Ulrich Kutschera

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Ulrich Kutschera
U.Kutschera.jpg
Born (1955-02-02) 2 February 1955 (age 69)
Freiburg, West Germany
Scientific career
FieldsPhysiology and evolution of bacteria, plants and animals; History and philosophy of biology

Ulrich Kutschera (born 2 February 1955) is a former German professor of biology who works as an academic advisor at I-Cultiver, Inc. in San Francisco [1] and as a visiting scientist in Stanford/Palo Alto, California, US. [2] [3] [4] He is the founder and head of "AK Evolutionbiologie", an association of evolutionary biologists in Germany. Starting in the 2000s, Kutschera started engaging with the public, first as a critic of creationism and intelligent design. [5] [6] Since the mid-2010s, his public statements and popular books focused on climate skepticism [7] and criticism of gender studies.

Contents

Education and career

Kutschera completed his undergraduate studies (biology/chemistry; theory of music) at the University of Freiburg, Germany, receiving a MS in zoology and evolutionary biology. In 1985, he received a doctorate degree (PhD) in plant physiology. His thesis (summa cum laude) was awarded the Pfizer Research Award (Germany) in 1986.

Between 1985 and 1988, Kutschera was the recipient of a Humboldt-fellowship (Feodor Lynen Program). He carried out his post-doctoral work at Stanford University (Department of Biology; Carnegie Institution for Science) and at Michigan State University (MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory). Kutschera was then employed at the University of Bonn as a research associate and thereafter as a lecturer. He began his professional career in 1993 at the Faculty of Biology and Chemistry (University of Kassel) as full professor and head of a department. In 2007, he joined the Research Groups of Z.-Y. Wang and Winslow R. Briggs in Stanford, California (US), as a visiting scientist. Since March 2021, Kutschera is a project manager at I-Cultiver, Inc.i in cooperation with Rajnish Khanna. [8]

Kutschera is an elected member of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Bonn, Germany, and the European Society for Evolutionary Biology (ESEB). In 2002, he became head of the Arbeitskreis (AK) Evolutionsbiologie (workgroup evolutionary biology) at the Verband Deutscher Biologen (vdbiol)  [ de ] [9] (association of German biologists), and from 2004 to 2007 was vice president. [5] In 2013, Kutschera was elected corresponding member of the Botanical Society of America (BSA), [10] and, since 2015, he is a Scientific Advisor for the Agriculture-Food-Health Res. Comp. I-Cultiver Inc. based in San Francisco, California, USA, [4] and the Systems Biology Group in Palo Alto, California, USA. [3]

After leaving his position at the University of Kassel, he became a board member at the Desiderius-Erasmus-Stiftung, the foundation of Alternative for Germany. [11] A statement accusing the gay community of child abuse and likening same-sex marriage to "state-sponsored pedophilia" drew widespread criticism and became subject of a trial for criminal slander, [12] in which he was acquitted on appeal. [13]

Scientific work

Kutschera has studied the mechanism of phytohormone-mediated cell expansion (epidermal growth-control theory of stem elongation; protein secretion hypothesis of auxin action; epiphytic methylobacteria as phytosymbionts in living-fossil plants). [14] [15] His contributions to the taxonomy and molecular phylogeny of aquatic annelids (and methylobacteria) includes, for example, the discovery/description of the Golden Gate leech; he also revised the systematics of medicinal leeches and published a theory on the evolution of parental care in the Hirudinea. [15] [16]

Kutschera has written about evolution and creationism from historical and philosophical perspectives and the modern theory of biological evolution as an expanded synthesis, as well as the Synade-model of macroevolution. In 2008, Kutschera described the strict separation of scientific facts and theories from religious dogma in Charles Darwin's book On the Origin of Species (1859) as Darwin's philosophical imperative. [15] [17]

Evolution versus intelligent design

In 2003, Kutschera said,

"Anti-evolutionism in German-speaking countries has already infiltrated some academic circles." [18]

In 2007, at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), in San Francisco, US, when speaking about the spread of creationism in Europe, Kutschera said,

"The more one argues against this creationist propaganda...the less you can convince people who are not scientists...[we should] no longer talk about Darwinism, but use the term Evolutionary Biology, which is a scientific discipline, like Physiology ." [19]

In 2015, at the AAAS-meeting in San Jose, US, [20] Kutschera argued that

"The topic of evolution in Germany is in the hands of a small but powerful religious sect. But they are full of creationist nonsense." [21]

Kutschera has defended evolution, human biology and naturalism against pseudoscientific claims. [22] [23]

