Earlier today, I blogged this post about this National Review Online op-ed by Hunter Baker, who is described in the preface of the article as a “Texas freelance writer.” Mr. Baker’s article is highly critical of UT Law Professor, Brian Leiter, for Professor Leiter’s earlier criticism of the student author of a Harvard Law Review note that was complimentary of Baylor philosophy professor Francis Beckwith‘s new book, “Law, Darwinism, & Public Education.” Professor Leiter subscribes to Darwin’s Theory of Evolution, while Professor Beckwith is as proponent of what is known as the “Intelligent Design Theory,” which is an outgrowth of creationism.
At any rate, my earlier blog was critical of Professor Leiter, not so much because of his views on evolution, which he presents very well. Rather, I was critical of the Professor’s accusation that the student author of the Harvard Law Review note had engaged in academic fraud, which I did not think was clearly reflected by the note.
Well, the student reviewer may be pristine as driven snow, but Mr. Baker — the author of the National Review Online piece — is not. Turns out that Mr. Baker is a graduate student of Baylor Professor Beckwith! And to make matters worse, Mr. Baker did not bother to disclose his close association with Professor Beckwith in his NRO article.
In the last paragraph of his NRO article, Mr. Baker suggests that Professor Leiter owes the student author of the Harvard Law Review note an apology. I initially agreed with that sentiment. However, now I apologize to Professor Leiter for my earlier post, and suggest to Mr. Baker that he owes him one, too.