Intelligent Design The Future

Richard Weikart on Dr. Ben Carson and the Implications of Evolutionary Ethics

Discovery Institute — Mon, 14 May 2012 23:17:26 GMT

On this episode of ID The Future, professor and Center for Science & Culture fellow Dr. Richard Weikart discusses a recent attack on esteemed neurobiologist Dr. Ben Carson for his doubts about Darwinian evolution. Carson is the speaker at Emory University's 2012 Commencement. Last week, an open letter from a handful of Emory faculty members appeared in the school's newspaper criticizing Carson's lack of respect for evolution and accusing him of making inappropriate statements about ethics and morality. Weikart explores the implications of evolutionary ethics and sheds light on this current academic freedom issue. Read more about this issue at Evolution News & Views.

Sign the Petition Urging Emory University to Stand Up to Darwinist Bullies

Discovery Institute — Fri, 11 May 2012 23:40:19 GMT

On this episode of ID the Future, host David Boze and Dr. David Klinghoffer discuss how Darwinist bullying at Emory University illustrates how the scientific consensus on Darwinian evolution is maintained through an atmosphere of intimidation, distortion, and oppression. Dr. Ben Carson, a widely acclaimed neurosurgeon, was invited to give the Commencement address and receive an honorary degree. Now he's being targeted by Darwinists at the university for being a Darwin skeptic. Perhaps even more disturbing is the university's failure to reaffirm Dr. Carson's welcome and support his right to academic freedom. An online petition urging Emory University to uphold academic freedom has already received over two thousand signatures. Add yours and encourage Emory University to stand up to the bullies that threaten scientific dissent. Don't forget to tell your friends and family to do the same!

Defending Academic Freedom: Dr. Ben Carson and Emory University

Discovery Institute — Thu, 10 May 2012 00:41:18 GMT

Pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson is under attack by Darwinists trying to discredit him ahead of his invitation to deliver a commencement at Emory University on May 15th. Listen in as Casey Luskin shares the backstory and provides details of an online petition you can sign now to show your support for Dr. Carson's right to express honest doubts about Darwinian evolution! It's not just about Dr. Carson. It's about all the people who are being intimidated by a culture of bullying from the Darwin lobby. People we haven't even heard about yet, who are afraid to speak up for fear of their jobs and their livelihood. Will you help us protect their freedom? Sign the petition now.

Nature's "Evolutionary Gems": Microevolution Meets... Microevolution

Discovery Institute — Tue, 08 May 2012 17:24:21 GMT

On this episode of ID the Future Casey Luskin continues his examination of Nature's "15 Evolutionary Gems" packet, going through the literature on small-scale, micro-evolutionary changes -- and how they fail to account for larger, macro-evolutionary changes. Listen in as Luskin discusses changes in birds' beaks and guppies' spots and what they really tell us about evolutionary theory. For more on the "evolutionary gems," Check out Evolution News & Views.

Pro-ID Paper Examines Irreducible Complexity of Birds in Flight

Discovery Institute — Fri, 04 May 2012 21:41:47 GMT

On this episode of ID the Future, Casey Luskin reports on a 2009 peer-reviewed paper arguing for the irreducible complexity of two systems vital to bird flight -- feathers and the avian respiratory system. The author, Leeds University professor Andy McIntosh, challenges his critics to consider the design hypothesis as a valid scientific assumption "borne out by the evidence itself." Read more about the paper on Evolution News & Views.

The Darwin-Fueled Ideas of John Derbyshire and Robert Weissberg

Discovery Institute — Wed, 02 May 2012 21:26:49 GMT

On this episode of ID The Future, Discovery Institute Senior Fellow David Klinghoffer discusses the recent move by National Review editor Rich Lowry to sever ties with two regular contributors, John Derbyshire and Robert Weissberg, after discovering their connections to racialist groups promoting race superiority, eugenics, and other decidely un-American ideas. Klinghoffer illustrates how Darwinian evolution informs proponents of these ideas, and how important it is to identify and root out this kind of thinking before it has a chance to pollute respectable institutions and publications. Read Klinghoffer's coverage of this issue on Evolution News & Views.

