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1/31/2003 09:34:00 PM | Brad Plumer

re: Creationism

The professor, Michael Dini, writes: "If you set up an appointment to discuss the writing of a letter of recommendation, I will ask you: "How do you think the human species originated?" If you cannot truthfully and forthrightly affirm a scientific answer to this question, then you should not seek my recommendation for admittance to further education in the biomedical sciences."

Wow. I was unaware that scientists had eschewed the scientific method in favor of "truthful and forthright affirmation," especially when it comes to a theory very much up for dispute and discussion. So much for intellectual standards. Hey, maybe Professor Dini can set up a prayer circle for all his acolytes, hold their hands and thunder down his edicts from on high. Dini is speaking, folks! Rapture and affirmation for everyone!

What a crock. Dini sounds like nothing more than an insecure, second-rate scientist with a chip on his shoulder, clamoring for attention. On his website he adds, "It is easy to imagine how physicians who ignore or neglect the Darwinian aspects of medicine or the evolutionary origin of humans can make bad clinical decisions." Prove it.

Update: I did some searching, and it looks like Mr. Dini was a longtime member of a Roman Catholic teaching order. (Link to his autobiography here.) Hmmm.... I suppose it would be too presumptuous to think he might have an axe to grind? (Oops, Update 2, I didn't realize that Volokh had found this out already)

Update 3: I'm just going to link to Mark Kleiman, who basically agrees with me, only with less acidity and more intelligence. The salient quote: "It's the required confession of faith that sticks in my craw." Yup. Science professors should not be eliciting kowtows and hallelujahs.



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