Science and Intellectual Freedom

Abstract

DR. NORMAN R. CAMPBELL (NATURE, August 8, p. 208) writes with a certain lack of charity about the numerous men of science, medical men, publicists, and so forth, who have ventured to inform themselves about birth control. To seek knowledge about the origin of species, he informs us, may be honest and honourable, but “knowledge concerning contraception is sought, either from mere prurience, or from intention to practise it or to teach others to do so”. But that is just what a Tennessee Fundamentalist would say about interest in evolution. He would say men wanted to know they were beasts in order to make beasts of themselves. It is impossible to let Dr. Campbell's sweeping indictment pass unchallenged. People in general want to know about this matter in order to judge it; they want to know the nature, the naturalness, the physical good or evil of these practices and what the mental and social reactions of this or that line of action may be. It is no more “prurient” to be intelligently interested in the question than in dietary. No one wants the publicly paid medical man to “propagate” this knowledge where it is not desired. But we do want to see him free to give it, cleanly and discreetly, to people who know already that it exists and who will, failing him, probably seek it in shameful and dangerous ways. We object to any sect or section of the community coming with threats of dismissal and injury between him and those who want to know. That is what is done at the present time. And while this is the case in Britain I decline to line up to sneer at the Fundamentalists of Tennessee.