Ulrich Kutschera

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Ulrich Kutschera
U.Kutschera.jpg
Ulrich Kutschera
Born2 February 1955 (1955-02-02) (age 68)
Freiburg, Germany
NationalityGerman
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] [24]

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". [25]

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 [26] 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." [27]

Homosexuality and pedophilia

In a 2017 interview with a catholic online magazine, Kutschera predicted 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. [28] 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. [29]

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. [30] [31]

His textbook, Evolutionsbiologie (2015) [32] 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. [33]

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." [34] 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. [35]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Creation science</span> Pseudoscientific form of Young Earth creationism

Creation science or scientific creationism is a pseudoscientific form of Young Earth creationism which claims to offer scientific arguments for certain literalist and inerrantist interpretations of the Bible. It is often presented without overt faith-based language, but instead relies on reinterpreting scientific results to argue that various myths in the Book of Genesis and other select biblical passages are scientifically valid. The most commonly advanced ideas of creation science include special creation based on the Genesis creation narrative and flood geology based on the Genesis flood narrative. Creationists also claim they can disprove or reexplain a variety of scientific facts, theories and paradigms of geology, cosmology, biological evolution, archaeology, history, and linguistics using creation science. Creation science was foundational to intelligent design.

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

Darwinism is a theory of biological evolution developed by the English naturalist Charles Darwin (1809–1882) and others, stating 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.

Evolutionism is a term used to denote the theory of evolution. Its exact meaning has changed over time as the study of evolution has progressed. In the 19th century, it was used to describe the belief that organisms deliberately improved themselves through progressive inherited change (orthogenesis). The teleological belief went on to include cultural evolution and social evolution. In the 1970s, the term "Neo-Evolutionism" was used to describe the idea that "human beings sought to preserve a familiar style of life unless change was forced on them by factors that were beyond their control."

<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. Based in Oakland, California, it claims 4,500 members that include scientists, teachers, clergy, and citizens of varied religious and political affiliations. The Center opposes the teaching of religious views in science classes in America's public schools; it does this through initiatives such as Project Steve. The Center has been called the United States' "leading anti-creationist organization". The Center is affiliated with the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theistic evolution</span> Views that regard religious teachings about God as compatible with modern science

Theistic evolution is a view that God acts and creates through laws of nature. It posits that the concept of God is 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rejection of evolution by religious groups</span>

Recurring cultural, political, and theological rejection of evolution by religious groups exists regarding the origins of the Earth, of humanity, and of other life. In accordance with creationism, species were once widely believed to be fixed products of divine creation, but since the mid-19th century, evolution by natural selection has been established by the scientific community as an empirical scientific fact.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Creation and evolution in public education</span> Status of creation and evolution in public education

The status of creation and evolution in public education has been the subject of substantial debate and conflict in legal, political, and religious circles. Globally, there is a wide variety of views on the topic. Most western countries have legislation that mandates only evolutionary biology is to be taught in the appropriate scientific syllabuses.

<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.

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

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giuseppe Sermonti</span>

Giuseppe Sermonti was an Italian professor of genetics. Sermonti is well known for his criticism of natural selection as the deciding factor of human biology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Scientific Dissent from Darwinism</span> Statement issued in 2001 by the Discovery Institute

"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.

<i>Darwinism, Design and Public Education</i>

Darwinism, Design and Public Education is a 2003 anthology, consisting largely of rewritten versions of essays from a 1998 issue of Michigan State University Press's journal, Rhetoric and Public Affairs, edited by intelligent design activists John Angus Campbell and Stephen C. Meyer, neither of whom are scientists. The book is promoted as being a "peer-reviewed science book", however in reviewing it Barbara Forrest notes that:

Nineteen of the twenty-seven essays are by ID creationists and their supporters, not one of whom is a working evolutionary biologist. Among the eight pro-evolution essays, only four are by scientists. Of those, only two are by evolutionary biologists. There is a preponderance of humanities scholars; some, like rhetorician John Angus Campbell, are ID proponents while others are pro-evolution.

