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Postcard from Edinburgh: A Towering Likeness of James Clerk Maxwell

Our friend and colleague Michael Flannery is, as you know, in Edinburgh, Scottland, conducting research on Wallace and Darwin. He sent along these two neat snaps:

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Mike writes:

One of the giants of 19th-century science is James Clerk Maxwell, a mathematical physicist who discovered the theory of electromagnetism, which arguably founded modern physics. Albert Einstein said of him, “Since Maxwell’s time, physical reality has been thought of as represented by continuous fields, and not capable of any mechanical interpretation. This change in the conception of reality is the most profound and the most fruitful that physics has experienced since the time of Newton.” High praise indeed!

Since 2008 this Scottish scientist has been recognized — literally — as the towering figure he is with this statue at St. Andrew Square on George Street in the heart of Edinburgh.

What is less known is that Maxwell believed strongly in nature’s design. To learn more about Maxwell’s views in this regard see this on ENV from Michael Egnor. Of course, there are always those who want to re-write history and deny Maxwell the obvious ID connection, a claim addressed here.

I’m on Twitter. Follow me @d_klinghoffer.

David Klinghoffer

Senior Fellow and Editor, Evolution News
David Klinghoffer is a Senior Fellow at Discovery Institute and the editor of Evolution News & Science Today, the daily voice of Discovery Institute’s Center for Science & Culture, reporting on intelligent design, evolution, and the intersection of science and culture. Klinghoffer is also the author of six books, a former senior editor and literary editor at National Review magazine, and has written for the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Seattle Times, Commentary, and other publications. Born in Santa Monica, California, he graduated from Brown University in 1987 with an A.B. magna cum laude in comparative literature and religious studies. David lives near Seattle, Washington, with his wife and children.

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