Scientists irate after top education official questions evolution

So who wants to be a fool and believe the devil, he's the loser.

Prof. Hava Yablonka's unjust response shows clearly how some "scientists" just can't talk of matters but instead go straight to badmouthing about views which are against their fundamental faith systems. My sympathies go with Dr. Gavriel Avital who is brave enough to question the possibility of nakedness of the Emperor. In science questions should be addressed with proper respect. You know, Avital is not the only challenger of these paradigmas, and more would be around publicly without the imminent fear of being treated like a heretic.

Dr. Avital's should not be dismissed so readily. While there is abundant evidence that life on Earth has changed over millions of years, there are legitimate questions that it could not have happened entirely by random genetic variation and natural selection. Life on earth has undergone enormous complexity and diversity and the mechanism for these changes is still being debated, it's not a simple matter.

Dr Lia Ettinger wants Avital to resign. Why? Because he is on the other side of her argument. She wants to replace him with someone who does not dare rock the boat. Mr. Avital should be commended for daring to express what he believes without fear of being criticized.

Using your not so outstanding arguements as to the good doctors and their pills,and all this proving evolution,and more so global warming, then,when the good doctor's medicine fails to cure me,or better,kills me or lets me die,I have the proof that evolution does not work, and the world cooled down a lot, at least for me when I am under 6 feet of dirt....hehehehehe...What am I to conclude if I was burnt to death then? I evolved into a cloud in the sky that will cause global warming?...I think you need better arguements to convince anybody,especially since just looking at known history of some 10K years,humans did not develop at all.Killing is still the prevalent form of solving problems when all else fails. So,fire this Avital,whom I do respect although do not know,and you just disproved your theory of evolution by behaving like the proverbial monkey you might have originated from....(BTW,I know Darwin never said we came from monkies.I wish sometimes he did though)Do better next tmie!

AE, Let me ask you this. When you have a condition and you go to the doctor for diagnosis and treatment, do you care if the doctor is from Russia, Morroco, England, America or India? Do you care if the doctor is a woman or a man? Religious or not? No. All you care to know is that the doctor had excellent training and skills in order to analyze your symptoms logically according to proper scientific studies. This knowledge should minimize the chances for giving you the wrong medicine or tretament. The same thing here. Rejecting evolution and global warming is rejecting the science that you and I depend on every day in our lives. When you support Mr. Avital's freedom to contradict scientific evidence based on standards of social fairness, you are making your opinions irrelevant to any logical discussion.

We are told evolution is science and creation is religion, but this is false. Neither are science, since both views can't be observed, tested, repeated or falsified as as required for proof by the scientific method. Since both views require faith to believe, they are both philosophies or religions, but do not meet the qualifications for true science. See the real story at: http://www.articlesbase.com/christianity-articles/miracles-of-god-evolution-or-false-prophets-1460044.html

I must have fallen asleep and awoke in the "Dark Ages". Don't go there Chris you will fall off the edge. Please, when will people learn that there is "ZERO" evidence of a super-natural being of any kind, but the evidence supporting evolution is over wheleming. Religion is faith and in ones heart, science on the other hand is in the brain, the two should never cross paths.

To take such liberty to protect 'the values of the western society", you must be quite an erudite and an academic. However, Dr. Avital, whose academic credentials speak for his authenticity as "a doubter", beside having embraced "the norm and icons of the so-called Western Society, he is also of Eastern heritage and has a very possibility of drawing wisdom from his cultural and religious affinities. In a debate, you don't blame people for not agreeing with given set of either fashionable, temporary sets of conceptions dealing with human experience. As much as I don't agree with some of iconic symbols of that culture, Western Culture, I do find a way to respect it as a matter of a possible addition to my icons of my culture, as it happens to be Jewish and Moroccan. You have to learn to accept some peoples stand in certain matter especially when there are various signs to be interpreted to different ends. Global warming,Dawin findingsareonlyfewqustionsfacinghumanitythatareincontention.

