WHILE DARWIN CENTRAL has usually concerned itself with the bloviations of politicians who say silly and stupid things about science, we should stop and note that this is, in fact, very much a two-way street. You don’t have to look very hard to find scientists saying silly and stupid things about political matters — hell, you’ve got a 50-50 shot with any random Pharyngula post — but today we at least have something fresh.
Via the inestimable Right Wing Professor comes an editorial in the latest issue of Nature, “Revival in Iran”. It’s not yet available to non-subscribers, alas, meaning that for the moment the foolishness is somewhat contained, but we can give a taste, at least. From the desk of Sarah Tomlin, Commentary Editor:
Perhaps the rise of science relates to the importance that Iran’s government attaches to the development of nuclear technology. Many regard Iran’s interest in these technologies with extreme suspicion. Nonetheless, Iran’s embrace of science should be welcomed.
See, the important thing is that they’re doing science, not why they want it. Got it?
One practical advantage for science in Muslim countries is the lack of direct interference of religious doctrine, such as exists in many Christian countries. There has never, for example, been a debate about darwinian evolution, and human embryonic stem-cell research is constrained by humanistic rather than religious ethics.
So when it’s reported here and here that human cloning experiments are banned by the Iranian religious authorities, that’s what…humanistic ethics at work? We especially like the quote in this article, from the heretofore-unknown humanist Abdullah bin Abdul Mohsen Al-Turki, secretary-general of the Muslim World League: “The international community should stand up to the heresy of … human cloning which … violates divine laws.”
Well, there you go. Of course, the important thing is not whether the Nature commentary is true or accurate or what-have-you. No, the important thing is that they found an excuse for the obligatory “we suck!” article, casting their own politicians as Inquisitors for daring to suggest that there might be moral questions attached to some of these issues. As opposed to the wonderfully enlightened Iranians, naturally.
Ah, well — science marches on. Nature might be marching it into a morass of stupidity, but it marches on nonetheless…
sadly, few realize that acheiving expertise in one field does not automatically qualify one to speak on any other field. very sadly, those who earn such expertise are no more likely to realise this fact than is a layman. this Commentary Editor has demonstrated a very simple truth: on matters beyond her bailiwick, a silly bint with a PhD remains a silly bint.
I assumed that having been badly wrong about evolution, she couldn’t have also been badly wrong about stem cells. Stupid assumption.
I wonder will Nature publish a correction?
Apparently the job of Nature editor no longer encompasses anything so mundane as fact-checking – as long as your heart is in the left place, that’s good enough.
I’ll look for a correction, but I wouldn’t wait by the phone for it…