Climate Skepticism

In 2019 Kutschera accused the School Strike for Climate of being motivated by laziness and naively falling pray to "climate ideology". While he does not deny climate change, he equivocates on anthropogemicism and considers the topic "hysteria", designed to "make the population more manageable". [24]

Gender studies

In a series of interviews promoting and defending his book "The Gender-Paradox (2016)", Kutscher railed against Gender studies as a "cancerous growth trying to conquer science". He repeatedly asserted "overwhelming" scientific evidence that "men across all cultures prefer young, attractive, fertile, not particularly eloquent women, where he doesn't have to discuss much, and she cooks well and raises the children". The book itself criticized John Money (1921–2006) and his concepts of Gender-role etc. (english version of this text, see here). The book was generally panned by critics [25] which was then criticized as attempted censorship. Dieter Schönecker wrote that "It is an intellectual catastrophe when contentious people like Ulrich Kutschera, Martin van Creveld, Jörg Baberowski or Rainer Wendt are no longer allowed to speak at a German university without the moral police from the 'imperium paternale' (Kant's term for paternal government) being sent out on patrol." [26]

Homosexuality and pedophilia

In a 2017 interview with a catholic online magazine, Kutschera predicted that same-sex marriage, which was at the time in the process of legalization in Germany, would lead to "government-sanctioned pedophilia" and "extensive child abuse". Gay rights organizations and members of the community considered Kutschera's statements to be libelous. A first criminal trial in 2020 found Kutschera guilty of Volksverhetzung (incitement to hatred) and assessed a fine of 6,000 Euro. [27] After Kutschera succeeded in appealing the verdict, the prosecution appealed and a third trial became necessary. The Oberlandesgericht in Frankfurt considered Kutschera's statements to be within the bounds protected by the principle of freedom of speech, leading to acquittal. [28]

Publications

Kutschera has published ca. 300 scientific papers, [14] and 14 books (in German). Since 2010, he is the producer of a series of science videos for biology students, including the "post-Minimalist 'space music'" piano soundtrack. [29] [30]

His textbook, Evolutionsbiologie (2015) [31] has been translated into Russian and Portuguese. In 2018, he published a critical analysis of the scientific validity of physiognomy, with reference to Darwin′s work on this topic. [32]

In January 2019, Kutschera's textbook Physiologie der Pflanzen. Sensible Gewächse in Aktion was published. In a Book Review, Karl J. Niklas wrote that this volume, which provides a comprehensive summary of our current knowledge on the physiology and biochemistry of plants "… should be of value to general readers interested in the philosophy of science." [33] A few weeks before the book became available, a religious webzine published an article dealing with "Plant Intelligence", a topic that was discussed in detail in Kutschera's textbook. [34]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darwinism</span> Theory of biological evolution

Darwinism is a term used to describe a theory of biological evolution developed by the English naturalist Charles Darwin (1809–1882) and others. The theory states that all species of organisms arise and develop through the natural selection of small, inherited variations that increase the individual's ability to compete, survive, and reproduce. Also called Darwinian theory, it originally included the broad concepts of transmutation of species or of evolution which gained general scientific acceptance after Darwin published On the Origin of Species in 1859, including concepts which predated Darwin's theories. English biologist Thomas Henry Huxley coined the term Darwinism in April 1860.

Zoology is the scientific study of animals. Its studies include the structure, embryology, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct, and how they interact with their ecosystems. Zoology is one of the primary branches of biology. The term is derived from Ancient Greek ζῷον, zōion ('animal'), and λόγος, logos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Center for Science Education</span> Nonprofit supporting the teaching of evolution and climate change

The National Center for Science Education (NCSE) is a not-for-profit membership organization in the United States whose stated mission is to educate the press and the public on the scientific and educational aspects of controversies surrounding the teaching of evolution and climate change, and to provide information and resources to schools, parents, and other citizens working to keep those topics in public school science education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neo-Darwinism</span> Used to describe the combination of natural selection and genetics

Neo-Darwinism is generally used to describe any integration of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection with Gregor Mendel's theory of genetics. It mostly refers to evolutionary theory from either 1895 or 1942, but it can mean any new Darwinian- and Mendelian-based theory, such as the current evolutionary theory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theistic evolution</span> Views that religion is compatible with science

Theistic evolution, alternatively called evolutionary creationism, is a view that God acts and creates through laws of nature. Here, God is taken as the primary cause while natural causes are secondary, positing that the concept of God and religious beliefs are compatible with the findings of modern science, including evolution. Theistic evolution is not in itself a scientific theory, but includes a range of views about how science relates to religious beliefs and the extent to which God intervenes. It rejects the strict creationist doctrines of special creation, but can include beliefs such as creation of the human soul. Modern theistic evolution accepts the general scientific consensus on the age of the Earth, the age of the universe, the Big Bang, the origin of the Solar System, the origin of life, and evolution.

