Recently, Dr. Wolf-Ekkehard Loennig, a JW working in a leading position at the Gene-Science-Department at the Max-Planck-Institute, has been banned from the Institute's WebSite for spreading his view about Evolution. He promotes the so called "Intelligents Design".

Max-Planck-Institute calles this Creationism in disguise. They said they ridiculed themselves by letting him keep on. Despite he had the support of his boss, Loennig's WebSite is now gone and subject to investigation.

I am not competent in discussing the topic on this level but I prefer a dialogue to a ban. It seems the Max-Planck-Institute has run short on arguments.

You find Loennig private WebSite here:
http://www.we-loennig.de/

You find a discussion of the ban (in German) here:
http://www.vdbiol.de/debatten/evolution/evolution.html

Well, I only read english, but I think I can understand a scientist being banned from a website for espousing 'intelligent design'.  It would be similar to banning someone for espousing flat-earthism or Lamarksim.  There is really no need to discuss such non-scientific theories.  Perhaps they are worried that his contributions will tarnish their reputation?  Intelligent design is a 'god of the gaps' theory - which means it is not a scientific theory.  Thus, it has no place on a science institution's website.  If a falsifiable scientific theory of 'intelligent design' could be developed, then it might be worth discussing.

rem

You may laugh about the paradoxon but Dr. Loennig is a JW and he is head of the Genetic Department of the Max-Planck-Institut.

Ed,

The difference is that "science" relies on objective evidence for promotion of views, whereas religion promotes blind belief.  Anyone who could take creationism seriously cannot practice high level science, such as genetic research.  It would be like hiring someone who doesn't believe the Holocaust ever happened to be in charge of the Holocaust Memorial Museum.  That's how ridiculous it would be.

Bradley

But once again you get an elite group of people deciding how that data must be interpreted. You have some "outlandish" explanation of how these numbers could mean something other than our version?  No diploma for you!!  

Tell me how that sort of mind-set helps anyone in the quest for knowledge any more than the threat of excommunication helps people discern the Bible's message more clearly.

 

Spoken as a true non-scientist.  Obviously this person has no idea what science is and has no real experience with scientific method or peer review.  It's like listening to a highschool dropout actor try to discuss foreign policy. 

rem

Okay, here's how we were taught to do scientific experiments when I was in high school:

1) Be told the purpose AND RESULT of the experiment
2) Perform the experiment in such a way as to achieve that result
3) Write that result on the exam paper or be marked 'wrong'

Oh, and my science teachers were a bunch of humourless cretins too, so maybe that has something to do with my attitude. Whatever.

REM,

I just love your stuff and your intellect.

As you stated science teachers in high school are not scientists. They have minimal training. His project while interesting and perhaps rigorous, was not real science of any magnitude either.

Hey Ed,

I do real science in the field of Psychology in the area of psychological tests and measurements, and on the reliability of human judgement.

Would you like to discuss it with me??????

My research will change the text books of the future. Trust me on this one.

Ed, You are probably a nice guy, but you are in way over your head here. AlanF, MS in Electrical Engineering from MIT, Farkel, an expert computer programer and a classical pianist have not shown up yet. Well, I could name others, but I think you get the point.

Ed, I don't mean to hurt your feelings or drive you away. I just want you to get a real taste of reality on your journey through life.

What have I said that you disagree with?   I only pointed out that people who propose viewpoints that differ significantly from the norm tend to meet a similar fate in both science and religion   -  shunning/merciless ridicule.  

Anyway, I'm not against science or the pursuit of knowledge.  Just the "more-highly-evolved-than-thou" attitude that often seems to go with it. 

Larc,

I just today had a good laugh when I remembered your story of 'beating the sh*t out of' a group of research subjects.

Are you going to tell that story again? So, you beat the sh*t out of them, then test their judgement?

LOL

 

cellmould