Darwin's theory of evolution was influenced by interpretations of Hindu philosophy, especially reincarnation and human development. Hindus have found support for, or ideas foreshadowing evolutionary ideas, in scriptures, such as the mytheme of Dashavatara, the incarnations of Vishnu starting with a fish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Level of support for evolution</span> Variation in support for the theory of evolution

The level of support for evolution among scientists, the public, and other groups is a topic that frequently arises in the creation–evolution controversy, and touches on educational, religious, philosophical, scientific, and political issues. The subject is especially contentious in countries where significant levels of non-acceptance of evolution by the general population exists, but evolution is taught at public schools and universities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Objections to evolution</span> Arguments that have been made against evolution

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 overwhelming acceptance in the scientific community. The observation of evolutionary processes occurring has been uncontroversial among mainstream biologists since the 1940s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Discovery Institute intelligent design campaigns</span> Campaigns which seek to promote intelligent design creationism

The Discovery Institute has conducted a series of related public relations campaigns which seek to promote intelligent design while attempting to discredit evolutionary biology, which the Institute terms "Darwinism." The Discovery Institute promotes the pseudoscientific intelligent design movement and is represented by Creative Response Concepts, a public relations firm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of evolution</span>

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to evolution:

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 (2019-03-11). "Umstrittener Kasseler Biologe wettert gegen "Klima-Hysterie"" [Controversial Biologist Rants Against 'Climate Hysteria']. hna.de (in German). Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  8. ↑ https://rajnishkhanna.com/
  9. ↑ "History of vdbiol" (PDF).
  10. ↑ "Corresponding members" Botanical Society of America.
  11. ↑ Knuth, Hannah (2018-07-11). "Rechter Apparat" [Right Apparatus]. Zeit Online. Retrieved 2021-10-28.
  12. ↑ Gubernator, Sebastian (2017-07-20). "Nach Interview zu Homo-Ehe: "Bemitleidenswerter, hasserfüllter Mensch" – Proteste gegen Professor" ["Pitiable, hateful person" – protests against professor]. DIE WELT (in German). Retrieved 2021-10-28.
  13. ↑ "Kutschera-Prozess: "Aussagen geeignet, Gewalt zu erzeugen"" [Kutschera trial: "statements likely to generate violence"]. Süddeutsche.de (in German). 2020-07-20. Retrieved 2021-10-28.
  14. 1 2 Publications: U. Kutschera on NCBI/PubMed
  15. 1 2 3 "researchgate U. Kutschera".
  16. ↑ "Home". www.hirudinea-lamarck1818.com.
  17. ↑ Kutschera, U. (December 1, 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. ↑ http://www.evolutionsbiologen.de/media/files/-2019--Kutschera_Mental-Health-and-Addiction-Research_Vol-4_1_3_Social-Media_Addiction_Personality-traits-and-human-biology-in-the-Facebook-age-01.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
  25. ↑ Boeselager, Matern (2016-06-17). "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 2021-10-28.
  26. ↑ "Prozess wegen homophober Aussagen: Kasseler Professor freigesprochen". 2 March 2021.
  27. ↑ Protecting Academic Freedom., Philosophy Now 135, 1–6.
  28. ↑ "Kasseler Uniprofessor Ulrich Kutschera legt Revision ein". rtl.de (in German). Retrieved 2022-03-26.
  29. ↑ Zoske, Sascha (2022-02-28). ""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 2022-03-26.
  30. ↑ Composers/U. Kutschera, 2 February 2016.
  31. ↑ "Zookeeper Online". zookeeper.stanford.edu.
  32. ↑ Kutschera U. "Evolutionsbiologie", 4th edition, Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 2015.
  33. ↑ "MercatorNet: The two faces of physiognomy". MercatorNet. 16 August 2018.
  34. ↑ "Niklas, K. J. (2019) Book Review: Historical roots and current status of plant physiology (Abstract)" (PDF).
  35. ↑ "MercatorNet: Are plants intelligent?". MercatorNet. 10 December 2018.
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