Intellectual Freedom On Trial

SEE HERE This whole case bugs me as someone who worked in aerospace for a long time both for the government and for defense industry. The topic here is the freedom to have an opinion that differs from the conventional wisdom on matters of biological diversity. Why the Jet Propulsion Laboratory gives a damn about what an employee's opinions about Darwinism, evolution, or Intelligent Design are baffles me. It seems like something that doesn't make any difference. Darwinism as conventionally understood is a broad umbrella theory that explains some things and is woefully inadequate to explain others. Evolution has both biological components and in the popular mind rather mythic elements that invoke eternal progress although in point of fact that isn't what it is about. Finally Intelligent Design is an attempt to explain the existence of apparently unevolveable elements in living creatures. It is a act of faith to claim that there are no such elements and it is a further act of faith to deny that their may be an explanation that goes outside of the Darwinian sphere. I am always baffled at the sheer hubris of those that will not admit their ignorance. That's what this is about, intolerance and ignorance.