Holy 'TED Talks' Inquisition!
The organizers of the popular TED Talks have censored presentations by respected British biochemist, Rupert Sheldrake and his compatriot, Graham Hancock, author on ancient civilizations and human consciousness.
On the TED blog, Chris Anderson, Curator TED Conferences, posted that TED Talks by the pair at the TEDxWhitechapel event, contained "misleading statements," and amounted to "pseudoscience" - in the opinion of TED's Science Board.
On the TED blog, Chris Anderson, Curator TED Conferences, posted that TED Talks by the pair at the TEDxWhitechapel event, contained "misleading statements," and amounted to "pseudoscience" - in the opinion of TED's Science Board.
Accordingly, their TED presentations "should be removed from distribution on the TEDx YouTube channel."
Columnist, Eddie Huang of Vice.com --in a recent interview on Joe Rogan's show-- said the underlying problem is that TED's organizers have become a cult - often acting like zealous stewards at a "Scientology Summer Camp."
In a response on his Facebook page, Graham Hancock challenged the TED orthodoxy to: "identify where exactly in my talk these alleged “misleading statements” occur."
He has a point. The Holy TED Talks Inquisition seems to have attributed to both men a range of positions that neither actually maintain - and then have gone on to use their own error to scratch the pair.
Truth is that their justifications are irrelevant. The bottom line is that Sheldrake and Hancock: "have crossed the line." And the gurus at TED are those who decide where that newly-discovered "line" is.
Which is a pity. Because neither Sheldrake nor Hancock should be lightly dismissed. They are both thinkers and great communicators. Ideal TED material, in other words.
TED's Science Board should understand that the history of science shows us that today's "pseudoscience" is tomorrow's TED Talk.
The posting by TED Curator, Anderson says that "our name and platform should not be associated with these talks." That hints of an emphasis on protecting the TED "brand" - at the cost of their aim of seeking to bring us "leading-edge" thinking.
TED's Science Board should understand that the history of science shows us that today's "pseudoscience" is tomorrow's TED Talk.
The posting by TED Curator, Anderson says that "our name and platform should not be associated with these talks." That hints of an emphasis on protecting the TED "brand" - at the cost of their aim of seeking to bring us "leading-edge" thinking.
If some presentations put a few scientific noses out of joint, so be it. Leading-edge material often does that. Ironically, the presentation by Hancock was about the "War on Consciousness."
Columnist, Eddie Huang of Vice.com --in a recent interview on Joe Rogan's show-- said the underlying problem is that TED's organizers have become a cult - often acting like zealous stewards at a "Scientology Summer Camp."
He recounts hilarious tales of his exhausting, up to 15hr. days at the beck and call of fervent goons who readily morph into insistent, infallible Hitler Youth acolytes.
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