"Religion and intellectual dishonesty" - I would rather say, religion and intellectual bankruptcy.

I am still waiting for the first person to call "I am Shomer Shabat, and Avital is wrong." That would correct the impression that being religious goes along with being intellectually dishonest.

to all those that do not believe in evolution: Next time you have any type of minor infection, do NOT take todays modern anti-biotics, instead insist on an anti-biotic from 50 years ago.......... since evolution isn't, those germs have NOT mutated and yesterdays meds will do the job. Oh, and if they dont , and you die, at least you will die knowing

The achievements, the world view and the notion of our role in the universe are based on the condition that for everything there is a natural explanation. I am shocked that more than 40 years after the first landing of a man on the moon a high rank representant of the science and educational sector makes such a statement. Avital is a treator of the values of the modern western society and a shame for the scientific community.

I propose what follows to be presented to our education office chief scientist for his information: it was dicovered, up on the mountains of Peru, runways dating from immemorial times as well as various designs un dechifered yet. the most plaussibble explenation is that many milions years ago a landing area was built by and for some highly developed extra terrestrians who came here with all their equipement and livestock as refugies from some space catastropie, just as old Noé did in the bible story. All the rest about life on earth is just a matter of evolution. Now, where does the allmighty stand in all that is a matter of interpretation.

that are still (excuse the pan) monkeys?! Seriously, I do espouse very progressive theories about many given questions; actually discussed such as the warming of the Planet, and Darwinian research. But, like Jacques Darrida's RECONSTRUCTION Philosophy, we are slightly more equipped (not smarter, but we acquired multitude of tools) and that helps us to recall some of given notions in our daily life in a very changing world that challenges us to create new "suppositions". What Dr. Avital could be considered (like the Australian scientists who now are rereflecting on the offered proposition about the Warming Climate) in his contradictory thinking of the general thinking, is the ability as conscientious being to take into account that there are ways to try and look at the Universe with different believes and approaches. It is the intellectual tolerance that we have come to accept in our very exciting times, and I am sure will be more so in future, especially as we discover new tools.

Avital can, but since he's such a lightweight political hack, and doesn't have the stature of Darwin, he should not be in an official position. I'm sure he wears a kippa.

This is another one of those chiefs we have in Israel. Others are the "chief rabbis", holders of positions instituted by the foreign powers that governed this country until 1948. This chief has all the moral force of those misogynistic, antiquated figures. He also shares with them the grand vision of a mole.

I agree with Debbie and I also would like to add that I have no doubts mankind is much much older than scientists have led us to believe, in fact I also believe we are living in the present times of the 3rd modern civilization of intelligent mankind. Could someone explain where a camera & surgical instruments more than 10,000 years old came from - far sophisticated to anything we have today was dug up in France some years back? I too keep an open mind to all sorts of possibilities.

Innocent as I am i thought it is only our foreign office who incubates idiots, I was wrong, Education Office is just about the same. YES, WE ARE DOOMED

Darwin's theory is a theory based on the observations of a naturalist so its not surprising his conclusion was a natural origin of man. Its a reasonable theory when taken within the confines of the experiment but it shouldn't be used to reject observations from other fields of research - such as supernatural origin of the species.

It is very clear, we are in the 5760th year since the all mighty created the world in six days starting from nothing. how can and dare anybody contest that when we all should know it is evident, it is even written in the bible. all the rest is just pure nonesens, it is our duty to keep on searching the sacred meaning of things with the aid of our enlighted rabbis.

In the whole world you will never find information (=letters, speech,manuals, programs etc.) without a sender. It is not possible to create information without a sender. The genom is information. Evolutionists of today are behaving more and more like terrorists, using foul language, removing creationists from their positions, if possible etc. This is all done in the name of "science". I think, that science should work with objective and not with personal arguments.

Darwin was tripping on psylocibin mushrooms and wandering around Santo Domingo when he came up with the theory of evolution. We have no proof of his theory and if we are after the truth, we have to pursue other possibilities.

