponent of intelligent design, an alternative to evolutionary theory dismissed by the science and education establishment as a tool of religious conservatives.
Stephen Meyer's article advocates the theory of intelligent design. (Photo courtesy Discovery Institute)
Richard Sternberg says that although he continues to work in the museum's Department of Zoology, he has been kicked out of his office and shunned by colleagues, prompting him to file a complaint with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel.
Sternberg charges he was subjected to discrimination on the basis of perceived religious beliefs.
"I'm spending my time trying to figure out how to salvage a scientific career," Sternberg told David Klinghoffer, a columnist for the Jewish Forward, who reported the story in the Wall Street Journal.
Sternberg is managing editor of a nominally independent journal published at the museum, Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. His trouble started when he included in the August issue a review-essay by Stephen Meyer, who holds a Cambridge University doctorate in the philosophy of biology.
Hans Sues, the museum's No. 2 senior scientist, denounced Meyer's article in a widely forwarded e-mail as "unscientific garbage."
According to Sternberg's complaint, which is being investigated, one museum specialist chided him by saying: "I think you are a religiously motivated person and you have dragged down the Proceedings because of your religiously motivated agenda."
Sternberg strongly denies that.
While acknowledging he is a Catholic who attends Mass, he says, "I would call myself a believer with a lot of questions, about everything. I'm in the postmodern predicament."
The complaint says the chairman of the Zoology Department, Jonathan Coddington, called Sternberg's supervisor to look into the matter.
"First, he asked whether Sternberg was a religious fundamentalist. She told him no. Coddington then asked if Sternberg was affiliated with or belonged to any religious organization. ... He then asked where Sternberg stood politically; ... he asked, 'Is he a right-winger? What is his political affiliation?'
The supervisor recounted the conversation to Sternberg, who also quotes her observing: "There are Christians here, but they keep their heads down."
The complaint, according to the Journal column, says Coddington took away Sternberg's office, which prevents access to the specimen collections he needs. Sternberg also was assigned to the close oversight of a curator with whom he had professional disagreements unrelated to evolution.
"I'm going to be straightforward with you," said Coddington, according to the complaint. "Yes, you are being singled out."
Meyer's article, "The Origin of Biological Information and the Higher Taxonomic Categories," cites mainstream biologists and paleontologists from schools such as the University of Chicago, Yale, Cambridge and Oxford who are critical of certain aspects of Darwinism.
Meyer a fellow at Seattle's Discovery Institute, a leading advocate of intelligent design contends supporters of Darwin's theory cannot explain how so many different animal types sprang into existence during the relatively short period of Earth history known as the Cambrian explosion.
He argues the Darwinian mechanism would require more time for the necessary genetic "information" to be generated, and intelligent design offers a better explanation.
The Journal notes Meyer's piece is the first peer-reviewed article to appear in a technical biology journal laying out the evidential case for intelligent design.
The theory holds that the complex features of living organisms, such as an eye, are better explained by an unspecified designing intelligence than by random mutation and natural selection.
Klinghoffer notes the Biological Society of Washington released a statement regretting its association with Meyer's article but did not address its arguments.
Klinghoffer points out the circularity of the arguments of critics who insisted intelligent design was unscientific because if had not been put forward in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.
"Now that it has," he wrote, "they argue that it shouldn't have been because it's unscientific."
Thus, Meyer has proved the existence of God.
Was'nt this the same Smithsonian that didn't believe the Wright Brothers had flown at Kitty Hawk?
As late as the 18th century, it was common knowledge that human flight was impossible. Now Meyer thinks Evolution is impossible, simply because he can't figure it out.
Meyer is a flightless bird called a "Dodo".
Narby, intelligent design is a fact of life. You guys are gonna have to accept that and modify your arguments. Allele frequencies are changed by bioengineers rather often these days.
Instead of asking those specific questions, it should have been: "Is there any agenda here other than good science?"
You're assuming the Creator intended your physical body to live forever. Seeing how arrogant some people can become in just one little short life span (not directed at you), which is nothing more than the blink of an eye, I'm not surprised that the Creator didn't intend that.
I suppose these IDers think that the CIA created the HIV virus (back in the day before gene splicing technology existed).
After all, it's impossible for HIV to have just EVOLVED from another virus. [/sarcasm]
Your argument is with the Constitution. Coddington has no right to inquire about a public employees religion or political leanings and if you think he does you are on the wrong website.
I found it highly interesting that he would use a man's religion and his politics as a weathervane as to whether this man should be disregarded and destroyed at the very outset.
To deny that there is Political Correctness (read: bigotry) in the 'scientific' community is to deny the obvious.
Much as I expected, thanks for the article. I imainge now the Michael Behe's of the world will be referencing this article ad nausea despite its questionable admittance. Its amazing how selective the memories are of the IDers.
"After all, it's impossible for HIV to have just EVOLVED from another virus. [/sarcasm]"
It's when the little bugger evolves into something with wings, gills, or little padded feet that I'm interested in. Until then, I'm not worried about it's adaptation. (thanks orionblamblam)
That Allele frequencies are changed isn't the question. It's how the get changed that is the question, and you apparently believe that God was too stupid to use Evolution in order to do His work.
Don't look now, but I hope you do realize that one of the most common tools used by biologists to change gene sequences is to Evolve them. The only difference being that it is a "human selection" rather than a Darwinian "natural selection". The same biological operations are otherwise the same.
Right. Which is why God gives kids cancer -- to prevent them from becoming arrogant.
What genius!
What are you? Some kind of troll?
What better way to make conservative republicans look stupid than promoting a six day creation.
You use the term "left wing dogma" to describe a science that has nothing whatever to do with politics.
Creationism will do damage to conservative politics like Gay Marriage has done to the dems.
We've got more important political fish to fry here folks that this old creationism fight that Christians have lost for over 100 years now. We need to do more constructive things like getting good judges confirmed to the supreme court.
He does have a right and a duty to ensure that his employees conduct science without an agenda. I don't trust the conversation as related in this piece (which clearly has an agenda), for it is clear that Coddington is violating employee rights. However, if Coddington had asked: "Is he trying to insert either his religious or political beliefs into his work?" Coddington would be doing his proscribed duty.
Frightening when atheists have someone stating the obvious ... God created all we see and don't see. They behave as badly as godless liberals.
Yes, and I'm certain that they're good questions and that seeking the answers will make you a happier person; none of which changes the fact that they DON'T BELONG IN A PEER REVEIWED SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL!
Well another assumer make an ass of himself. Such is life.
Don't look now, but I hope you do realize that one of the most common tools used by biologists to change gene sequences is to Evolve them. The only difference being that it is a "human selection" rather than a Darwinian "natural selection". The same biological operations are otherwise the same
Your statement is false and your dogma is that of the neo Luddite. Evolution is a different mechanism from gene splicing. E=RM/NS, GS=DM/US
You're right. WorldNetDaily's editor, Joe Farah has had a pro ID agenda for years. I believe the newspaper could have been a genuinely significant force in the political world, but by hawking this agenda (and the books, DVD's, etc.) Farah has dumbed down his reading audience. I haven't read WND for years because of this crap.
Very good selective reading. I said that "one of the most common tools used by biologists to change gene sequences is to Evolve them". I didn't say the "only" tool.
And my understanding of process of actual "gene splicing" is that subsequent to the splitting and inserting of the foreign gene, the sample is grown and selected for the desired trait. I.E. it is "Evolved". This is necessary because the vast majority of splices fail, and the successful ones must be selected using the same process as Gods "Natural selection".
Human selection vs. Natural selection. I'm amazed you think that God cannot do what humans can.
How little you must think God is.
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