Evangelizing Evolution: A Look at Nature's Evolutionary Gems

Discovery Institute — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 22:53:05 GMT

Are refereed scientific journals vehicles for progress or propaganda? The journal Nature was first published in 1869 as a vehicle for promoting "progressive" and "controversial" ideas like Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection and universal common ancestry. In 2009, Nature released a free online packet entitled "15 Evolutionary Gems", designed to help people promote and defend the theory of evolution. Listen in as Casey Luskin explores this modern attempt to promote Darwinism and how it misses the mark. Listen to part 2,3, and 4 of this podcast series. Read more about Nature's evolution promotion packet on Evolution News & Views.

Dr. Cornelius Hunter: Evidence Against Darwinian Evolution in the Hammerhead Shark

Discovery Institute — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 22:40:32 GMT

On this episode of ID the Future, host David Boze interviews Dr. Cornelius Hunter about serveral lines of evidence against Darwinian evolution found in the hammerhead shark. The unique design of the hammerhead's aerodynamic head, or cephalofoil, includes electromagnetic tracking of prey and binocular vision. Although new research reported in Science Daily gratuitously presents these unique features as a product of unguided evolution, the Darwinian framework fails to offer any insight into how they might have arisen. Dr. Cornelius G. Hunter is Adjunct Professor at Biola University and author of the award-winning Darwin’s God: Evolution and the Problem of Evil. His blog can be found at darwins-god.blogspot.com.

Media Matters Misconstrues Tennessee's Academic Freedom Law

Discovery Institute — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:30:00 GMT

On this episode of ID the Future, David Boze addresses the false claims of Media Matters, a popular leftist website that has framed the new Tennessee academic freedom law as a "slickly crafted proposal to allow religion in the science classroom" while ignoring the actual content of the law. In similar fashion, Media Matters has also disregarded public documents while making false assertions against the Discovery Institute. Listen in as Boze responds to these wrongful attacks and explains why they're being waged.

Tennessee's New Academic Freedom Law Protects Teachers and Defends Science

Discovery Institute — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 22:10:58 GMT

On this episode of ID the Future, host David Boze interviews Casey Luskin about the recent passing of an academic freedom law in Tennessee that allows teachers to discuss both the scientific strengths and weaknesses of controversial scientific theories. Although the bill had overwhelming bipartisan support, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam opted to let it pass into law without his signature, issuing a statement that mirrored the rhetoric of the Darwin Lobby. Such critics claim that the bill is unnecessary, but as Luskin points out, there have been several incidences over the last few years that have illustrated the need to support critical thinking in the classroom.

Why Academic Freedom Matters: A Look Back at the 2009 Texas State Board Hearings

Discovery Institute — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 19:37:41 GMT

As Tennessee becomes the latest state to enact academic freedom legislation, listen in on testimony to the Texas State Board of Education, who in 2009 held public hearings on revised science education standards. As one college instructor put it: "We need for our students to come to us at the college level able to think, and simply giving them a one-sided view of thinking in a purely Darwinian model is, in my opinion, not right." Ultimately, the board decided to improve the "strengths and weaknesses" language of the original standards in a victory for scientists and educators in favor of teaching the scientific evidence for and against evolution. Tune in to hear the arguments that influenced their decision. Follow the latest news on the Tennessee academic freedom law at Evolution News & Views.

Gorilla Gene Sequencing Casts New Doubt on Human Origin Assumptions

Discovery Institute — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 22:18:50 GMT

On this episode of ID The Future, Casey Luskin discusses how the recent complete sequencing of the gorilla genome has challenged conventional thinking about human ancestry and explains what neo-Darwinists are doing to try to minimize the impact of this new information. Says Luskin: "There is not a clear signal of ancestral relationships that is coming out of the gorilla genome once you add it into the mix." Tune in to hear about this interesting development!

