Monthly Archives: April 2010
Wasting Time and Energy on the Hopelessly Implausible — An Engineer’s Perspective
| April 21, 2010 | Posted by GilDodgen under Intelligent Design |
The Darwinian speculative thesis of random errors filtered by natural selection explaining anything substantial in biology is simply, completely, and astronomically out of the ballpark of plausibility. In our engineering department (software, hardware, electrical, mechanical, aeronautical) we have a phrase: Does the proposed solution pass the beverage-out-the-nose test? (Meaning, of course: Would the proposed approach… more
Codon Correlations: Molecular Recycling
| April 21, 2010 | Posted by Cornelius Hunter under Intelligent Design |
It is well known that the genetic code translates DNA genes into proteins. But the process is immensely complex and new research is revealing some fascinating and challenging details. This process of protein synthesis begins with the unwinding of the DNA double helix. The two strands are separated and an incredible protein machine makes a… more
Francis Collins at Veritas Forum
| April 21, 2010 | Posted by William Dembski under Evolution, Intelligent Design, theistic evolution |
It’s now five years since I used to get invited to speak at these Veritas forums. My debate with Niall Shanks, sponsored by Veritas and moderated by Dallas Willard, took place at UCLA in 2004 and was recorded by CSPAN. I also did Veritas forums at NYU and Columbia in 2005. All that has changed.… more
The Stickleback and Confirmation Bias
| April 20, 2010 | Posted by Cornelius Hunter under Intelligent Design |
Species of stickleback fish can rapid adapt to new environments. Such adaptations can range from minor adjustments to body shape and size to the complete loss of major structures such as the pelvis. It is an example of rapid, intelligent adaptation, not the sort of change expected by evolution. Read more more
Coffee!!: Darwinism as support for racism
| April 19, 2010 | Posted by O'Leary under Darwinism, Racism |
Well, here is a classical modern day example, from no less a luminary than John Derbyshire. more
Histone Variants: The Incredible Story of Gene Regulation
| April 19, 2010 | Posted by Cornelius Hunter under Intelligent Design |
Proteins are constructed from a string of amino acids, and the amino acid sequence is coded in a gene. But how does the cell know which of its many genes to use in synthesizing proteins? Gene regulation is accomplished via a number of complex mechanisms. For instance, methyl groups are used to tag both the… more
Does ID presuppose a mechanistic view of nature?
| April 18, 2010 | Posted by William Dembski under Intelligent Design |
Thomas and Aristotle have loomed large on this blog recently. I would like to have weighed in on these discussions, but I have too many other things on my plate right now. I therefore offer this brief post. One critic, going after me directly, asserts that I’m committed to a mechanical view of nature and… more
Christopher’s Challenge
| April 18, 2010 | Posted by vjtorley under Intelligent Design |
Christopher Hitchens is nothing if not a straight-shooter. He calls it like he sees it, and not even a vicious attack could stop him from denouncing evil, racist ideologies that are still with us today. He is also a fearless and formidable debater. In recent years, he has declared himself an anti-theist, a term he… more
The Problem of Evil Atheism
| April 18, 2010 | Posted by Cornelius Hunter under Intelligent Design |
From antiquity to today, the evil in the world has always been a powerful mandate for evolutionary thinking. God would not have designed or created this evil world, so it must have originated by the blind play of natural law. For centuries this solution has fueled atheism, but from where did evil-ness come? Read more more
Arriving At Intelligence Through The Corridors Of Reason (Part II)
| April 18, 2010 | Posted by Robert Deyes under Intelligent Design |
Review Of Probability’s Nature And Nature’s Probability – Lite, by Donald Johnson ISBN: 978-0-9823554-4-2 Zoologist Richard Dawkins has historically used the concept of ‘junk DNA’- those apparently useless portions of genomes- to lead the charge against the creationists’ position of purpose in nature. His view on the matter is quite simple: “creationists might spend some… more
Professor Feser’s Puzzling Assault on ID
| April 18, 2010 | Posted by Thomas Cudworth under Intelligent Design |
