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Canadian Federal Agency Does ID Right

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McGill University’s Professor Brian Alters proposed a study entitled “Detrimental effects of popularizing anti-evolution’s intelligent design theory on Canadian students, teachers, parents, administrators and policymakers”. His request for funding to the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, a Canadian federal agency, was denied in no uncertain terms:

In denying his request, the research council’s peer-review committee recently sent Mr. Alters a letter explaining he’d failed to “substantiate the premise” of his study.

It said he hadn’t provided “adequate justification for the assumption in the proposal that the theory of evolution, and not intelligent-design theory, was correct.”

Mr. Alters said yesterday that he was “shocked” at the council’s response and it offers “ironic” proof that his premise about intelligent design gaining a foothold in Canada is correct.

Full article here.

Comments
Paraphrase: "Professor doesn't think he should have to justify the "fact" of evolution, or that Canadians are being harmed by hearing about ID - ID is pseudo science, and everyone would agree that teaching pseudo-science is detrimental." http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20060406.DESIGN06/TPStory/NationalCharlie
April 7, 2006
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oops, "not knowing a whole lot about the SSHRC" should have read "not knowing anything"carbon14atom
April 5, 2006
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Well, not being canadian, and not knowing a whole lot about the SSHRC, I will have to agree with bFast, and yes, acceptance is a future possibility. What I got from reading the original article was that this person was indeed shocked, as if he excpected a "slam dunk" and when actually held to actual standards of science, well, musta been like a glass of ice water in the face...carbon14atom
April 5, 2006
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So he didn't get a grant for some ridiculous project and now he's throwing a temper tantrum? How old is he?jasonng
April 5, 2006
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As a Canadian let me say that I too am shocked. The SSHRC is not actually famous for making intelligent decisions. How did they do it in this case? However, as is the nature of resubmissions, appeals etc., one rejection hardly establishes that acceptance is not just down the road.bFast
April 5, 2006
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Mr. Alters said yesterday that he was “shocked” at the council’s response
I am shocked as well. Schocked that this body, the SSHRC, saw through this proposal's assumptions. By presuming ID to be wrong the researcher's conclusion was to be that "even hearing about or knowing about ID is dangerous". That sounds to be in keeping with testifying at Dover against making students aware of ID. To me, this proposed study reads like Alters was trying to manufacture evidence for the next trial. "Exhibit 'A', a study in Canada shows how even being aware of ID is detrimental".Charlie
April 5, 2006
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