Peer-Review: Ensuring Quality or Enforcing Orthodoxy?

Discovery Institute — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 17:20:57 GMT

Is the only good science peer-reviewed science? Are there other avenues to present important scientific work? On this episode of ID The Future, Professor of Mathematics Dr. Frank Tipler discusses the pros and cons of peer review and refereed journals. More than fifty peer-reviewed papers discussing intelligent design have been published, but critics of the theory still proclaim a lack of peer-reviewed work as an argument. Listen in as Tipler shows how things have changed with the peer review process and what we can do about it.

The Importance of Academic Freedom: A Biology Teacher's Perspective

Discovery Institute — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 23:17:36 GMT

Tennessee could soon become the second state to enact academic freedom legislation. Tune in to this episode of ID the Future and learn why academic freedom on evolution in education is so necessary. Anika Smith interviews biology teacher Roger DeHart about teaching the strengths and weaknesses of evolution in South Korea. Mr. DeHart famously taught both sides of Darwin's theory in a Burlington, WA, public school biology class, as documented in the film Icons Of Evolution.

Global Warming Dissenters: Same Attacks, Different Issue

Discovery Institute — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 23:10:31 GMT

On this episode of ID The Future, we explore how the attacks on skeptics of man-made global warming are similar to those against proponents of intelligent design. Host David Boze talks with Casey Luskin about recent examples of these attacks, why they are happening, and how to handle them. Says Luskin: "Academic freedom for dissenters from global warming and dissenters from Darwinian evolution are being marginalized and, in some cases, being censored in many of the same ways." Tune in to learn more about this interesting development!

Fordham Institute Supports the Latest Texas Science Education Standards

Discovery Institute — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 23:13:06 GMT

On this episode of ID the Future, host David Boze and Casey Luskin discuss the 2012 Fordham Report, which has declared the latest science education standards in Texas to be “exemplary." These standards, which have been decried by the NCSE as "creationist jargon," require students to analyze and evaluate both the strengths and weaknesses of Darwinian evolution. Although the Fordham Report is typically favorable towards science standards that are dogmatically pro-Darwin, its approval of the recent Texas science standards aligns with the Discovery Institute's support of a more thorough study of Darwinian evolution.

Dr. Robin Zimmer on Tennessee's Academic Freedom Bill

Discovery Institute — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 23:24:34 GMT

On this podcast David Boze interviews biotech consultant Dr. Robin Zimmer about Tennessee's House Bill 368, which promotes academic freedom on science issues. The bill would protect teachers and school districts who wish to promote critical thinking and objective discussion about controversial science issues such as biological evolution, climate change and human cloning. Dr, Zimmer clears up some of the misconceptions of the bill that have appeared in the media since it was passed. The bill is now being considered by Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam.

Berlinski & Denton, pt. 4: Envisioning a Post-Darwinian Science

Discovery Institute — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 22:01:58 GMT

On this episode of ID The Future, mathematician David Berlinski and biochemist Michael Denton discuss what a post-Darwinian future will look like as it relates to mathematics and biology. Berlinski explores the timelessness of numbers, while Denton expounds on his compelling top-down view of biology. Berlinski is author of the recent book 1,2,3: Absolutely Elementary Mathematics. Denton's most recent work is Nature's Destiny. Tune into the final portion of this exciting discussion!

Get Informed About Tennessee's Senate Bill 893

Discovery Institute — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 18:31:05 GMT

On this episode of ID the Future, host David Boze interviews Casey Luskin about the controversy surrounding the passage of Tennessee's Senate Bill 893. This bill supports academic freedom in the classroom by protecting the rights of teachers to discuss scientific controversies, including the controversies over Darwinian evolutionary theory. However, there are those that denounce the bill as merely a medium for putting religion in the classroom. Is this a legitimate accusation? Listen in as Casey explains the true content and purpose of TN Senate Bill 893.