<i>Icons of Evolution</i> Book by Jonathan Wells

Icons of Evolution is a book by Jonathan Wells, an advocate of the pseudoscientific intelligent design argument for the existence of God and fellow of the Discovery Institute, in which Wells criticizes the paradigm of evolution by attacking how it is taught. The book includes a 2002 video companion. In 2000, Wells summarized the book's contents in an article in the American Spectator. Several of the scientists whose work is sourced in the book have written rebuttals to Wells, stating that they were quoted out of context, that their work has been misrepresented, or that it does not imply Wells's conclusions.

Project Steve is a list of scientists with the given name Stephen or Steven or a variation thereof who "support evolution". It was originally created by the National Center for Science Education as a "tongue-in-cheek parody" of creationist attempts to collect a list of scientists who "doubt evolution", such as the Answers in Genesis's list of scientists who accept the biblical account of the Genesis creation narrative or the Discovery Institute's A Scientific Dissent From Darwinism. The list pokes fun at such endeavors while making it clear that, "We did not wish to mislead the public into thinking that scientific issues are decided by who has the longer list of scientists!" It also honors Stephen Jay Gould. The level of support for evolution among scientists is very high. A 2009 poll by Pew Research Center found that "[n]early all scientists (97%) say humans and other living things have evolved over time."

The Kansas evolution hearings were a series of hearings held in Topeka, Kansas, United States from May 5 to 12, 2005 by the Kansas State Board of Education and its State Board Science Hearing Committee to change how evolution and the origin of life would be taught in the state's public high school science classes. The hearings were arranged by the Board of Education with the intent of introducing intelligent design into science classes via the Teach the Controversy method.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Lewis Marsh</span>

Frank Lewis Marsh was an American Seventh-Day Adventist biologist, educator and young Earth creationist. In 1963 he was one of the ten founding members of the Creation Research Society.

Denis O. Lamoureux is the Professor of Science and Religion at St. Joseph's College in the University of Alberta, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He has doctoral degrees in dentistry, theology, and biology. The author of Evolutionary Creation and of I Love Jesus and I Accept Evolution, he has also written Darwinism Defeated? The Johnson-Lamoureux Debate on Biological Origins, on the creation–evolution controversy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neo-creationism</span> Pseudoscientific creationist movement

Neo-creationism is a pseudoscientific movement which aims to restate creationism in terms more likely to be well received by the public, by policy makers, by educators and by the scientific community. It aims to re-frame the debate over the origins of life in non-religious terms and without appeals to scripture. This comes in response to the 1987 ruling by the United States Supreme Court in Edwards v. Aguillard that creationism is an inherently religious concept and that advocating it as correct or accurate in public-school curricula violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.

The intelligent design movement has conducted an organized campaign largely in the United States that promotes a pseudoscientific, neo-creationist religious agenda calling for broad social, academic and political changes centering on intelligent design.

"A Scientific Dissent from Darwinism" was a statement issued in 2001 by the Discovery Institute, a Christian, conservative think tank based in Seattle, Washington, U.S., best known for its promotion of the pseudoscientific principle of intelligent design. As part of the Discovery Institute's Teach the Controversy campaign, the statement expresses skepticism about the ability of random mutations and natural selection to account for the complexity of life, and encourages careful examination of the evidence for "Darwinism", a term intelligent design proponents use to refer to evolution.

<i>Evolution: A Theory in Crisis</i> 1985 book by Michael Denton

Evolution: A Theory in Crisis is a 1985 book by Michael Denton, in which the author argues that the scientific theory of evolution by natural selection is a "theory in crisis". Reviews by scientists say that the book distorts and misrepresents evolutionary theory and contains numerous errors.

Objections to evolution have been raised since evolutionary ideas came to prominence in the 19th century. When Charles Darwin published his 1859 book On the Origin of Species, his theory of evolution initially met opposition from scientists with different theories, but eventually came to receive near-universal acceptance in the scientific community. The observation of evolutionary processes occurring has been uncontroversial among mainstream biologists since the 1940s.

Siegfried Scherer is a German biologist, since 1991 Professor of Microbiology at the Technical University of Munich, Weihenstephan since 1991, where he is Managing Director of the Nutrition and Food Research Center ZIEL. Scherer is not a prominent creationist as often purported. He believes that religion and science are two different ways of approaching reality. He is married to anthropologist Sigrid Hartwig-Scherer.

