Galileo annoyed the Pope by claiming certainty for his hypothesis.… Read the rest
Welcome to our archive of news stories relevant to the project of fighting fashionable nonsense. The stories are drawn from the electronic pages of the world’s media. On this page, you’ll find links to those stories that have been featured on Butterflies and Wheels during the current year. At the bottom of the page, you’ll find links to separate archives of stories from previous years.
We’re always pleased to hear about news stories that you think should be featured on Butterflies and Wheels. Just send an email here, if you want to point one out to us.
A note about links
Inevitably links go out of date. We suggest, therefore, that you make hard-copies of the stories that particularly interest you.
Fired for Refusing to Inflate Grades 
Aug 18th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Brooklyn College English professor removed from classroom for…attitude?… Read the rest
Ibn Warraq and Why He Is Not a Muslim
Aug 18th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
His book ‘cuts against the ecumenical, feel-good vision of Islam as a “religion of peace”‘.… Read the rest
‘Other’ or ‘other’?
Aug 18th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Christopher Hitchens has some reservations about Edward Said’s Orientalism.… Read the rest
Literary Reputation and its Discontents
Aug 17th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Why is everyone so eager to rubbish Martin Amis?… Read the rest
Clash of Cutlery
Aug 17th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Knives, hatchets – it’s the Guardian on the Booker prize long list.… Read the rest
Intersection of Discovery and Sales
Aug 17th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Confusion of health and fashion concerns in study of obesity research.… Read the rest
Peer Review Before Press Release
Aug 17th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘If the MMR and autism paper had been looked at by serious statisticians, it would never have been published.’… Read the rest
Politics Was Rough in the 1790s, Too
Aug 16th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
And politicians were occasionally greedy and ambitious then.… Read the rest
Breakthrough for ‘Trans-national’ Legal Perspective
Aug 15th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
US Supreme Court is considering entities like the European Court of Human Rights in its decisions.… Read the rest
Students Opt For Easier Subjects
Aug 14th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
We need math, science and language students, but we’re getting television students.… Read the rest
Congratulation or Denigration?
Aug 14th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Do higher A-level pass rates mean better students or dumbed-down exams?… Read the rest
Science and Islam
Aug 14th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘a minimum amount of freedom is necessary for the advancement of science, for the advancement of thought.’… Read the rest
Un-Victorian Uppityness
Aug 13th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Mill’s ‘On Liberty’ has more to do with unchained minds than unfettered possessions.… Read the rest
Martin Amis Unlikely to be Nominated
Aug 12th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
So also (not surprisingly) unlikely to win.… Read the rest
Freedom of Inquiry
Aug 12th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Accusations that ideology is shaping research require evidence.… Read the rest
‘Platonic Physics’ Not a Good Idea
Aug 11th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Theories must be tested by experiment or else they are just fashion.… Read the rest
Cultural Relativism of Human Rights
Aug 11th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘What is usually defined as the culture of a people is in reality the interpretation and discourse put forth by the ruling class…’… Read the rest
Publishing by Press Conference
Aug 11th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Stories that get into the media that haven’t been properly reviewed can do enormous damage.’… Read the rest
Dispute Over GM Contamination
Aug 11th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Doubts about evidence, peer review, disagreement – nobody said science was easy.… Read the rest