You seem to base your statement on Politics in the US. Politics in Israel is more varying since Israel does not only have a two party system to chose from. In Israel, there are more secular Jews on the Israeli right than there are religious Jews. Much of the politics in Israel is inspired by the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians and ends there for most. Take your baseless comparisons elsewhere

Talking about dubious science. Maybe we need to ask the esteemed chief scientist of the Education Ministry, if he can scientifically prove to us mere mortals... that God actually exists. You know... in sub-atomic nomenclature of nucleus, electron and proton weight.

time was you were afraid to question the status quo and had to believe in certain things to be declared a educated scientist. Today there is more and more scientist who question the fact that they have to believe this way, even when there is no evidence, to be taken seriously. Look at the talkbacks, he is ignorant, stupid even if he has a Phd. It is about time there was academic freedom to think and disagree with status quo theories. Science is a wonderful thing but to some people it has become a religion all of it's own, not allowed to question. Let evidence speak for itself and scientists disagree on what they think, but dont alllow taliban science that requires all scientists to agree and think the same or be banned.

At last a scientist with someone gutsy enough to question. Go Dr. Gavriel Avital. Science grows when scientists question. Today if you question somethings you are intimidated. Global warming has proven scientists are not gods afterall - they are flawed humans prepared to lie for their belief system

"the state of israel is based on a general lie, which justifies all the crimes against the palestinians" The Pals justify their crimes on what they believe is a lie.truth is: Selling changes ownership even if you later regret the sale.

... Noble luminaries?.. ... of for that matter, has the person who nominated him ever had such a chat?...

It's a disgrace that a person with these views is the chief scientist of a scientific front-runner such as Israel. This man is clearly not suited for leading any kind of office which is responsible for educating a whole people about science. He should find some religious school where he can indoctrinate the children of other religious people. This reminds me of South Africa's Health Minister "Dr Beetroot" who said that it was better to counter AIDS with vegetables than with Antiretroviral drugs.

That's why I respected Israel, because it wasn't a religious state.

There are ONLY theories in science. This is the whole beauty of it: Seriuous science acknowledges the fact that there cannot be absolute knowlegde. However, some theories are better proven than others and therefore assumed facts or laws. All laws of physics are based on theory. No one would question gravity, not even those morons questioning the basics of evolution. This is what keeps them from jumping out of windows annd rid us of their stupidity. Quantum theory is a theory but we happily embrace it when using our computers. It's a theory and nothing has been written about it in any holy book. Therefore it cannot be accurate, right? Every hunchbacked idiot refusing evolution happily embraces this "theory" when going to the doctor and receiving drugs designed to take into account the capability of bugs to mutate (hence "evolve"). Stay at home, read your bronze-age writings and don't interfere with evolved people's discussions, please.

don't blame mr. avital for his view of the world. he is completely in accordance with the opinion of the jews that god has given them the promised land. the state of israel is based on a general lie, which justifies all the crimes against the palestinians.

but it's a theory with a lot of scientific weight behind it, as for god and the 6 day explanation, it has a lot of faith behind it and nothing else... There is also a theory that 'faith' is a mental disorder...please don't burn me at the stake for questioning your 'faith' in a giant invisible man in the sky who punishes the creatures he made for not believing or breaking his many laws, and please don't come to my house to try and convert me to your 'faith' I don't go knocking on doors handing out pamphlets on science and logic....

Finally, a voice of reason among the fanatics. I feel much safer with Dr. Avital in charge. He is at least willing to view all the options with an open mind, the sign of a true scientist. It is the fanatics with their tunnel vision and fear of looking outside the box that scares me. Every scientific THEORY should be open to re-examination.

Slowly but surely Israel is in the academic field is turning back the clock. The right has taken over the political stage, and now it's trying to usurp the academic one. That Israel as a Jewish state has a religious presence was inevitable, but when you consider its first president was a world renowned scientist, and that in many scientific fields we are up there with the big boys. It's frightening that politics and religion are attempting to drag as back into the middle ages. This must be stopped. or we will end up as a non-democratic state, with no enlightenment, and religion rules, and those who do not comply will be punished.

