Like Christmas for Humanists

ENV editor, Anika Smith, has a delightful column in the SPU Falcon newspaper titled Beware of ‘Darwin Day’. In describing some of the more humorous elements of Darwin Day celebrations (carols, Darwin look-alike contests and even an incredible, edible tree of life) Smith notes the holiday’s familiar trappings. If you’re wondering what a secular humanist does to commemorate such an occasion, it turns out that these particular humanists stand on street corners and hand out leaflets about evolution in an attempt to reach passers-by.In Victoria, B.C., a philosophy of religion professor organized a Darwin Day celebration for his students where they decked the halls with humanist style. Participants decorated an evolution tree, exchanged Darwin cards and even sang evolution carols.If Read More ›

AP: “ID backer knocks Tuskegee deletion from Kansas standards”

The Associated Press is reporting on the Kansas State Board of Education’s proposed deletion of the Tuskegee experiment, eugenics, and other abuses of science from the state’s existing science curriculum standards. The only complaint I have about the article is that it does not make clear that the existing history of science standard, which I favor, asks for students to study the positive achievements of science as well as the abuses of science. The purpose is to give students a balanced understanding of the history of science. It is the supporters of Darwinian evolution who are trying to suppress the coverage of both sides, not intelligent design (ID) proponents. It is interesting to look at the tortured explanations offered by Read More ›

Un-natural Selection: Ms. Dean Invites Us to Justify Academic Discrimination

In Monday’s New York Times (“Believing Scriptures but Playing byScience’s Rules”), Cornelia Dean joins Eugenie Scott of the Darwin lobbyNCSE (National Center for Science Education) in raising the tantalizingthought that (as “some say”) maybe scientists who have earned legitimatedoctorates in scientific fields, but are known to hold private views thatquestion Darwinism, should be denied their professional degrees. Take thatin: Perhaps doctoral candidates whose personal views deviate from anideological party line should be punished professionally. Presumably, ifthey are in a later stage in their career, you can thwart their applicationfor tenure; or later still, a promotion to full professor.

The Deification of Charles Darwin

Darwin Day is upon us at long last. Now for a full week humanists the world over will celebrate the birth of their saint, Charles Darwin. Celebrations come complete with Darwin carols celebrating atheism and sung to Christmas carol tunes; edible trees of life; Darwin look-a-like contests; and lots more revelry. Discovery Institute is honoring Darwin with a short vidcast of their popular ID The Future podcast titled “Darwin Day and the Deification of Charles Darwin.” It features CSC senior fellows Dr. John West and Dr. Jonathan Wells discussing the historical importance of Darwinism and its impact on modern science and society. Click here to watch the video at ID The Future. Click here to download and view a high-resolution Read More ›

Patent Infringement?

Scientists at the University of Edinburgh are busy imitating nature’s design by building nanomachines.Two things to note: First, these new designs are not perfect, and yet they were clearly designed by intelligence. I hope ID critics will finally put to rest the inane charge that if a system has a flaw in any sense — that is, if it is not optimal in every sense (which is impossible) — then that system was not designed. As the scientists note, the nanomachines they are making are not even as good as nature’s nanotechnology. Second, if nature is full of such poorly designed systems, why is it that some of the best scientists in the world keep looking to nature for lessons Read More ›