The debunking is not valuable. For one thing it takes up the time of professional scientists who could be studying more promising subjects. For another, as your quote points out, this crazy theory has unfairly tarred related, more promising areas of study.
In terms of TED, the primary harm is that it gives the subject lay credence that it does not deserve. The very fact that you are arguing that this theory has value proves my point. What is your educational or professional background for evaluating the merits of this theory? A Wikipedia page? My wife is a professional anthropologist and I can assure you that her field considers Elaine Morgan a crackpot. She was astounded that TED would give her a platform.
It says rejection of the AAH led to stigmatization; correct me if I'm wrong but that means it was not acceptance of the theory which has tarnished related areas; it was labeling it as "crazy" as you just did that caused damage.
You're right that I don't have a degree in the area, but I don't claim any merits to the thoery, to me it's just another conjecture (like what if life on earth came from a martian asteroid) - I don't really care if it's going to be proven or not and don't take it as a fact, it's just food for thought. Falsifying hypothesis is the basis of science after all! Quoting from the aquaticape.org debunking website:
false views, if supported by some evidence, do little
harm, for everyone takes a salutory pleasure in proving
their falseness: and when this is done, one path toward
error is closed and the road to truth is often at the same
time opened
- Charles Darwin
It might sound crazy if you're immersed in the field, but it's not the kind of blatant pseudo-science we should be raging about.
In terms of TED, the primary harm is that it gives the subject lay credence that it does not deserve. The very fact that you are arguing that this theory has value proves my point. What is your educational or professional background for evaluating the merits of this theory? A Wikipedia page? My wife is a professional anthropologist and I can assure you that her field considers Elaine Morgan a crackpot. She was astounded that TED would give her a platform.