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Rather than get in a "what is science" debate with
you or Leiter, I should note that law professors throw around terms like fraud
at their own peril. That said, as a committed believer in the existence of
an intelligent designer (that is, God), I actually thought Leiter did a good job
of "fisking" the law student's book review.
But, perhaps the old adage about bees and honey
would have helped Leiter persuade a bit more? Instead, he has cemented his
online reputation as an unrepentant crank. Not a terribly attractive
academic pose ...
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, March 15, 2004 5:44
PM
Subject: Re: NRO Article
I suppose one could point to the failure to examine the
premises of Beckwith's book may be one. Passing off as a scholarly examination
something which is really an apologist's essay may be a bit fraudulent. Sorta
like pretending many commentators are in fact reporters. Though I don't
believe that opinions can be fully separated from facts or vice versa, I do
think we have an obligation to at least try to make clear what we are doing
and why. That seems to me to be the bigger problem with this
polemic.
BTW, while one may believe that intelligent design is not
completely excludable as a possibility by evolution theories, that belief does
not make it science. And much of the so-called evidence for intelligent design
and supposedly against evolution has in fact been rebutted many times over.
And presenting it as though it were all correct or valid science could be a
species of that protean concept of fraud.
Biological science, at least
at the pre-college level, is not about philosophical possibilities. And we
ought not require science teachers to enter that minefield more than
necessary.
Steve
On Monday, March 15, 2004, at 05:24 PM,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
"And let none of the many law professors who are readers of this
site be mistaken: Mr. VanDyke has perpetrated a scholarly fraud, one that
may have political and pedagogical consequences (italics
mine)."
What is the specific fraud that Leiter complains
about?
Bobby
Robert Justin
Lipkin
Professor of Law
Widener University School of
Law
Delaware
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--
Prof. Steven D. Jamar vox: 202-806-8017
Howard University School of Law
fax: 202-806-8567
2900 Van Ness Street NW mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Washington,
DC 20008
http://www.law.howard.edu/faculty/pages/jamar/
"The
modern trouble is in a low capacity to believe in precepts which restrict and
restrain private interests and desires."
Walter
Lippmann
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