Charlie in Dayton
29th January 2004, 09:15 PM
Excerpted from the Skeptical Inquirer, Jan/Feb 2004, pp11-12
"IAU Rejects Naming Asteroid for Homeopathy Founder"
(NOTE: article taken from the minutes of the International Astronomical Union's triennial General Assembly in Sydney Australia, July 14-24 2003)
"...One name proposed for a minor planet, in honor of a founder of 'homeopathy', which included in its citation phrases that could be interpreted as endorsing homepathy, had been rejected by the committee after long discussion..."
"...On the one hand, the rights of an asteroid's discoverer to name the asteroid...were strongly defended. On the other hand, homeopathy was itself described by several members as 'pseudo-science', and the fear was expressed that IAU approval of this asteroid name would be seized upon...as an endorsement of this technique by the IAU..."
***********end excerpts
The Committee on Small Bodies Nomenclature recommended rejecting the name, and the motion passed the IAU's Division III (The Solar System) by a vote of 25-15, affirming the CSBN's decision.
"IAU Rejects Naming Asteroid for Homeopathy Founder"
(NOTE: article taken from the minutes of the International Astronomical Union's triennial General Assembly in Sydney Australia, July 14-24 2003)
"...One name proposed for a minor planet, in honor of a founder of 'homeopathy', which included in its citation phrases that could be interpreted as endorsing homepathy, had been rejected by the committee after long discussion..."
"...On the one hand, the rights of an asteroid's discoverer to name the asteroid...were strongly defended. On the other hand, homeopathy was itself described by several members as 'pseudo-science', and the fear was expressed that IAU approval of this asteroid name would be seized upon...as an endorsement of this technique by the IAU..."
***********end excerpts
The Committee on Small Bodies Nomenclature recommended rejecting the name, and the motion passed the IAU's Division III (The Solar System) by a vote of 25-15, affirming the CSBN's decision.