In an earlier column (27 March 2010), I offered constructive criticism of the position of Francis Beckwith, who had implied an incompatibility between the ID and Thomist approaches to design, and had condemned ID for advancing or at least implying a bad form of Christian theology: http://www.uncommondescent.com/intelligent-design/what-francis-beckwith-gets-wrong-about-intelligent-design/ Prof. Beckwith responded once to my article, but… more
Sal, no, we cannot all just get along
| April 16, 2010 | Posted by O'Leary under Darwinism |
Sal Cordova wonders why we can’t all just get along, after a senior JPL computer system administrator was demoted for loaning co-workers DVDs supporting intelligent design. Well, Sal, here is why we can’t: Darwinists, like Islamists, have the Final Revelation, after which there is no other revelation. No-God will punish all infidels. Of course, in… more
Darwinists at NASA getting Sued, What You Can Do
| April 16, 2010 | Posted by scordova under Intelligent Design |
NASA was once a bastion of religious toleration. They sent 2 creationists to the moon (Reverend Jim Irwin and General Charles Duke). They let Buzz Aldrin quietly celebrate communion on the Moon, Sunday, July 20, 1969. On NASA’s official website is the record of this Christmas greeting of 1968: www.NASA.gov. Here is a video of… more
The Amazing Stickleback
| April 16, 2010 | Posted by Cornelius Hunter under Intelligent Design |
It’s worth repeating that if Charles Darwin had explained that evolution proceeds in fits and starts, his theory would have been ridiculed from the start. Imagine if Darwin had explained that, according to his theory of evolution, species rapidly appear as if planted there, and then go unchanged for eons. Darwin would have been laughed… more
Olive Branch from Karl Giberson
| April 15, 2010 | Posted by Thomas Cudworth under Intelligent Design |
Biologos supporter Karl Giberson has recently posted what seems to be an olive branch to ID. As we rarely get these from the TE/EC/Biologos camp, I think we should respond graciously to Dr. Giberson’s overture. His remarks, under the heading, “Through a Glass Darkly”, are found at: http://biologos.org/blog/through-a-glass-darkly-blog/ I was grateful when Dr. Giberson backed… more
College Crunch honors Robert Marks for Work on ID
| April 15, 2010 | Posted by William Dembski under Intelligent Design |
Here’s an article that appeared today in my local paper. It will be interesting to see what the incoming Baylor president Kenneth Starr does about the Marks case when he arrives June 1st, especially in light of this recognition by College Crunch. For Prof. Marks to have his lab and research (see evoinfo.org) recognized and… more
Happy Birthday UD!
| April 15, 2010 | Posted by Barry Arrington under Intelligent Design |
On April 15, 2005 Dr. Dembski posted the first post to UD. 5,449 posts and five years later we are stronger than ever. I am pleased to report that with over 10,000 daily readers we are serving tons of lurkers, the real audience of all of the posts and the debate back and forth. Thank you to all who… more
Further to National Science Board dropping Darwin propaganda from science to-do list
| April 15, 2010 | Posted by O'Leary under Education, Science |
Speaking as one who has worked in education curriculum, I would say that this news item, noted by Sal Cordova, is really a very significant change, so long as it lasts. The key point is the admission that “There are many biologists and philosophers of science who are highly scientifically literate who question certain aspects… more
How to Convince Students of Evolution
| April 15, 2010 | Posted by Cornelius Hunter under Intelligent Design |
Sometimes the most ardent evolutionists are those who understand it the least. Many who are not life scientists take evolution to be the gospel truth—after all, evolutionists have told them it is a scientific fact. And unlike the life scientists who at least are familiar with the evidential quandaries, those more distant from the data… more
DNA Repair With a Molecular Tool
| April 14, 2010 | Posted by Cornelius Hunter under Intelligent Design |
The threats to the DNA in our cells are incredible. Radiation, carcinogens and even chemicals produced within the cell attack the DNA thousands of time every day. What is more incredible though is the cell’s DNA repair system, which you can read more about here and here. The worst kind of DNA damage is the… more