Ben Stein Out as Vermont Commencement Speaker

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I just heard that the New York Times fired Stein from his job as a columnist because he has been shilling for some credit checking company. Serves him right, the guy is a complete nut job. Too bad he shows up in one of my favorite movies, "Ferris Beuller's Day Off". Screw him and all the other right wing jackasses.

Dan Fogel of VT 9:31AM August 12, 2009

@K Carr of AZ
"No matter how much time you insert into the theory, it still does not prove the origin of life. "
That's completely true. I mean, Abiogenesis is the study of how life on Earth could have arisen from inanimate matter (aka the origin of life). It should not be confused with Evolution.
"These are all THEORIES people, with absolutely NO proof whatsoever. This is not science. This is feeding lies. "
Yup. Theories are just things people make up without proof, just like the theory of gravity, right? They aren't just thought about one day and made theories.

Sam 8:19PM May 20, 2009

The vicious liberals strike again. When conservatives lamented "The Great One" speaking at Notre Dame, they were called racist bigots, and even evil, but if the liberals do it, well then it's justified; talk about hypocrites. I want to thank the liberals for giving conservatives credibility in the Notre Dame fight. Ben Stein doesn't believe in Evolution and is uninvited, Obama is in direct conflict with a core belief of Catholicism and yet the liberal left justifies him speaking at our University, just another example of hypocrisy that this administration is quickly becoming known for. They preach unity, but create division, they claim Christian values then do everything they can to mock the Christian religion.

Chuck Pickard of IN 5:46PM May 13, 2009

How interesting...the whole premise of the movie "Expelled" was that you would be shut up if you dared to disagree with the "theory" of Evolution. It's a bad theory and even worse science (evolution a "fact", talk about Moon Landing deniers). There are plenty of good scientist that believe that I.D. is viable.
So what happens?? Stein gets booted...wow the intolerance and bigotry show their ugly head again at our fine Universities.

Wes of MO 8:15AM February 23, 2009

Evolution is a theory which has never been proven, and never will, because it is false. There is NO evidence of links between species.
No matter how much time you insert into the theory, it still does not prove the origin of life.
There is a huge difference between micro-evolution and macro-evolution. They are not the same.
There is no proof of natural selection either.
These are all THEORIES people, with absolutely NO proof whatsoever. This is not science. This is feeding lies.
Don't blame me either, you do the research.

K Carr of AZ 12:57PM February 10, 2009

"Let Mr. Stein and his fellow "intelligent design" friends do the research and produce the evidence to support their claims."
It appears you've missed the point of "Expelled" This is the problem - researchers who start to do this get shut down... and that's what's not right here. Mr. Stein is standing up against the state religion.

Dave 11:54AM February 10, 2009

"Ultimately most proponents who examine evolution find it lacking any real scientific evidence let alone any proof. Perhaps you should more evidence before making claims out of ignorance."
Wade, learn something. making a provably false statement about science in the same breath as you accuse a dissenter of ignorance isn't just wrong. It's hilarious.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Level_of_support_for_evolution

Anon of OH 12:44PM February 07, 2009

The question is not "why was Stein disinvited?", the question is "why was he invited to begin with?" Seriously, who is Ben Stein? He's a C/D (at best) list celebrity, whose claim to fame is several lines in an old movie. That's all. THIS deserves an honorary degree? This deserves the honor of a commencement speech? What has he done besides "Ferris Bueller"? He has produced a flop of a documentary, he wrote speeches for Nixon, he starred in "Clear Eyes" commercials, and had a short-lived (albeit amusing) cable game show about a decade ago. That's not a resume for commencement speaker, that's a resume for "Where are they now?" segment or a has-been / never was reality show.
As for evolution etc., he has no more credentials in that (or any) area of science than your average Subway worker. He's as much a scientific specialist as Michael Moore is a neurosurgeon because he made "Sicko".
Let's recap: D list celebrity, most recently produced / starred in a flop documentary, no actual accomplishments of any note... Oh yeah, he deserves a commencement speech spot.

dmitry of NC 8:20PM February 06, 2009

Nik of NC's "They just believe that a high being was the catalyst." means THE MAGIC SPACE MAN DID IT.

bobxxxx of FL 9:38PM February 04, 2009

This is that dictionary's COMPLETE defintion of a theory:
: the analysis of a set of facts in their relation to one another
2: abstract thought : speculation
3: the general or abstract principles of a body of fact, a science, or an art <music theory>
4 a: a belief, policy, or procedure proposed or followed as the basis of action <her method is based on the theory that all children want to learn> b: an ideal or hypothetical set of facts, principles, or circumstances —often used in the phrase in theory<in theory, we have always advocated freedom for all>
***5: a plausible or scientifically acceptable general principle or body of principles offered to explain phenomena <the wave theory of light>***
6 a: a hypothesis assumed for the sake of argument or investigation b: an unproved assumption : conjecture c: a body of theorems presenting a concise systematic view of a subject <theory of equations>
And Ben Stein was not "dismissed." He quit.
"Evolution is both a fact and a theory." - Ken Miller, Only A Theory?
"Evolution is a fact." Carl Sagan, Cosmos
Come on guys, your arguments are twenty years old!

Kristine of MN 4:55PM February 04, 2009