otro juicio del mono

["Miguel A. Sabadell M" <sabadell@...>]

He recibido este mensaje de los escepticos australianos de un juicio 
creacionismo-evolucion. Scopes planea de nuevo. 
Lamento que esté escrito en la lengua de cierto escritor provinciano 
llamado Shakespeare.

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                     Introduction to Ian Plimer's Trial

Professor Ian Plimer's court case began on the 7th of April 1997. This is
expected to be a major international media event, and the Australian
Skeptics will be publishing day-by-day updates here in our web pages (see
Ian Plimer Trial News). The following article will give you an overview of
the history of the trial.

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By Barry Williams

In 1991 an Australian citizen, Allen Roberts, claimed he had been kidnapped
by Turkish dissidents after finding Noah's Ark on Mt Ararat. His story
caused a brief flurry in the Australian media and in 1992 he began touring
the country giving lectures on his findings and offering for sale books,
pamphlets and video tapes. Now billed as "Dr" Allen Roberts, he claimed to
be an archaeologist. At various meetings attended by scientists and members
of Australian Skeptics it soon became clear that Roberts had no
qualifications nor any skills that entitled him to call himself an
archaeologist and his talks were nothing more than thinly disguised
fundamentalist dogma, with no scientific credibility at all.

Research conducted by Australian Skeptics, in conjunction with other
interested parties soon showed that his assumed title of "Dr" was from a
non-accredited Bible school operating from a small church in the southern
USA.

At meetings in Melbourne and Hobart, he was confronted and challenged by
Professor Ian Plimer, Professor of Geology, and Head of the School of Earth
Sciences at the University of Melbourne. Ian, who is a visiting Fellow at
universities in Europe and who has worked professionally in Turkey
challenged every claim that Roberts made about the formation he 'discovered'
in Turkey and explained that the object was a commonplace geological
formation. After one of the meetings, Roberts instituted legal action
against Ian Plimer for defamation in the Supreme Court of Victoria over some
remarks allegedly made on a radio program.

At this point, Australian Skeptics heard from David Fasold, a US citizen,
retired merchant mariner and author of a book on Noah's Ark. He contacted
the Skeptics because he had heard that Roberts was using some of his
diagrams and writings without asking permission. Fasold is a former
fundamentalist who has fallen out with his former colleagues and is now very
angry with them.

Ian Plimer and David Fasold then entered into linked actions against Roberts
and his associates under the Trades Practices Act for misleading and
deceptive conduct while engaged in trade and commerce, and a copyright
action.

As one of Australia's most public scientists, Ian Plimer is leading the
fight in Australia against the pernicious anti-science dogma of religious
fundamentalists who seek to give their spurious claims respectability under
the title of science. In his book, Telling Lies for God (Random House, 1994)
he mercilessly exposed the utter vacuity of the claims of the creation
'science' movement. Creationists can no longer pretend that their dogma has
anything to do with science and their claims to theological respectability
have also been challenged on many sides by people knowledgeable in that
discipline. But regardless of their lack of credibility in these fields,
they certainly do engage in trade and the laws of this country do not allow
you to mislead and deceive people with whom you wish to trade.

If Professor Plimer is successful in prosecuting this case, then all bodies,
be they creationist or new age, will be shown to have no special privileges
or exemptions from the normal commercial laws of the land. Of course they
don't in law, but our consumer protection authorities have shown a distinct
unwillingness to prosecute these groups, or even to investigate them,
despite complaints made.

The case finally comes to trial in the Federal Court in Sydney on April 7,
1997. Such is the cost of litigation in Australia that this process action
has cost Ian Plimer his house, his money and a great deal of his time. The
Australian Skeptics Science and Education Foundation has promised a
substantial sum of money to Ian Plimer's defence for the final trial but
more is needed. Supporters and well wishers can make donations to:.

     Ian Plimer Defence Fund
     Rev Brian Nicholls, OAM,
     511 McGowan Street,
     Broken Hill NSW 2880 AUSTRALIA






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