Book on non-European contributions to science discovers what historians already know, Anthony Grafton’s review says.… 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Inevitably links go out of date.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.
Miserable Apathy 
Feb 18th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Leon Wieseltier tears a strip off Louis Menand’s perspectivism.… Read the rest
Menand on Orwell
Feb 18th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Louis Menand says ‘Big Brother’ and ‘doublethink’ and ‘thought police’ are popular phrases because they prop up slippery slope arguments.… Read the rest
CHE Links on Michigan Case
Feb 18th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The Chronicle of Higher Education gives links to articles relevant to University of Michigan’s race-conscious admissions policies, a Supreme Court issue.… Read the rest
All Hitler All the Time
Feb 17th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Students at UK secondary schools are being given too much Hitler and too little of all the rest of history.… Read the rest
Rodent Studies
Feb 17th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Education is about making more money so vocational training is the way to go so media studies should be fine but then what did Hodge mean by ‘Mickey Mouse’? It’s all so confusing.… Read the rest
Bioterrorism fears and censorship
Feb 17th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Should sensitive biological information be withheld if it might be used by bioterrorists?… Read the rest
Not an Anglican but an Evangelical
Feb 16th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Richard Dawkins wants to share the good news, and expose fraudulence in the process.… Read the rest
Annoyingly Snide Interview With Dawkins
Feb 16th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
All the dreary old accusations trotted out: he’s aggressive, intolerant, cold. Why? Because he doesn’t suck up to religion, apparently.… Read the rest
New Scientist Reviews Dawkins
Feb 16th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
A brief review of A Devil’s Chaplain.… Read the rest
Bogus Signatures
Feb 15th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
One author forged the signatures of seven co-authors: not good practice, even if the research is correct.… Read the rest
Spoiling Students
Feb 15th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Self-esteem, student evaluations, therapy-mindedness, all lead to pleasing students rather than inspiring them.… Read the rest
Texas Professor and Evolution
Feb 14th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
A university education is not supposed to confirm pre-existing ideas.… Read the rest
Something else for Greenpeace to get confused about?
Feb 13th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Nanotechnology could become the new genetically modified food (kind of), say report authors.… Read the rest
Politics and Darwinism
Feb 13th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Melvin Konner reviews The Blank Slate and Darwinian Politics.… Read the rest
Teachers as Cops
Feb 13th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Who has time to teach when school is a war zone?… Read the rest
Who Is Paying?
Feb 12th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Is conservative funding more focussed and coherent than the other kind? If so, why?… Read the rest
What a Good Idea!
Feb 12th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Simon Blackburn, Richard Dawkins and others call for Darwin Day. … Read the rest
Does Freedom Evolve?
Feb 12th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Is human agency the product of nature, or of history and politics?… Read the rest
Never Met an Adaptive Tale He Didn’t Like?
Feb 11th, 2003 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Sometimes economic explanations work better than evolutionary ones, says this review of The Blank Slate.… Read the rest
