Archive for April, 2008
30 April 2008
O'Leary
Hre’s a thoughtful look by Tim Woods of the Waco Herald-Tribune at the response in and around Baylor University to Expelled - given that Baylor itself was one of the subjects. On the situation of Prof. Robert Marks, Woods records,
Marks’ involvement in Expelled centers on a Web site about his evolutionary informatics research lab.
The research […]
Posted in Expelled | 6 Comments »
30 April 2008
Mario A. Lopez
From Nature:
A religious group has had its application to offer Master of Science degrees rejected by Texas authorities. The Institute for Creation Research— which backs a literal interpretation of the Bible, including the creation of Earth in six days — was seeking a certificate to grant online degrees in science education in Texas (see Nature […]
Posted in Creationism | 108 Comments »
30 April 2008
Paul Nelson
Elliott Sober’s new book, Evidence and Evolution: The Logic Behind the Science (Cambridge University Press, 2008, 392 pp.) is now out, and worth your attention. A wide range of topics often discussed here — such as the theory […]
Posted in Intelligent Design | 7 Comments »
30 April 2008
William Dembski
In reading an Australian news report on Ben Stein’s EXPELLED, I came across this paragraph (go here for full story):
Stein is [a man] with a mission: to prove US academics are being expelled from universities for daring to suggest creationism should be taught in science classes. And to prove that creationism — the belief that […]
Posted in Expelled | 38 Comments »
29 April 2008
William Dembski
Derbyshire continues to embarrass himself — it’s as though on the topic of ID and God his emotions take over and he can’t think straight. I’ll spare you his review and simply quote Berlinski’s response, which skillfully shuts him down with very few words:
[From] David Berlinski:
1 If I remark that no sane man would […]
Posted in Expelled, Atheism, Science, Religion, Philosophy, Evolution | 33 Comments »
29 April 2008
scordova
Judge Jones (the former liquor control board director famous for his involvement with Frog Beer) ruled in 2005 that it was unconstitutional for teachers in the Dover school district to question Darwinism. Jones viewed himself as the person who would settle the question of Darwinism for all time an eternity. He even went […]
Posted in Constitution, Courts, Darwinism, Intelligent Design, Education | 175 Comments »
28 April 2008
William Dembski
Back last year I reported on this blog that (go here) that John Derbyshire, despite repeatedly weighing in against intelligent design online and in print, gave no evidence of understanding the topic (to say nothing of doing any first-hand reading in it). Below he weighs in against Ben Stein’s EXPELLED, reviewing the movie despite refusing […]
Posted in Expelled | 31 Comments »
28 April 2008
William Dembski
D’Souza has been debating lots of atheists lately. One atheist who won’t debate him is Richard Dawkins. Dinesh comments:
[M]y challenges to Dawkins to step into the arena have only met with pathetic rationalization: “Richard is simply too busy and smart to debate you Dinesh.” Busy doing what besides being caught with his pants down by […]
Posted in Atheism, Expelled | 30 Comments »
27 April 2008
O'Leary
According to Box Office Mojo, Expelled is estimated to have
- earned $5,282,000 in 10 days.
- it is currently ranked 6th in political documentary, 12th in Christian, and 15th in documentary.
- It is currently ranked 13 in films, but every film ranked above it was released in far more theatres.
Meanwhile,
Posted in Expelled | 61 Comments »
26 April 2008
William Dembski
This just published at the STANFORD REVIEW:
The Impact of Darwinism
By Tristan Abbey
With the premiere of Ben Stein’s new movie, Expelled, many people are pondering the long-term impact of Darwinism on society. We touched base with two experts on the subject. Arguing that Darwinism has had a largely positive impact on society is Michael Ruse, the […]
Posted in Expelled, Intelligent Design, Evolution | 84 Comments »
26 April 2008
Paul Nelson
I went down to the demonstration
to get my fair share of abuse
– The Rolling Stones, “You Can’t Always Get Want You Want”
But you might just get what you need, if you’ve got a burning question or two about the Expelled controversies. Darwin-to-Hitler, doesn’t Sternberg still have his Smithsonian position, the Pepperdine students were extras, […]
Posted in Intelligent Design | 7 Comments »
25 April 2008
William Dembski
Yoko Ono, as many readers of this blog by now know, is suing the producers of EXPELLED for using a brief clip of John Lennon’s song “Imagine.” One of the stanzas of the song reads:
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world […]
Posted in Expelled | 44 Comments »
25 April 2008
BarryA
In a prior post EJ wrote: “I think natural intelligences are to be preferred above supernatural intelligences in design detection, for the simple reason that we have experience with the former, but not the latter.”
I replied: “Says who? You are repeating Hume’s error of circular reasoning. “Miracles do not happen because they are counter to […]
Posted in Intelligent Design | 109 Comments »
25 April 2008
Paul Nelson
You know: teach the controversy, and all that. Meaning — after you watch this clip from bloggingheadstv — he’s going to come in for heavy criticism in the comments. Horgan has always kept his own counsel, which makes him interesting to read (one is bound to find something provocative — I remember thinking […]
Posted in Intelligent Design | 13 Comments »
25 April 2008
DLH
Nancy Pearcey will be addressing After Expelled, on NewsTalk 1260 WFTW
9:30 AM EST Friday April 25th, 2008
Then on May 5th Events at the Mattie Kelly Fine & Performing Arts Center
Okaloosa-Walton College
Mattie Kelly Fine & Performing Arts Center
100 College Boulevard, Niceville, FL 32578
Posted in Intelligent Design | 3 Comments »
24 April 2008
BarryA
I just got back from a couple of weeks in Israel, where I visited the ruins of the ancient city of Capernaum on the shores of the Sea of Galilee and saw this stone:
An “expert” at the site insisted that this stone bears the marks of a 1st century Jewish stone carver. “But,” I asked him, […]
Posted in Intelligent Design | 40 Comments »
24 April 2008
BarryA
Go here
On Friday, it was revealed by ABC News that one of the famous shots of supposed Antarctic ice shelves in the film [An Inconvenient Truth] was actually a computer-generated image from the 2004 science fiction blockbuster “The Day After Tomorrow.”
