The Kouznetsov Affair
Dmitri Kouznetsov (also spelled Kuznetsov) is the name of the Russian scientist who became embroiled in controversy after he was charged with falsifying references in a scientific paper several years ago. Dr. Kouznetsov's credentials are impressive. He does not hold one doctorate in science. He does not hold two doctorates in science. He holds THREE earned doctorates: an M.D. from I.M. Sechenov School of Medecine (1978), a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Moscow M.V. Lomonosov State University (1981), and a D.Sc. in molecular biology at the U.S.S.R. Academy of Medical Sciences Institute for Nutrition Research (1989).
Further, in 1983 he was awarded the Lenin Komsomol Prize, which was given annually to the top two young scientists in the U.S.S.R. He also holds at least three patents and has authored scores of scientific papers in English and Russian. All these achievements make the following story all the more strange. According to the November 1991 issue of Back to Genesis (#35) from the Institute for Creation Research, Dr. Kouznetsov reports that he first came into contact with ICR books translated into Russian and became a creationist in 1983, the same year he was awarded the prestigious Lenin Komsomol Prize. Two years later, he says, he became a Christian. This was when the U.S.S.R. still existed as a strictly communist state and atheism was the only allowed religion.
In 1989 a paper authored by Kouznetsov appeared in the International Journal of Neuroscience, (Vol. 49:43-59) entitled "In Vitro Studies of Interactions Between Frequent and Unique mRNAs and Cytoplasmic Factors From Brain Tissue of Several Species of Wild Timber Voles of Northern Eurasia, Clethrionomys Glareolus, Clethrionomys Frater and Clethrionomys Gapperi: A New Criticism to a Modern Molecular-Genetic Concept of Evolution." Whew! A slightly modified paper was subsequently published in the Creation Research Society Quarterly.
In 1994 a Swedish biologist reported that he had been unable to locate many of the journals referenced in Kouznetsov's paper. A journal at the critics' own university in one reference did not exist to his knowledge, and several authors cited in other references were not familiar with papers attributed to them by Kouznetsov(!) (See Dan Larhammer, "Lack of Experimental Support for Kuznetsov's Criticism of Biological Evolution," International Journal of Neuroscience, 77 (1994): 199-201.)
Bible-Science News subsequently tried and failed to locate an additional three journals cited by Kouznetsov. (Anon., "Kuznetsov Papers Called Into Question," Bible-Science News 33(1995):2, pp. 15-16.) BSN stated "if Larhammer's allegations are proven correct, Kuznetsov has committed a gross breach of honesty. One simply does not invent references, no matter what the motivation. Even a single fictitious reference is inexcusable." (p. 15)
As the allegations surfaced, the ICR terminated his position as an adjunct faculty member. The Creation Research Society (which had published a version of the paper in question) (DeYoung, Don B., "The Kouznetsov Controversy," Creation Research Society Quarterly 32(1995):1, p. 10), Bible-Science News, the Creation Science Foundation of Australia and possibly others sent letters to Dr. Kouznetsov demanding an explanation. So far as I know, no acceptable response was ever received by any creation science organization. All the above rushed to dissociate themselves from Kouznetsov and his work.
Even the "popular science" magazine for laymen, the glossy and colorful Creation Ex Nihilo produced by CSF, carried an item on the allegations. "Despite repeated requests, he has failed to provide evidence that would clear him of these and other concerns. [C]reation Science Foundation obviously cannot condone any suggestion of wrongdoing (I Thessalonians 5:22), and therefore has now dissociated itself from Dr. Kouznetsov, pending satisfactory responses from him." ("Kouznetsov Concerns," Creation Ex Nihilo 17(1995):4, p. 7)
What can we learn from this apparent case of creationist fraud? Many anti-creationists insist loudly that virtually everything that issues forth from the lips of a creationist is a vicious lie (if you don't believe me just show up at talk.origins and say "hi, I'm a young-earth creationist"!) Ironically, this affair is really a classic example of the phrase "the exception that proves the rule."
You see when the allegations were made public, and while it was still perfectly possible Dr. Kouznetsov could vindicate himself, creation science periodicals did not hesitate to report the allegation, even adding more of their own based on their own research as in the case of BSN.
I have read hundreds of creationist books, hundreds more creation science periodicals and uncounted thousands of e-mails on the subject of creation/evolution. In all of this the case of Dmitri Kouznetsov is absolutely unique. If creationists were nearly as dishonest as certain anti-creationists make us out to be, there would be disavowals, dissociations, disclaimers and apologies filling every issue of every creationist periodical. In fact, the Kouznetsov case is unique. I wish we could say the same for anti-creationists: just see the Hall of Shame for a smattering of examples from their side of the fence.
To be sure there is plenty of disagreement and wrangling over interpretations of data, and there is unprofessional behavior and often overenthusiastic apologetics for creation that lack sober-mindedness, caution and balance. But this is not deliberate dishonesty nor is it fraud.
In fact, an examination of Dr. Ronald Numbers' book The Creationists (Alfred Knopf Publishers, 1992) confirms this lack of dishonesty among creationists. Numbers is a professor of history at the University of Wisconsin, an agnostic evolutionist whose bias against creationists is not as severe as most but still easy enough to detect. Nevertheless, in his masterwork on the creation science resurgence in America he underscores my point. The only thing in his book close to outright fraud involves a row between a creationist geologist and the Creation Research Society in the 1960s (pp. 259-263). Three days before his doctoral examination for a Ph.D. in geology, one of the professors discovered publications by the student advocating flood geology. For whatever reason he did not receive the degree. He later purchased a "Ph.D." from a "degree mill," leading to an uproar with the president of the Creation Research Society ordering him to stop citing it with anything he published.
As a creationist I know by faith imbued by the Holy Spirit that the Bible is true, and therefore that all scientific data will ultimately support it and nothing else. The worst thing I could possibly due is misrepresent, distort or omit information in a deceptive manner, as this would only cause further problems in the future. Further, creationists know clearly they will be judged for their actions and their honesty in this life. This cannot be said for the bulk of our opponents. Thus it is no wonder there is such a lopsided discrepancy in the level of honesty evinced on either side of the creation/evolution debate.
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