Art Caplan: ‘Expelled’ isn't just bad, it's immoral

[Cross-posted from blog.bioethics.net]

Over at MSNBC, Art writes that Ben Stein's intelligent design documentary is not just bad -- it's immoral:

Rarely has a movie subtitle so capably assessed a movie’s content as does "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed." There is not a shred of intelligence on display in this just released "documentary" purporting to be a careful examination of the fight over teaching creationism and evolution in America.

The movie seeks to explain why, as a matter of freedom of speech, intelligent design should be taught in America’s science classrooms and presented in America’s publicly funded science museums. But what is really on display in this film is a toxic mishmash of persecution fantasies, disconnected and inappropriate references to fallen communist regimes and their leaders and a very repugnant form of Holocaust denial from the monotone big mouth Ben Stein.

(read the rest)

Following up on the Expelled Manufactroversy

In a follow-up to our Kathryn's earlier posts on manufactroversy and Ben Stein's Expelled, I thought our readers might enjoy reading what Andrea Thompson of the Live Science Blog had to say about the movie Expelled:

"If you’re heading out to the movie theater this weekend, I wouldn’t recommend spending your money on 'Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed,' the latest attempt by the intelligent design movement to infiltrate science classrooms and labs with a decidedly unscientific idea.

The movie bills itself as a documentary, though as the New York Times review quite aptly put it, the film is more like 'a conspiracy-theory rant masquerading as investigative inquiry.' "

Thompson's commentary includes reference to Sciam's excellent Six Things in Expelled That Ben Stein Doesn't Want You to Know... and the review by Richard Dawkins’ and the one by biologist and blogger PZ Myers. She also does a great job in pointing the reader to explanations of evolution (and some of the varying ideas about it), at this article or this one. And for a discussion of intelligent design, check out this piece.

All in all, the piece echoes Sciam's review, accessible here. And if you want a little chuckle, check out Youtube parody, Sexpelled:

Manufactroversy

Leah Ceccarelli has just penned a fascinating analysis of how so-called scientific controversies are created to serve political purposes:

"With all the sophisticated sophistry besieging mass audiences today, there is a need for the study of rhetoric now more than ever before.  This is especially the case when it comes to the contemporary assault on science known as manufactured controversy:  when significant disagreement doesn't exist inside the scientific community, but is successfully invented for a public audience to achieve specific political ends.  Three recent examples of manufactured controversy are global warming skepticism, AIDS dissent in South Africa, and the intelligent design movement's 'teach the controversy' campaign."

The entire essay was published in the science policy journal of the Center for American Progress.  Dr.  Ceccarelli is an associate professor in the Communications Department at the University of Washington.  She reaches rhetoric and is the author of the award winning book Shaping Science with Rhetoric.