Thursday, October 1, 2009

Are scientists suppressing the truth?

Expelled! No Intelligence allowed is a documentary about Intelligent Design that generated significant controversy in the US. It is about to be shown in some commercial movie theatres in Australia. The movie synopsis is:

Big science has expelled smart ideas from the classroom... What they forgot is that every generation has its Rebel! That rebel, Ben Stein (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and The Wonder Years) travels the world on his quest, and learns an awe- inspiring truth... that educators, scientists and philosophers are being ridiculed, denied employment, and even fired – for merely believing that there might be evidence of "design" in nature. Many are being ostracized for proposing that perhaps life is not just the result of accidental, random chance. This thought- provoking documentary not only forces us to question what we have been taught but challenges us to ask, "What else is being kept from us?" Ben says "Enough" – And NOBODY messes with Ben.

Here is a critical and thoughtful review of the movie by one Christian scientist, Jeffrey Schloss.

Iwill just add a couple of points.

I am a Christian and a scientist who works in a secular public university. Yet, I am unaware of the systemic "silences" and "persecutions" that the movie claims occur in the scientific community.

The best way to get ahead in science is to overturn some reigning theory or paradigm. This is what ambitious young scientists are trying to do all the time. Consequently, there are no "closed ranks" or "conspiracies of silence".

No comments:

Post a Comment