I think that begs the question, in a sense. You say, "If he has said anything about science that is antithetical to sound science, that would be a fair ground of criticism." Mr. Collins states that he believes in the virgin birth. Is that antithetical to sound science?
I don't really want to get into a religious debate or comment on the validity of Mr. Collins's specific beleifs. I want to know when someone's advocacy of ideas that are antithetical to a profession can be used to disqualify that person (legally). You can change the hypothetical if you want. A faith-healer that is applying to be Surgeon General? A On Thu, Aug 6, 2009 at 4:41 PM, Douglas Laycock <layco...@umich.edu> wrote: > The alleged "ideas that are antithetical to the values underlying the job" > are simply his religion. Some consider his religion antithetical; he does > not. It is not antithetical unless you accept certain other assumptions > about the relation between religion and science -- assumptions that his > critics adopt but that he rejects. > > If he has said anything about science that is antithetical to sound > science, that would be a fair ground of criticism. But if he is sound when > he talks about science, and the only evidence against him is the inferences > people draw when he talks about religion, that is simply a religious > disqualification. > > > > > > Quoting Anthony Decinque <anthony.decin...@gmail.com>: > > > Francis Collins has been selected to be the head of NIH, where he will > have > > substantial authority to allocate the nation?s scientific research > funding. > > There are a few criticisms of Mr. Collins being made regarding his > religion.. > > > > > > For this list, I wanted to set aside a specific criticism. Specifically, > > let?s ignore criticisms based on Mr. Collins using his government > position > > to promote religion. (For example, if Mr. Collins were to give a speech, > as > > head of the Human Genome Project, claiming that DNA is evidence for God.) > > > > Instead, I wanted to get the list?s opinion on a different criticism. > This > > criticism goes like this: (1) science is a product of another, deeper, > more > > important feature ? skeptical thinking; (2) Mr. Collins does not practice > > skeptical thinking; (3) in fact, Mr. Collins has made many statements > > undermining and contradicting skeptical thinking. Therefore, the > criticism > > goes, Mr. Collins should not be the head of NIH because he undermines > what > > science is all about. > > > > To get a flavor of the criticism, you can read this > > piece< > http://www.reasonproject.org/archive/item/the_strange_case_of_francis_collins2/>by<http://www.reasonproject.org/archive/item/the_strange_case_of_francis_collins2/%3Eby> > > Sam Harris. > > It is an elaboration of a NY Times editorial Mr. Harris recently > > authored. In > > response, biologist Kenneth Miller wrote in the NY Times that Mr. Harris > has > > ?deeply held prejudices against religion? and opposes Mr. Collins merely > > because ?he is a Christian.? > > > > What does the list think? Should it be acceptable for an employer to > > discriminate against a job candidate on the grounds that the candidate > > believes, practices, and advocates for ideas that are antithetical to the > > values underlying the job? (Again, assuming that the candidate would not > > otherwise abuse the post and would generally do a fine administrative > job.) > > > > > > > > Thanks, > > > > Anthony DeCinque > > > > > > Douglas Laycock > Yale Kamisar Collegiate Professor of Law > University of Michigan Law School > 625 S. State St. > Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1215 > 734-647-9713 > > _______________________________________________ > To post, send message to Religionlaw@lists.ucla.edu > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change options, or get password, see > http://lists.ucla.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/religionlaw > > Please note that messages sent to this large list cannot be viewed as > private. Anyone can subscribe to the list and read messages that are > posted; people can read the Web archives; and list members can (rightly or > wrongly) forward the messages to others. >
_______________________________________________ To post, send message to Religionlaw@lists.ucla.edu To subscribe, unsubscribe, change options, or get password, see http://lists.ucla.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/religionlaw Please note that messages sent to this large list cannot be viewed as private. Anyone can subscribe to the list and read messages that are posted; people can read the Web archives; and list members can (rightly or wrongly) forward the messages to others.
