Every Scientific Fact Can be Criticized, Except Evolution

One of the predictable rites of the biological establishment is the outraged, condescending response given to any criticism levied at the theory of evolution by the wrong group. There is no end of the amount of indignant spleen vented towards the supposed interlopers – pig-ignorant, fundamentalist, pseudo-scientific nuts – who dare contradict the most important idea in the history of science. Consider noted atheist and evolutionary evangelist Richard Dawkin's statement:

It is absolutely safe to say that if you meet somebody who claims not to believe in evolution, that person is ignorant, stupid or insane (or wicked, but I’d rather not consider that).

And yet, in two recent articles on pride and error in the sciences, a foundation is laid for even evolutionary biology to be more open to criticisms, without worrying from where these critiques arise.

Yet, a strong argument is here advanced for principled and unbiased humility in the search for scientific truth. After all, could it really be any other way? Why should Mother Nature or God favor a blindly biased cabal of “truth hoarders” arrogantly convinced only they intuit the secret nuts and bolts of the universe?