Richard Sternberg

Dr Richard M. von Sternberg is an American scientist. He was the editor of the scientific journal Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington who handled the review and editing process of the only article published in a peer-reviewed journal advocating intelligent design creationism, although the board subsequently withdrew the paper.

Biography

Sternberg has two PhDs; the first from 1995 in molecular evolution from Florida International University, and a second in systems science from Binghamton University. He did post-doctoral work between 1999 and 2001 at the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institution and in 2001 became Staff Scientist there.

In 2001 he became managing editor of the peer-reviewed scientific journal, Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington and joined the board of the International Journal of General Systems. Also in 2001 he joined the editorial board of the Baraminology study group, a young earth creationist "creation science" attempt to God's created kinds. He has stated that he as an outside critic and remained skeptical of their young earth beliefs [1]. However, he is a fellow of the ID organisation, ISCID.

In 2004 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington published a review article by the leading intelligent design advocate, Stephen C. Meyer a philosopher and theologian. This, entitled "The Origin of Biological Information and the Higher Taxonomic Categories" was a review of the arguments employed by the ID movement [2]. Intelligent design is considered to be creationist pseudoscience by the scientific community, and until that point no papers on it had been published in the mainstream scientific literature. The publication of such an article appears to give credit to intelligent design as a topic worthy of scientific consideration, thus fulfilling an important part of the ID movement's Wedge strategy.

The publication caused a storm of controversy amongs the members of the Biological Society of Washington and in the next the the following withdrawal was published:

The paper by Stephen C. Meyer in the Proceedings ("The origin of biological information and the higher taxonomic categories," vol. 117, no. 2, pp. 213-239) represents a significant departure from the nearly purely taxonomic content for which this journal has been known throughout its 124-year history. It was published without the prior knowledge of the Council, which includes officers, elected councilors, and past presidents, or the associate editors. We have met and determined that all of us would have deemed this paper inappropriate for the pages of the Proceedings.

We endorse the spirit of a resolution on Intelligent Design set forth by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (www.aaas.org/news/releases/2002/1106id2.shtml), and that topic will not be addressed in future issues of the Proceedings. We are reviewing editorial policies to ensure that the goals of the Society, as reflected in its journal, are clearly understood by all. Through a web presence (www.biolsocwash.org) and contemplated improvements in the journal, the Society hopes not only to continue but to increase its service to the world community of taxonomic biologists.

Sternberg claimed that the paper had been peer-reviewd by three scientists, who whilst not agreeing with its content, considered that it had merit and was worth publishing. Evolutionary biologists wrote scathing reviews of the paper [3] [4].

The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) was invited to look into the affair and concluded that Sternberg had been the subject of retaliation by the Smithsonian Institution and its Natural Museum of Natural History. The Washington Post reported that: [blockquote]"The rumor mill became so infected," James McVay, the principal legal adviser in the Office of Special Counsel, wrote to Sternberg, "that one of your colleagues had to circulate [your résumé] simply to dispel the rumor that you were not a scientist."[/blockquote][5] However, the OSC lacked jurisdiction to force the Smithsonian to allow the investigation to continue to completion, and the Smithsonian was unwilling to proceed voluntarily.[6]. Critics countered that the OSC itself was biased, with George W. Bush appointee James McVey authoring its opinion[7].

External links

• Sternberg's Website
• Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington
• Editor Explains Reasons for 'Intelligent Design' Article
• The Branding of a Heretic; Are religious scientists unwelcome at the Smithsonian?
• Clarifications Regarding the BSG, Bryan College, and Richard Sternberg