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<i>Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed</i> 2008 American documentary-style propaganda film

Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed is a 2008 American propaganda film directed by Nathan Frankowski and starring Ben Stein. It is presented as a documentary promoting the conspiracy theory that academia oppresses and excludes people who believe in intelligent design. It portrays the scientific theory of evolution as a contributor to communism, fascism, atheism, eugenics, and in particular Nazi atrocities in the Holocaust. Although intelligent design is a pseudoscientific religious idea, the film presents it as science-based, without giving a detailed definition of the concept or attempting to explain it on a scientific level. Other than briefly addressing issues of irreducible complexity, Expelled examines intelligent design purely as a political issue.

This article presents an overview of creationism by country.

References

  1. ↑ "Advisors".
  2. ↑ "Winslow Briggs' Profile | Stanford Profiles". profiles.stanford.edu.
  3. 1 2 Systems Biology Group, Palo Alto, CA 94306, USA
  4. 1 2 I-Cultiver, Inc. Agriculture-Food-Health, Livermore CA 94550, USA
  5. 1 2 "Über uns" Accessed August 10, 2018/.
  6. ↑ Luskin C. "New plant evolution paper misfires while debating the controversy that doesn't exist." Evolution News. 6 March 2008.
  7. ↑ Rudolph, Katja (11 March 2019). "Umstrittener Kasseler Biologe wettert gegen "Klima-Hysterie"" [Controversial Biologist Rants Against 'Climate Hysteria']. hna.de (in German). Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  8. ↑ "Rajnish Khanna" . Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  9. ↑ "History of vdbiol" (PDF). Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  10. ↑ "Corresponding members" Botanical Society of America.
  11. ↑ Knuth, Hannah (11 July 2018). "Rechter Apparat" [Right Apparatus]. Zeit Online. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  12. ↑ Gubernator, Sebastian (20 July 2017). "Nach Interview zu Homo-Ehe: "Bemitleidenswerter, hasserfüllter Mensch" – Proteste gegen Professor" ["Pitiable, hateful person" – protests against professor]. DIE WELT (in German). Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  13. ↑ "Kutschera-Prozess: "Aussagen geeignet, Gewalt zu erzeugen"" [Kutschera trial: "statements likely to generate violence"]. Süddeutsche.de (in German). 20 July 2020. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  14. 1 2 "Kutschera U - Search Results - PubMed". PubMed. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  15. 1 2 3 "Ulrich KUTSCHERA | Professor of Biology | PhD | Research profile" . Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  16. ↑ "Home". www.hirudinea-lamarck1818.com.
  17. ↑ Kutschera, U. (1 December 2009). "Darwin's Philosophical Imperative and the Furor Theologicus". Evolution: Education and Outreach. 2 (4): 688–694. doi: 10.1007/s12052-009-0166-8 .
  18. ↑ Numbers R. L. "The Creationists: from scientific creationism to intelligent design." Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 2006.
  19. ↑ "Down with Darwinism." Cosmic Log, NBC News 16 February 2007.
  20. ↑ AAAS-meeting 2015 – Creationism in Germany American Association for the Advancement of Science, website.
  21. ↑ Science Communication Program – Interview 2015 by Nala Rogers.
  22. ↑ "Intelligent design debate arrives in Germany." DW.de.
  23. ↑ "German scientists concerned about rise in creationist belief." DW.de.
  24. ↑ Boeselager, Matern (17 June 2016). "Wir haben das 'Compact'-Magazin durchgelesen, damit ihr es nicht tun müsst" [We read through 'Compact' magazine so you don't have to]. vice.com (in German). Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  25. ↑ "Prozess wegen homophober Aussagen: Kasseler Professor freigesprochen". 2 March 2021.
  26. ↑ Protecting Academic Freedom., Philosophy Now 135, 1–6.
  27. ↑ "Kasseler Uniprofessor Ulrich Kutschera legt Revision ein". rtl.de (in German). Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  28. ↑ Zoske, Sascha (28 February 2022). ""Von Meinungsfreiheit gedeckt": Biologe vom Vorwurf der Homosexuellen-Beleidigung freigesprochen" [Biologist acquitted of accusation of insulting homosexuals]. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). ISSN   0174-4909 . Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  29. ↑ Composers/U. Kutschera, 2 February 2016.
  30. ↑ "Zookeeper Online". zookeeper.stanford.edu.
  31. ↑ Kutschera U. "Evolutionsbiologie", 4th edition, Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 2015.
  32. ↑ "MercatorNet: The two faces of physiognomy". MercatorNet. 16 August 2018.
  33. ↑ "Niklas, K. J. (2019) Book Review: Historical roots and current status of plant physiology (Abstract)" (PDF).
  34. ↑ "MercatorNet: Are plants intelligent?". MercatorNet. 10 December 2018.
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