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Vacuous Evasion: When Keith Fox Met Doug Axe (in a Radio Debate)

Southampton

Earlier today, protein chemist Doug Axe made a telling point against British biochemist Keith Fox: When speaking to the masses and seeking to bat away challenges from ID advocates, theistic and other evolutionists often seem to feel content with offering subpar science of a level that would never pass muster in their own scientific field.

Dr. Axe and Dr. Fox, of the University of Southampton, have met before, as you may recall, in a radio debate hosted by Justin Brierly of the U.K.’s Premier Radio. That was last year and Brierly, fair and informed as always, did a splendid job.

In a memorable moment, Axe asked Fox:

Part of me wonders, is there any level of complexity of which one could say, “OK, Doug, you’ve got a point. This does look designed now.” Or is design just never going to be an option no matter how much things look incredibly like the math’s against their ever developing in that way?

He was asking if evolution is falsiable. What a good question. In other words, “Is it possible to use science to show that something can’t happen? I would say yes.” To this, Fox replied, “Never say never, as they say,” a pretty vacuous evasion. Read Doug’s reply to Fox, who critiqued Doug’s book Undeniable. And listen to their debate here.

Photo credit: Carlesmari (Own work) [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons.

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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biochemistryDoug Axeevolutionintelligent designJustin BrierlyKeith FoxUndeniableUniversity of Southampton