Excellent Pieces in The New Republic and The New Criterion take aim at Scientism

The New Republic and The New Criterion have excellent pieces discussing the debate over Darwin. The former explains how Darwinism has become a brand of scientism in the eyes of many leading proponents. The latter takes aim at the science of Darwinism itself, comparing it to a dogmatic faith which makes claims beyond what is warranted from the evidence. Monkey and Morals In Monkey and Morals, Gertrude Himmelfarb, the distinguished professor emeritus of history at City University (N.Y.), explains that some Darwinists such as E. O. Wilson and James Watson have an anti-religious agenda in their Darwinian advocacy. Himmelfarb recognizes, however, that some proponents of intelligent design approach this issue with scientific objections to evolution: “Yet others, themselves scientists, insist Read More ›

Academic Persecution of Scientists and Scholars Researching Intelligent Design is a Dangerous and Growing Trend

Academic Persecution of Scientists and Scholars Researching Intelligent Design is a Dangerous and Growing Trend
“There is a disturbing trend of scientists, teachers, and students coming under attack for expressing support in the theory of intelligent design, or even just questioning evolution,” said Robert Crowther director of communications for Discovery Institute’s Center for Science & Culture. “ Discovery Institute hosted a briefing for the media on academic freedom at the National Press Club today, featuring a prominent for his views on intelligent design, Dr. Guillermo Gonzalez of Iowa State University. Read more at Evolution News & Views, online at www.evolutionnews.org.

Violence Is Never The Answer In Intellectual Debate

The debate over evolution just blew out of Kansas and into Oz for one college professor. The Associated Press reports that KU professor Paul Mirecki was beaten up Monday morning. And this just after spending a week in the newspapers for caustic remarks he made belittling religion, Catholics, conservatives, and intelligent design. According to the Associated Press: “University of Kansas religious studies professor Paul Mirecki told the Lawrence Journal-World that two men who beat him were making references to the class that was to be offered for the first time this spring. Originally called “Special Topics in Religion: Intelligent Design, Creationism and other Religious Mythologies,” the course was canceled last week at Mirecki’s request. “I didn’t know them,” Mirecki said Read More ›

Another College Course on Intelligent Design and Evolution

Another College Course on Intelligent Design and Evolution
Knox College in nearby Galesburg is launching a short course on intelligent design. The professor plans to look at the subject from all points–essentially philosophy, and religion, as well as science– and properly starts back with the Greeks. Read the rest at Evolution, News & Views at www.evolutionnews.org.

New York Times Reporter Misrepresents Kansas Even After Being Given the Correct Info.

In her new article dumping on intelligent design, New York Times reporter Laurie Goodstein presents a fantasy version of the new Kansas science standards, claiming that “in Kansas last month, the board of education voted that students should be exposed to critiques of evolution like intelligent design.” Actually, the Board did no such thing. The Kansas science standards encourage students to learn about scientific criticisms of Darwin’s theory. They do not ask for the teaching of alternatives to Darwin’s theory such as intelligent design. Indeed, the Board included the following explicit statement in the standards: “We also emphasize that the Science Curriculum Standards do not include Intelligent Design….” [emphasis added] This isn’t merely a case of sloppy reporting. When Ms. Read More ›