Creationist Behe dropped by his own University Department

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psi29a
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Creationist Behe dropped by his own University Department

Post by psi29a »

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/01/books ... ins-t.html
I had expected to be as irritated by Michael Behe’s second book as by his first. I had not expected to feel sorry for him. The first — “Darwin’s Black Box” (1996), which purported to make the scientific case for “intelligent design” — was enlivened by a spark of conviction, however misguided. The second is the book of a man who has given up. Trapped along a false path of his own rather unintelligent design, Behe has left himself no escape. Poster boy of creationists everywhere, he has cut himself adrift from the world of real science. And real science, in the shape of his own department of biological sciences at Lehigh University, has publicly disowned him, via a remarkable disclaimer on its Web site: “While we respect Prof. Behe’s right to express his views, they are his alone and are in no way endorsed by the department. It is our collective position that intelligent design has no basis in science, has not been tested experimentally and should not be regarded as scientific.” As the Chicago geneticist Jerry Coyne wrote recently, in a devastating review of Behe’s work in The New Republic, it would be hard to find a precedent.
:pwned:

Considered by most the poster child of the creationist movement as to give some scientific credibility to the cause, Behe was dropped not only by his University but also had his work peer reviewed by not just Dawkins but by his own peers. All of which has said in so many words, "You dug yourself your own grave".
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Re: Creationist Behe dropped by his own University Department

Post by War Machine »

PWNED!
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Re: Creationist Behe dropped by his own University Department

Post by guywildman »

While I disagree with behe's claims about intelligent design and find the logic behind the many explanations of why his theories are wrong, is it really okay to fire a man based on religious beliefs?
I hate to play devils advocate and do find behe morally reprehensible myself but I don't think that someone speaking freely about his religious beliefs should be ground for termination.
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psi29a
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Re: Creationist Behe dropped by his own University Department

Post by psi29a »

not on the grounds of religion, but because he put his beliefs before his work which means he put supernatural before natural causes which is the antithesis of being a scientist.

bottom line is that you can't assume anything in the lab, especially when pursuing 'natural philosophy' which removes the assumption of the supernatural.
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Re: Creationist Behe dropped by his own University Department

Post by MsNomer »

Also, I would be concerned if my professor was supposed to be giving me an education in the science of certain things and had to sit through lectures that disavowed the scientific method in deference to imaginary friends.
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