And here it is!
Posted in Global Warming, Off Topic | 20 Comments »
24 April 2008
William Dembski
Richard Dawkins continues to be indignant about being “duped” into taking part in Ben Stein’s EXPELLED. His indignation is a pose. Dawkins and his TV production company tried to dupe those who disagree with him into taking part in his “Enemies of Reason” series. Some of the people in that series (and in his previous […]
Posted in Expelled | 26 Comments »
23 April 2008
William Dembski
Richard Dawkins posts a letter on his website by an anonymous individual who, supposedly inspired by his viewing of EXPELLED, now holds Dawkins and fellow Darwinists responsible for the Holocaust. Dawkins then shifts the blame to Ben Stein and EXPELLED.
This is the same Dawkins who in books and videos rails against religious people for […]
Posted in Expelled | 14 Comments »
23 April 2008
scordova
A star of Expelled, biologist Caroline Crocker, will be making an appearance at:
McLean Bible Church
8925 Leesburg Pike
Vienna, Virginia
12:30 PM
Sunday, April 27, 2008
I hope to meet some of you at Dr. Crocker’s talk!
Caroline Crocker is the Executive Director of the IDEA Center, an organization devoted to supporting pro-ID students and faculty at universities, high schools, and […]
Posted in Culture, Intelligent Design, Education | 1 Comment »
23 April 2008
Paul Nelson
On Saturday, 19 April 2008, philosopher of psychology Angus Menuge debated blogger and biologist P.Z. Myers at the University of Minnesota-Morris. What follows is Menuge’s summary of their interaction; his slides are available here.
Posted in Intelligent Design | 22 Comments »
23 April 2008
O'Leary
Would you go to see a film about a pregnant New York waitress from a deprived background - estranged from her family, dumped by her lover, fired for being late, and about to arrange an abortion? Really?
If you said no, you would certainly be affirmed in your decision by critics at the top Entertainment sections. […]
Posted in Expelled | 7 Comments »
23 April 2008
Paul Nelson
Like the choice between competing political institutions, that between competing paradigms proves to be a choice between incompatible modes of community life. Because it has that character, the choice is not and cannot be determined merely by the evaluative procedures characteristic of normal science, for these depend in part upon a particular paradigm, and […]
Posted in Intelligent Design | 30 Comments »
22 April 2008
William Dembski
I received this email today from Rupert Sheldrake:
You might be interested to know about an excellent new web site about atheism that is hosted on the Cambridge University server and is factual, informative and non-polemical, and puts the “new atheism” into a broad historical and philosophical context. It would be good if you help draw […]
Posted in Atheism | 10 Comments »
22 April 2008
DaveScot
Win Ben Stein’s Monkey
By Chuck Norris
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Evolution. Intelligent design. These are terms that can cause great consternation in the minds and hearts of many, particularly opponents of each view. Now, that anxiety and debate have resurfaced in theaters everywhere with Ben Stein’s new documentary, “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.” The press kit says, “(’Expelled’) […]
Posted in Intelligent Design | 42 Comments »
22 April 2008
Paul Nelson
Details here.
I wish their ship of inquiry calm seas and a prosperous voyage. To invoke the University of Chicago’s motto, which has never failed to inspire me: “Crescat scientia, vita excolatur” — “let knowledge grow from more to more, and so be human life enriched.”
Posted in Intelligent Design | 7 Comments »
22 April 2008
DaveScot
Chris Mooney writes: I am Labeled a “Creationist Apologist”
…by Greg Laden. Or as one of my own commenters put it, “Either you really are just [bleep]ing stupid, or you’re a closet creationist in this blog group. Pick one.” I won’t be deleting that comment despite the profanity, because I want to have it all on […]
Posted in Intelligent Design | 7 Comments »
22 April 2008
DaveScot
One of the worst things about one side making connections to Hitler is it invites return fire of the same kind. This should be filed under the category “People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones”.
How many of you knew that beloved evangelical Christian minister Jerry Falwell shared Adolf Hitler’s views about the […]
Posted in Off Topic, Philosophy | 93 Comments »
21 April 2008
William Dembski
With so many extreme reviews and reactions to Ben Stein’s EXPELLED, it’s hard to get a sense of proportion about the film. To that end, check out:
www.arn.org/expelled
Posted in Expelled | 2 Comments »
21 April 2008
DaveScot
ROFLMAO - to the Church Burnin’ Ebola Boys, their mothers, their fathers, and their professors - I TOLD YOU SO!!!!
What a bunch of maroons.
Posted in Intelligent Design | 8 Comments »
21 April 2008
O'Leary
Gonzaga law prof David DeWolf comments of Richard Dawkins’s effort to spin his recent sympathy for the idea of extraterrestrials bringing life to Earth - as admitted to the Expelled team in the film:
The point of Dawkins’ concession in the movie is not that panspermia is a preferable alternative to evolutionary theory, but rather THAT […]
Posted in Expelled, The Design of Life | 1 Comment »