Creationist Belief Precludes Credibility On Science Issues

It is tough defending the position that Scientific American was right to fire Forrest Mims as the author of "The Amateur Scientist" column. Mims meets one of the central requirements of the job--he is a competent amateur scientist. He is also an excellent writer, as anyone who has had the pleasure of reading any of his numerous popular science writings can attest. Not only does Mims have many of the requisite credentials for the job, it is no fun defending the conduct of those at Scientific Am

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Not only does Mims have many of the requisite credentials for the job, it is no fun defending the conduct of those at Scientific American who gave him the boot. Having discovered that Mims is a creationist, the magazine's staff went on to ask him some obviously inappropriate questions about his views concerning abortion, subsequently and inexcusably killed off "The Amateur Scientist" column, and, judging from media reports that I've read, continue to manifest the alacrity of an ostrich under predatory attack in defending the decision to let Mims go.

Forrest Mims does not need me to toss encomiums in his path. Ever since he was fired, he has received an outpouring of unqualified support. Everyone from the American Civil Liberties Union to the American Association for the Advancement of Science apparently believes that dropping Mims as a columnist is nothing short of invidious religious discrimination.

When religion and science ...

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  • Arthur Caplan

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