Monthly Archives: February 2007
Has Darwinism Contributed Less to Science than Alchemy?
| February 28, 2007 | Posted by GilDodgen under Biology, Darwinism, Intelligent Design, Science |
On another UD thread there was discussion about an amazing piece of biological molecular machinery and the deficiencies of Darwinian processes to account for it. The bottom line is that Darwinists are looking in the wrong place for an explanation (random variation and natural selection), just as alchemists did when trying to figure out how… more
Freedom of Religious Expression Protection Act of 2007
| February 28, 2007 | Posted by Dave S. under Constitution, Courts, Laws, Legal |
The act, often abbreviated “PERA” (Public Expression of Religion Act) was introduced introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006 and was passed by a strong majority. It was not considered by the Senate in 2006. Sam Brownback (R-Kansas) has reintroduced it to the Senate for 2007. The act prohibits the award of attorney’s… more
The Secret Handshake
| February 28, 2007 | Posted by William Dembski under Darwinism, Evolution, Intelligent Design |
Remember to use the secret handshake whenever you need to get an ID paper past the Darwinian goalies: “Although these observations do not undermine Darwin’s theory, …” ABSTRACT: According to classical evolutionary theory, phenotypic variation originates from random mutations that are independent of selective pressure. However, recent findings suggest that organisms have evolved mechanisms to… more
The real story about Templeton and ID? – an inhouse power struggle?
| February 28, 2007 | Posted by O'Leary under Intelligent Design |
Riffing off Joey Campana’s valuable backgrounder on the REAL relationship between the Templeton Foundation andID, Denyse O’Leary suggests that there is a power struggle going on over at Templeton, with funding for ID as a key bone of contention. How else to reconcile the views of honcho Charles Harper and honchess Pamela Thompson? They are not… more
Yet Another Irreducible Complexity No-Brainer — Twisted Ropes
| February 27, 2007 | Posted by GilDodgen under Darwinism, Intelligent Design, Molecular Animations |
For those who missed it, check out this animation presented by DaveScot. I find the phenomenon of the DNA supercoiling problem and its biochemical solution even more compelling than examples like protein synthesis and the bacterial flagellum, since twisted ropes are familiar to everyone. This might make for another highly persuasive ID mascot. more
Templeton Foundation and ID Research
| February 27, 2007 | Posted by William Dembski under Intelligent Design |
Here’s a just released report that gives the lie to claims that the Templeton Foundation has uniformly eschewed support of ID research: In the past few years, the media has created confusion about the scholarly track record of the intelligent design (ID) research community, as related to funding from the John Templeton Foundation (JTF). The… more
[off topic] Al Gore’s “Inconvenient Truth” Wins Oscar
| February 27, 2007 | Posted by Dave S. under Global Warming, Off Topic |
As part of accepting his Oscar for best science fiction movie about how burning less fossil fuel will save the world, Al Gore burns 3,000 gallons of fossil fuel in a private jet to travel from his 10,000 square foot Tennessee mansion to Hollywood and back just to get handed a trophy. We salute Al… more
UCLA Chair in Sexual Orientation Law — That’s Okay; UCLA Chair in Intelligent Design — No Way
| February 26, 2007 | Posted by William Dembski under Intelligent Design |
How much more difficult will it be to get an endowed ID chair at a major state university? Thanks to a more than $1-million donation from a gay male couple who hope one day to marry in California, UCLA’s law school is planning to establish what is described as the nation’s first endowed academic chair… more
Who are the (multiple) designers? James Shapiro offers some compelling answers
| February 26, 2007 | Posted by scordova under Intelligent Design |
Is there only one Designer of life or are their multiple designers? Here is James Shapiro’s take: Bacteria are small but not stupid: Cognition, natural genetic engineering, and sociobacteriology Bacteria as natural genetic engineers…. This remarkable series of observations requires us to revise basic ideas about biological information processing and recognize that even the smallest… more
Why Darwin doesn’t matter….
| February 26, 2007 | Posted by scordova under Intelligent Design |
Michael Shermer valiantly argued the thesis of his book, Why Darwin Matters in a debate with Bill Dembski, February 21, 2007. Shermer said: No one, and I mean no one, working in the field is debating whether natural selection is the driving force behind evolution. Shermer defended his thesis honorably without resorting to any smear… more
The new “anti-God” crusade: Further evidence of materialism’s failure?
| February 26, 2007 | Posted by O'Leary under Intelligent Design |
O’Leary looks at the spate of anti-God books and other promotions for the new Church of Atheism, and suspects that atheism was way more fun in the days when it was just a quiet, Godless Sunday at home. Now, the church – as we all know – is the weak point of any religion. And… more
Convergent Vestigial Structures BY DESIGN!
| February 24, 2007 | Posted by William Dembski under Intelligent Design |
Here’s a new take on the problem of vestigiality from a colleague: Here are two examples of a “convergent, vestigial structure” — It’s the Chrysler PT cruiser and the Chevy HHR. Two different families of car have converged onto the same “vestigial running board”: Hey, design can converge and design can diminish. more
Protein Translation
| February 24, 2007 | Posted by Dave S. under Molecular Animations |
Two Protein Translation Animations more
A Meaningful Universe Rigged For Humankind: ID, Music, And Technology
| February 23, 2007 | Posted by GilDodgen under Intelligent Design |
Here’s a thought about anthropic “coincidences.” Michael Denton, in his book Nature’s Destiny: How the Laws of Biology Reveal Purpose in the Universe (a tour de force which cannot be summarized here), points out that if metals could not have been smelted and refined at temperatures reachable through carbon-based fire, technology could never have arisen.… more
ID and the Arts
| February 22, 2007 | Posted by William Dembski under Intelligent Design |
Just as Darwinism has inveigled itself into every aspect of life, so is ID: www.idarts.org. more
The New and Improved Tree of Life
| February 22, 2007 | Posted by Dave S. under Biology, Darwinism, Evolution |
This is your brain on NeoDarwinism: more
[Off Topic] Why Scientists Are Opposed to DCA Use
| February 22, 2007 | Posted by Dave S. under Culture, DCA, Off Topic, Science |
I finally figured it out. It’s because scientists have not officially blessed its use. To take a drug that scientists say you shouldn’t try yet is to commit a horrible transgression against the authority of the scientific clergy. Even when you’re dying of stage 4 cancer and no scientifically sanctified therapies are available you are… more
PZ Myers Lies Through His Teeth About Me
| February 21, 2007 | Posted by Dave S. under Off Topic |
http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2007/02/once_a_crank_always_a_crank.php DaveScot, the anti-science slug from UncommonDescent, is doing an experiment: he’s got a friend who is taking dichloroacetate (DCA) to treat his cancer. The first line in Myers post is a lie. I don’t even know anyone who has cancer let alone is taking DCA to treat it. This just goes to show you… more
How the cell deals with supercoiled DNA during replication and transcription.
| February 21, 2007 | Posted by Dave S. under Molecular Animations |
Further reasons not to believe in evolutionary psychology
| February 21, 2007 | Posted by O'Leary under Intelligent Design |
In this video, a rabbit somewhere in Texas chases a big snake up a tree. Recently, a house cat also chased a bear up a tree. (You have to scroll way way down to see a vigilant ginger cat at the bottom of the tree.) One of the many reasons I have little use for… more