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Published On: Fri, Dec 9th, 2016

Scientists unite to attack Richard Dawkins for abuse of science to target the religious

Dozens of British scientists have criticized popular atheist Richard Dawkins for misrepresenting science in his crusade against God and people of faith.

Taking issue with the bestselling author of The God Delusion, one UK physicist, himself a nonbeliever, said: “As a scientist, you’ve got to be very open, and I’m open to people’s belief in religion. … I don’t think we’re in a position to deny anything unless it’s something which is within the scope of science to deny.”

March 2005 photo Christopher G. Street, Bransgore, Dorset, England, UK.

March 2005 photo Christopher G. Street, Bransgore, Dorset, England, UK.

The statements came out of a study carried out by Rice University and University of Nevada concerning “scientists’ perceptions of the role celebrity scientists play in socially contentious public debates.”

Dawkins mentioned by name in the study from the Texas university as 48 biologists and physicists commented on the antics and insults from the well-known figure and 80 percent of their comments were negative.

Findings show that Dawkins’ critics, “who include both religious and nonreligious scientists,” argue that “Dawkins misrepresents science and scientists and reject his approach to public engagement,” the study noted.

“Scientists emphasize promotion of science over the scientist, diplomacy over derision, and dialogue over ideological extremism,” it continued.

Many of the scientists seemed to take issue with Dawkins’ misunderstanding of the boundaries of science and its inherent inability to answer questions beyond its scope, a criticism that has often been leveled against Dawkins as he asserts “FACTS” on evolutionary principles which cannot be tested in a lab, but explained with theory.

The critics note that “The natural sciences do not equip their practitioners to answer questions of meaning, and nor do they ask—let alone answer—questions about ultimate realities. It is outside the scope and methodology of the sciences to do so.”

One of the scientists declared that Dawkins, who often speaks to philosophical and theological questions, “takes the evidence way beyond that which other scientists would regard as possible … I think it’s necessary to understand what science does address directly.”

photo/ 2012 Reason Rally via Flickr

photo/ 2012 Reason Rally via Flickr

 

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About the Author

- Roxanne "Butter" Bracco began with the Dispatch as Pittsburgh Correspondent, but will be providing reports and insights from Washington DC, Maryland and the surrounding region. Contact Roxie aka "Butter" at theglobaldispatch@gmail ATTN: Roxie or Butter Bracco

Displaying 10 Comments
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  1. flafreethinker says:

    This is laughable. Dawkins is brilliant! The only ones against him are the “fake” scientists that want publicity by publicly criticizing him. Maybe some of them are unable to understand the concept of the god delusion. For those of us that can and do, we greatly appreciate Dr Dawkins and his astuteness for reducing religion to where it belongs. In the dumpster.

    • Ray says:

      Dawkins is a hack. Insult, deflect, “rinse and repeat”

      This should be tip of the iceberg for science to distance itself from Dawkins who clings to antiquated theories without being to truly target questions from ID lecturers like Stephen Meyer.

      Good to see your openmindedness with your dumbster remark, stereotypical of this elitst atheist approach to engagement.

      • Justin says:

        The only people who believe in antiquated theories are religious. Dawkins speaks a truth that needs to be given a voice. If your beliefs are strong and true than you have nothing to worry about.

  2. Duncan says:

    Richard Dawkins’ views on Downs Syndrome are offensive, oppressive and dare I say genocidal. He is an unashamed bigot, publicly decrying the employment of a Christian by BBC Breakfast Time and stating rather boldly that his religious beliefs should lead to the denial of employment. He is demented; no genuinely intelligent person who has encountered him online has failed to see this. Finally, while I do disagree that atheism is comparable to a religion, Richard Dawkins posting physics articles to his Twitter page is basically like Britain First posting pictures of kittens.

  3. wesley says:

    I can’t believe how other scientists can say that Dawkins misrepresents science, he always answers the arguments with real science. Reading this all I can understand is that people hate Dawkins because hr breaks with the beliefs of them and finally puts creationists against arguments well made.

    . Wesley,17 – São Paulo, Brazil

    • Sarah says:

      The point is Wesley, you wouldn’t know real science from Dawkins ideology of stupidity. Just look at where atheism is free to propagate its utter stupidity, that would be in academia, most if not all university campuses are places where Marxism is propagated and if you survive that they are places where common sense goes to die, well-done atheists, you have ruined Europe and academia or let’s just say wherever you have freedom to propagate your utter stupidity. Science is now seen as a just-so-story group. Do you want to tell me the just-so-story of climate change, what about macroevolution where the fossil record screams out to any enquiring mind the lack of any credible evidence where the evidence should be plentiful. Sadly Dawkins turned his science into an overplayed pop song that has had its day. I applaud the scientist who called him out but the question needs to be asked why wait until the senile old man had done the damage.

  4. Ray McCormick says:

    More LIES from the Religious fundamentalists .

  5. Thomas Fisher says:

    The man is an utter fool .

  6. John Reynolds says:

    Do you know how many scientists there are in the UK? I think a little bit more than dozens! In other words this is anti-Dawkins propaganda.

    • Sarah says:

      A typical new atheist can’t use logic and reason.
      So what these 12 scientists said had no basis in science? Really?

      Explain to me which bits went against the scientific method or if it helps tell me were Dawkins comments can be proven to be correct using the scientific method?

      Why not just give me the evidence atheism is true and correct as that will be a good start.

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