Ben Stein has recently turned down an offer to be the commencement speaker this year for the University of Vermont. The selection of Stein by university president Dan Fogel created a maelstrom of criticism centered around Stein’s participation in last years pro-Intelligent Design documentary, Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. You can read all about this controversy here and here.

Critics who opposed Stein’s selection described him as “anti-science” and “anti-academy” for his views on Intelligent Design and the place of evolution in the University. In response to these criticisms, Stein wrote:

“I am far more pro-science than the Darwinists,” Stein said later in an e-mail. “I want all scientific inquiry to happen — not just what the ruling clique calls science” (my emphasis added).

According to Stein, Intelligent Design employs valid methods of scientific inquiry despite the fact that what he terms the “ruling clique” has decided otherwise.

This raises an important question that perhaps is not so often carefully considered:

How is science defined and who gets to determine what science is?

I have some opinions on this but I’d like to hear what others think.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Ben Stein Withdraws As UVM Commencement Speaker (littlegreenfootballs.com)
• The University of Vermont Uninvites Ben Stein (portfolio.com)
• Ben Stein: No argument allowed (blogs.suntimes.com)
• Roger Ebert Weighs In On Expelled (randi.org)