Berlinski & Denton, pt. 3: Top-Down versus Bottom-Up Worldview

Discovery Institute — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 22:04:03 GMT

On this episode of ID The Future, mathematician David Berlinski joins biochemist Michael Denton for continued discussion on the difficulties of Darwinian evolution to be a viable modern theory of the origin and development of life and the cosmos. On this episode, Berlinski explains why many conservative intellectuals have trouble doubting Darwin. Denton suggests that the mechanistic, Darwinian framework will eventually collapse, and reviews the essential differences in worldview between the Darwin supporter and the Darwin doubter. Tune in to the final episode of this stimulating exchange!

David Berlinski & Michael Denton, pt. 2: Darwinian Stalemate?

Discovery Institute — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 22:45:01 GMT

On this episode of ID The Future, philosopher and author David Berlinski joins geneticist and researcher Michael Denton for continued discussion on the debate over Darwinian evolution. Why has the theory persisted? What weaknesses threaten its existence in the 21st century? As Berlinski puts it: "...applying Darwinian principles to problems of this level of complexity is like putting a Band-Aid on a wound caused by an atomic weapon. It's just not going to work." Listen in as Berlinski and Denton explain why the Darwinian mechanism is being widely questioned as a viable theory of the origin and development of life.

Micahel Denton and the coming downfall of the mechanistic view in cell biology

Discovery Institute — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 23:25:19 GMT

On today’s program, Dr. Michael Denton discusses why he foresees the downfall of the mechanistic view, at least in cell biology, and the exhaustion of materialist researches into the origin of life. Conversely, Denton finds validity in Stephen Meyer’s The Signature in the Cell, and in the proposition that intelligence was at work in the origin of life, and well before. Dr. Denton has been a medical geneticist for over twenty years, a researcher on the mammalian eye, and is the author of two books, Evolution: A Theory in Crisis and, more recently, Nature’s Destiny. Dr. Denton holds an M.D. from Bristol University and a Ph.D. in biochemistry from King’s College, London. He is currently a Senior Fellow with Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture.

New Philosophy of Cosmology Wrestles with Origins, Fine-Tuning

Discovery Institute — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 23:20:07 GMT

On this episode of ID The Future, host David Boze reports on the latest views of a group of cosmologists who want to establish a new philosophy of cosmology to tackle the big questions of the universe. What happened after the Big Bang? Was there something before that to cause the existence of the universe? What are bubble universes? Why does our planet seem fine-tuned for the existence of human life? And why is man the only species so far to be intelligent enough to produce technology? Listen in as Boze discusses a new approach to some very old problems. Read the article from The Atlantic as referred to by Boze on the podcast.

David Berlinski & Michael Denton: Primary Objections to Neo-Darwinism

Discovery Institute — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 23:06:06 GMT

On this episode of ID The Future, Discovery Institute senior fellows David Berlinski and Michael Denton, both long-time critics of neo-Darwinism, discuss their primary objections to neo-Darwinian theory. For Berlinski, a mathematician and author of 1, 2, 3: Absolutely Elementary Mathematics, the problem is quantitative and methodological. For Denton, a scientist and author of Nature's Destiny: How the Laws of Biology Reveal Purpose in the Universe, the problem is empirical. Don't miss this engaging discussion!

Multiverse Theory: Avoiding the Evidence of Design in our Universe

Discovery Institute — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 00:10:42 GMT

Which requires more faith? A belief in multiple universes or a belief in the intelligent design of our universe? On this episode of ID The Future, host David Boze explores the ideas found in a recent Harper's Magazine article by MIT physicist and author Alan Lightman. Some physicists attempt to side-step the intelligent design implications of our finely-tuned universe by suggesting that ours is merely one of countless universes, each with its own laws and constants. Lightman: "If the multiverse idea is correct, then the historic mission of physics to explain all the properties of our universe...is futile, a beautiful philosophical dream that simply isn’t true." Tune in as Boze explains why it takes more faith NOT to believe in intelligent design!