Expelled Exposed!

Interview: Dr. Eugenie Scott

The contentious pro-Intelligent Design film Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed  is now in its second week of wide release, and the controversy is far from over. 

This week on Skepticality, Swoopy talks with Dr. Eugenie Scott about her participation in Expelled, her thoughts on seeing the film — and the "Expelled: Exposed" website, created by the National Center for Science Education (where Dr. Scott serves as the Executive Director).

Beyond the Expelled frenzy, Dr. Scott talks about her work with the NCSE, the future of science education, and what the average person can do to improve the public perception and understanding of science.

Show Notes

Date - April 29th, 2008, ad hoc by Derek and Swoopy.
You can subscribe to eSkeptic the free, weekly email newsletter from the Skeptic's society.
eSkeptic has been running a four part series: Expelled: Exposed.
Expelled: Exposed is the NCSE website highlighting inaccuracies in the Expelled film.
Swoopy talked to Professor Richard Dawkins and Dr. Michael Shermer about Expelled.
Dr. Eugenie Scott is the executive director for the National Center for Science Education.
An educator and anthropologist, Dr. Scott has been defending evolution for over 20 years.
When the NCSE was founded in 1987, creation science was all the rage.
Of Pandas and People was published in 1989.
The Kitzmiller v. Dover trial prominently debated Of Pandas and People in 2005.
Phillip E. Johnson wrote Darwin on Trial in 1993.
How does the science community keep science fun, and not "elitist" or arrogant?
The NCSE is religiously neutral and takes no position for or against religion.
Members of the clergy that accept science, are allies in keeping evolution in the classroom.
Every 2 years the Science and Engineering Indicators poll results are published.
Recent polls show that Americans are interested in Science, Tech and Medicine.
The "Greening of America" should spur more interest in science as well.
Shows like CSI have sparked interest in forensic anthropology.
Derek and Swoopy prefer Bones over CSI.
Dr. Scott is also on Facebook.
Expelled: Exposed has released a series of great videos on YouTube.
In 2006 Dr. Scott co-authored a study on Public Acceptance of Evolution.
That study showed that the U. S. is next to last in the world in acceptance of evolution.
On the other hand, other countries have not embraced Intelligent Design like the U.S.
An Ohio poll on Intelligent Design in 2002 showed that 84% of Ohio citizens didn't know ID
The NCSE put up the Expelled: Exposed website the Tuesday before the movie opened.
The box office for the first week of Expelled was pretty good for a documentary.
Like the other scientists in the film, Eugenie was lied to about the premise of the film.
One of the topics of the film is the linking of Evolution and the Nazis.
The scientist the ID community reviles most is Professor Richard Dawkins.
Expelled portrays the NCSE as a large organization with lots of power.
The NCSE is a member supported non-profit organization (which you can join).
Expelled: Exposed looks closely at the records of the supposedly Expelled scientists.
Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed is being used to promote Academic Freedom bills.
States like Missouri, Louisiana and Florida are considering bills to introduce ID in schools.
The NCSE doesn't lobby directly, but helps support groups that do like Citizens for Science
Dr. Scott and members of the NCSE may be speaking near you, check the schedule!
Dr. Scott will not be at TAM this year, but sends her love to the SkepChicks.
Many other films did better than Expelled on it's opening weekend.
Some people may be seeing Expelled, but not paying to see it.
If you want to join the NCSE, you can find information online at their website.
Outro Music - Discovery Channel "I Love the Whole World"
Skepticality outro.