Talk:Tom Bethell

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This article is a joke. Bethell is not a supporter of creationism. The author doesn't even explain what he means by 'creationism' (ID, TE, YEC, OEC --- since critics of anything with a hint of purpose will label it 'creationism'). The author doesn't even understand Bethell's point regarding global warming. Bethell never stated "global warming isn't happening"; he denies that human interaction is the main cause for global warming. The author of this article states that Bethell supports pseudo-science; only because the author is displaying pseudo-integrity with his/her pseudo-logic. --jorgekluney.

In the 1980s, Bethell was a regular contributor to the American Spectator, which I read in those days. I recall his skepticism re Darwinism. Bethell may even have been the first time I saw Phillip E. Johnson's name in print. You could well be right re Bethell and global warming. I do NOT believe that any disagreement about the causes of global warming is pseudo science. I let the claim to the contrary stand, because 86.142.9.1 accused me of whitewashing when I removed it, and undid ALL my edits. I invite any and all to edit the accusations levelled at Bethell as they see fit.132.181.160.42 01:20, 27 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Bethell's scientific qualifications?

Given that Bethell's main notability/notoriety appears to be his "unorthodox" opinions on science, it would be useful to note, in the article, if he has an scientific qualifications, or experience, to back them up. Does anybody know what his Oxford degree was in? Has he ever worked in scientific research? Hrafn42 10:39, 13 August 2007 (UTC)

Quote from the "about the author" on his book "The Politically Incorrect Guide to science": "Bethell was born and raised in England and graduated from Oxford University in 1962 with a degree in philosophy, physiology, and psychology. He lives in Washington, D.C." Lippard 02:35, 10 September 2007 (UTC)

Is it common for Oxford to confer triple majors? This seems a tad diffuse. If it is common practise, then it is reasonable to include simply on the strength of a book-blurb. If not, then a more WP:RS may be needed. Hrafn42 04:00, 10 September 2007 (UTC)
Even the "Oxford University" reference is vague--you attend a particular college at Oxford. Which of the 39 did he attend? Lippard 02:32, 28 September 2007 (UTC)
He was at Trinity. But no, he has never done any scientific research, or at least any that is mentioned in his biography at the Virginia Institute. Zimbardo Cookie Experiment 15:27, 28 September 2007 (UTC)
Do you have a WP:RS for his being at Trinity? Does Trinity typically hand out triple majors? HrafnTalkStalk 15:53, 28 September 2007 (UTC)
I don't have an RS for it at hand; if I had I would have added it to the article. But it's in the biography attached to this, for example, and Trinity shows a Tom Bethell as having matriculated in 1959 here, and Bethell's said it a million times, so I'm sure that a little effort will dig one up. Just trying to help!
And no, I don't think people usually get triple degres at Trinity, which is not any reason to think that he didn't. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Zimbardo Cookie Experiment (talk • contribs) 16:13, 28 September 2007 (UTC)
No, but it is a good reason not to accept a book-blurb as confirmation. It's entirely possible that his "degree in philosophy, physiology, and psychology" was a "degree that contained papers philosophy, physiology, and psychology" rather than one majoring in all three. Your Trinity College refs are better than the current no-ref-at-all, so I'm putting it in. HrafnTalkStalk 16:25, 28 September 2007 (UTC)
Philosophy, Psychology and Physiology (PPP) is a standard undergraduate degree subject at Oxford: http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate_courses/courses/psychology.html. In fact, students generally only study two the three Ps, so it is not a "triple major"; there isn't really any such thing as a "major" at Oxford or most British universities. pmcray (talk) 12:42, 7 March 2008 (UTC)
What a truly bizarre course package -- the three constituent fields are only very tenuously linked to each other (via philosophy of mind & neurophysiology). HrafnTalkStalk 13:47, 7 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Scare tags at the top of the article

You think we can get rid of them now? The BLPDispute one, at least, seems incongruous at this point. Zimbardo Cookie Experiment 15:27, 4 October 2007 (UTC)

I think they both can go. HrafnTalkStalk 16:08, 4 October 2007 (UTC)