Re: A stronger will than mine.

NICHOLLS PHILIP A (pn8886@thor.albany.edu)
Wed, 27 Apr 94 03:02:06 GMT

In article <2pgg6f$koc@nova.umd.edu> cm315c09@nova.umd.edu (5121 Student 09) writes:
>Let's pretend I am a young, up-and-coming anthropologist, digging
>for fossils in the Rift Valley. I come across something that
>may show that man spent some time in the water.
>
>Knowing that the entire anthropology communittee will hold me
>in contempt, ridicule me, and label me a quack - what do I do?
>
>Having received my education in an environment of close-mindedness,
>defensiveness and one-upmanship - would I even be able to overcome
>my preconceptions to recognize the evidence before me?
>
>Perhaps I would need to keep my ideas well hidden, until I have
>established myself as a notable scientist. After years of not
>upsetting the apple cart, maybe I could risk coming forward with
>anything less than an ape fossil with fins.
>
>
>I came to this newsgroup with an open mind. I have learned a
>great deal, but what I am really interested in is some reasonable
>description of human evolution. I can certainly understand why
>no one is willing to put forth their own such description - because
>they will be met not with reasonable discussion, but by passionate
>ridicule.
>

In a pervious post I outlined the characteristics of pseudoscience
advocates. The above post follows the profile I offered almost
to the letter. The author is now essentially stating that the
reason no hard evidence exists to support the aquatic ape is that
there is some kind of censorship of young, unestablished scientists
by older ones. Now, to some extent this is true, but it is also
true that there is signficant incentive for "young turks" to
challange the established order and try to bring it down. The
history of science has countless examples of this occurring.

Having now raised the charge of censorship, this AAT proponent
has now joined the ranks of those who found Velikofsky, Eric
Von Dannikan and Scientific Creationism compelling alternatives
to conventional science.

I hate to say I told you so, but ...

-- 

Philip Nicholls                   "To ask a question,

Department of Anthropology         you must first know

SUNY Albany                        most of the answer."

pn8886@thor.albany.edu