It's not surprising that the scientific establishment is dunning Avital. They are the Pope, and he is Copernicus, who dares to attack their faith-based religion. Evolution, and probably also global warming, are tenets of faith. Never proven and unprovable, they are defended as fiercely by the scientists, who are the Popes and Cardinals of today, as the flat earth was defended by the Catholic Church back then. And they are just as much nonsense as the flat earth society. Stand up for good sense, Avital! Way to go!

Global warming is a fact. The glaciers are melting, here in Switzerland. The glaciers of Greenland are melting. Millions of liters of fresh water flows into the sea, creating changes in the ocean currents, which in turn affects weather patterns. Some say its cyclic. Some say its CO2. Darwin's theory may well be contentious. Especially to those that have similar appearances to apes. Aids HIV may well be man made.In some lab from Uganda. So, is there a G-d.? So it seems, for that is what we were taught. Then why so much suffering on this planet.? Simple, we do no follow the Ten Commandments. That and the Good Book. Which is the step by step installation manual to life. Good day.

Avital's position is suspect to say the least because his involvement with Machon Meir The task of science is to unmask what is not true. The idea of a Master of the Universe is patently not true and counter to Judeism, Because it limits the independence and freedom of Humanity.There is no scientific proof that evolution is not true. A master that requires assistance in killing other people is so villainous, that he needs to be abandoned.

It is possible to question Darwinian theory without questioning the fact of biological change, and many scientists have done so. Even Thomas Huxley, "Darwin's bulldog," privately rejected the principles of natural selection and gradual transmutation. Huxley believed that evolution proceeded by jumps, as we most often see in the fossil record. For example, Darwinism has no evidence for gradual evolution of the winged insect. The inadequacy of Darwinism was recognized by a conference of 160 scientists held in 1980 at Chicago's Field Museum. However, as documented in my book, The End of Darwinism, what happened in Chicago got covered up as the biologists decided to "mute," their disagreements on theory, so as not to give ammunition to the creationists. We need a free and open discussion of evolution without overzealous Darwinists making wild comparisons to geocentrism, etc.

First the justice minister asking for Halacha to be implemented - and now this? I wonder how long it will take for Israel to turn into just another backward religious state. He needs to be dismissed.

... but what in the heck is he doing in the role of "chief scientist"?

Any additional minute that this guy Avital serves at the department of education is another nail in the coffin of Israeli higher education. Avital's own words of "my opinion" and "I believe" are enough to question his cedibility. I expect ALL scientists, especially those wearing a Kipa, to openly reject Avital's assertions about evolution and global warming. Otherwise, Israel's scientific community will be a laughing stock.

if it is science we are talking about, than the evolution should be real, present, and repeatable in ways that permit to conclude that yes, monkeys mutate in humans. If we translate in "evolution" language Newton's law we should be talking from space station: "2 million years ago apples were falling down with velocity x which can be traced to rounding in the hermit's head bump unearthed in Antarctica after 2 million years in deep freeze. Inspite of our current flying free of gravity we must conclude that gravity is a fact." Tell me I am stretching the reality and I will show you perfectly shaved monkey without tail... just look in the mirror. Feel offended? - think how much some of us offended by local priest trying to wake up our lost souls in a weekly sermon. Trouble isn't lack of faith or faith in some in - built machinery of nature. It's our minute denial of infinite beauty of our place, which evolution helps to understand but fails to explain away.

All started when those damn monkeys learned how to master fire... the rest is history.

The humanbeings are still walking the first steps toword knowledge of the secretes of life and the creation of living things on our tiny sphere,the earth. The question of creation must and will remain undissolved for many thausends of centuries to come. So, let the believers of evolution and those who believes in creation go their way of thinking without collisions. Habeel and Qabeel, according to religions statements , began their life on earth by killing and their successors are still doing the same brutality. We have to wait for another millions of years to get an evolution in our biological mechanisms.