Monthly Archives: September 2005
You Don’t Need Darwin to Explain the Degradation of Information
| September 26, 2005 | Posted by William Dembski under Darwinism, Evolution, Intelligent Design |
In today’s Washington Post, one reads: If Darwin was right, for example, then scientists should be able to perform a neat trick. Using a mathematical formula that emerges from evolutionary theory, they should be able to predict the number of harmful mutations in chimpanzee DNA by knowing the number of mutations in a different species’… more
“Is Teaching Intelligent Design Illegal?”
| September 26, 2005 | Posted by William Dembski under Intelligent Design |
Frank Beckwith’s initial salvo in an online debate with Douglas Laycock: http://legalaffairs.org/webexclusive/debateclub_id0905.msp. more
Dover Goes to Trial Today
| September 26, 2005 | Posted by William Dembski under Darwinism, Evolution, Intelligent Design |
The Dover Area School District trial about the teaching of ID starts today, and you can expect a lot of press coverage concerning it. Yesterday evening, the BBC interviewed me and Robert Boston of Americans United for Separation the Secularization of Church and State regarding Dover (it was a telephone debate). Boston was following the… more
Darwin’s Newly Discovered Role in the Wool Industry
| September 25, 2005 | Posted by William Dembski under Darwinism, Evolution |
Although it is widely known that Charles Darwin was a man of independent means (approximately US$10,000,000 in current money), recent historiographical studies have unearthed a new source of that money. Previously, it was thought that his wealth all derived from a shrewd marriage and wise investments. It has now come to light that a significant… more
Chinese Reporting on ID and Dover
| September 25, 2005 | Posted by William Dembski under Evolution, Intelligent Design |
Sad to say, the imperialist reactionaries against ID (e.g., ACLU and NCSE) have gotten their message out in China better than we have. See the recent report in the People’s Daily Online: http://english.people.com.cn/200509/24/eng20050924_210621.html. more
Why Scientists Should NOT Dismiss Intelligent Design
| September 25, 2005 | Posted by William Dembski under Evolution, Intelligent Design |
MSNBC has an article titled “Why Scientists Dismiss ‘Intelligent Design’” (go here). In it, Ken Miller argues against ID, and specifically against my claim that undirected natural causes cannot generate specified complexity in biological systems. His argument focuses on the evolution of nylonase: more
“Nature gives a lesson in armor design”
| September 24, 2005 | Posted by William Dembski under Evolution, Intelligent Design |
SYNOPSIS: The ocean is a perilous environment for a soft-bodied creature like a sea snail, so nature gives it an advanced nanostructured armor system that is stiff and strong yet lightweight. It’s called a shell. Now MIT scientists show that nature is indeed an expert nanoengineer. For the paper go here: http://www.physorg.com/news6647.html. Imagine a world… more
“Survival of the Slickest”
| September 24, 2005 | Posted by William Dembski under Intelligent Design |
Check out this article on ID from Sydney, Australia: http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/the-trouble-with-darwin/2005/09/23/1126982233685.html. Here’s an excerpt: Last month, the federal Minister for Education, Science and Training, Dr Brendan Nelson, gave intelligent design ministerial imprimatur, telling the National Press Club he thought parents and schools ought to have the opportunity – if they wished – for students to be… more
Diseño Inteligente
| September 23, 2005 | Posted by William Dembski under Intelligent Design |
My book Intelligent Design: The Bridge between Science and Theology is now out in Spanish: Diseño Inteligente: Un Puente entre la Ciencia y la TeologÃÂa. My good friend and colleague from Colombia, Daniel Andrés DÃÂaz Pachón, is the translator (occasionally he posts on this blog). more
“Stephen Jay Gould” Website — A Pox on Both Your Houses
| September 23, 2005 | Posted by William Dembski under Evolution, Intelligent Design |
From http://www.stephenjgould.org: The purpose of this website is to urgently organize opposition to the forces of creationism and intelligent design by providing sound scientific refutation to the argument that God is the only alternative to random evolution. more
Panda-Monium — New and Improved!
| September 21, 2005 | Posted by William Dembski under Evolution, Intelligent Design |
Thanks to our indefatigable programmers at Darwinalia Inc., the new and improved version of Panda-Monium is now out: go here. more
Upcoming Debate at Boston University
| September 19, 2005 | Posted by William Dembski under Education, Evolution, Intelligent Design |
Bob Zelnick, well known news personality and chair of the BU journalism school, is organizing a debate on whether ID should be taught in conjunction with conventional evolutionary theory. The debate will feature Edward Sisson and me on the ID side and Eugenie Scott and James Trefil on the evolutionist side. The debate will take… more
“Evolution in a Box”
| September 19, 2005 | Posted by William Dembski under Evolution |
Here’s a proposal from a friend of mine for Darwinalia, Inc. With some additional work, it may have commercial possibilities. more
The Illusion of Design
| September 18, 2005 | Posted by William Dembski under Darwinism, Evolution |
The September 17th issue of the New Scientist features ten articles on “The World’s Ten Biggest Ideas.” These include the “Big Bang,” “Science,” and “Evolution.” Who did the article on evolution. You guessed it: more
“The Wiesel 38″
| September 16, 2005 | Posted by William Dembski under Darwinism, Evolution, Intelligent Design |
I’ve already adverted to the 38 Nobelists who decided to go after ID to discredit it before the Kansas State Board of Education (go here; and here for their amazingly candid letter). The questions you should be asking yourself are these: Why did Elie Wiesel (or whoever put him up to it) put so much… more
Peter Ward on Teaching a Flat Earth
| September 16, 2005 | Posted by William Dembski under Darwinism, Evolution, Intelligent Design |
Peter Ward imagines he is offering a devastating argument against teaching ID by asking us to consider the pedagogical value of teaching a flat earth (“Advocates of Intelligent Design Would Dumb Down Students”). Question: Is it possible to teach Darwin’s Origin of Species without considering ID as Darwin’s proper foil and counterpart? Answer: NO. Question:… more
NCSE’s Speaking Schedule
| September 16, 2005 | Posted by William Dembski under Education, Evolution, Intelligent Design |
Have a look at http://www.ncseweb.org/meeting.asp. One of my colleagues describes reading this page as “watching a car wreck.” I’m just sorry we can’t get a percentage cut from all the speaking engagements they are getting as a result of attacking us. Life is so unfair. Several things things should impress you about this page. First,… more
Can 38 Nobel Laureates Be Wrong?
| September 16, 2005 | Posted by William Dembski under Education, Evolution, Intelligent Design |
Nobel Laureates urge rejection of intelligent design Thursday, September 15, 2005 Lawrence Journal-World http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2005/sep/15/nobel_laureates_urge_rejection_intelligent_design/?breaking TOPEKA  A group of 38 Nobel Laureates headed by Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel have asked the Kansas State Board of Education to reject science standards that criticize evolution. more
Can Something This Crass Still Be Satire?
| September 15, 2005 | Posted by William Dembski under Intelligent Design |
http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/09/15/205441.php more
The Panel of All Panels
| September 15, 2005 | Posted by William Dembski under Intelligent Design |
Left to Right: Ellie Crystal, Jon Stewart, Edward Larson, William Dembski more