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^{Kathryn Lindskoog
September 1, 2000
CS Lewis

1}

C. S. Lewis: Quick to Call a Fake a Fake

_{Kathryn Lindskoog
September 1, 2000
CS Lewis

1}

On December 18, 1912, when Lewis was fourteen years old, Charles Dawson, an attorney, and Arthur Smith Woodward, the British Museum’s leading paleontologist, announced to the world that they had discovered an early human fossil in a shallow gravel pit near the village of Piltdown in Sussex. This was promptly accepted as the earliest known human fossil and was the pride Read More ›

^{Michael J. Behe
August 31, 2000
Intelligent Design

17}

Self-Organization and Irreducibly Complex Systems

_{Michael J. Behe
August 31, 2000
Intelligent Design

17}

Some biochemical systems require multiple, well-matched parts in order to function, and the removal of any of the parts eliminates the function. I have previously labeled such systems "irreducibly complex," and argued that they are stumbling blocks for Darwinian theory. Instead I proposed that they are best explained as the result of deliberate intelligent design. In a recent article Shanks and Joplin analyze and find wanting the use of irreducible complexity as a marker for intelligent design. Their primary counter-example is the Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction, a self-organizing system in which competing reaction pathways result in a chemical oscillator. In place of irreducible complexity they offer the idea of "redundant complexity," meaning that biochemical pathways overlap so that a loss of one or even several components can be accommodated without complete loss of function. Here I note that complexity is a quantitative property, so that conclusions we draw will be affected by how well-matched the components of a system are. I also show that not all biochemical systems are redundant. The origin of non-redundant systems requires a different explanation than redundant ones. Read More ›

3D rendering of abstract blocks of mathematical formulas located in the virtual space

^{Granville Sewell
August 30, 2000
Intelligent Design

11}

A Mathematician’s View of Evolution

_{Granville Sewell
August 30, 2000
Intelligent Design

11}

When Dr. Behe was at the University of Texas El Paso in May of 1997 to give an invited talk, I told him that I thought he would find more support for his ideas in mathematics, physics and computer science departments than in his own field. I know a good many mathematicians, physicists and computer scientists who, like me, are appalled that Darwin's explanation for the development of life is so widely accepted in the life sciences. Read More ›

^{Patricia Lines
August 28, 2000
Education

4}

Player-Coaches for Schools

_{Patricia Lines
August 28, 2000
Education

4}

Some teachers are superstars. Kids and parents know who they are. Teachers and principals know too. So why not give these superstars recognition? Forget gold stars, cash awards or any other reward for past performance. Think instead about a new role for superstar teachers. When one feels ready for the next challenge, why not assign him or her to a Read More ›

^{Jonathan Wells
August 28, 2000
Intelligent Design

16}

An Evaluation of Ten Recent Biology Textbooks And Their Use of Selected Icons of Evolution Evaluated

_{Jonathan Wells
August 28, 2000
Intelligent Design

16}

An evaluation of ten textbooks. In general, an "A" requires full disclosure of the truth, discussion of relevant scientific controversies, and a recognition that Darwin's theory — like all scientific theories — might have to be revised or discarded if it doesn't fit the facts. An "F" indicates that the textbook uncritically relies on logical fallacy, dogmatically treats a theory as an unquestionable fact, or blatantly misrepresents published scientific evidence. Read More ›

^{Bruce Chapman and Jay W. Richards
August 26, 2000
Intelligent Design

5}

Scopes Trial Symbolism Holds Today

_{Bruce Chapman and Jay W. Richards
August 26, 2000
Intelligent Design

5}

If a deeply entrenched academic truth is challenged by new scientific insights and discoveries, should authorities allow classroom discussion of such challenges? That was the question many people believe was placed on the national stage by the famous Scopes Trial in Dayton, Tennessee in 1925. This week is the 75th anniversary of the famous trial over the freedom of a Read More ›

^{Roland F. Hirsch
August 21, 2000
Intelligent Design

24}

Analytical Science at the Center of Chemistry and Beyond its Frontier

_{Roland F. Hirsch
August 21, 2000
Intelligent Design

24}

Award Address American Chemical Society Division of Analytical Chemistry Award for Distinguished Service in the Advancement of Analytical Chemistry, Sponsored by Waters Corporation (Appendix on Natural Selection and References added September 26, 2000) Roland F. Hirsch, Medical Sciences Division, SC-73Office of Biological & Environmental ResearchOffice of ScienceU.S. Department of EnergyGermantown, Maryland 20874-1290 U.S.A. Introduction In accepting this award I would Read More ›

^{Robert Crowther, II
August 13, 2000
Economics

11}

Replace Inequity with Genequity

_{Robert Crowther, II
August 13, 2000
Economics

11}

Social Security reform as a political issue was verboten just 10 years ago. No presidential hopeful in his right mind would broach that subject. Now though, the debate is not about whether to reform Social Security, but about how to reform Social Security. Makes you wonder: Just what has happened to finally make discussion of Social Security reform acceptable dinner-table Read More ›

^{Robert J. Cihak and Michael Arnold Glueck
August 8, 2000
Intelligent Design

4}

Doing the DNA dance

_{Robert J. Cihak and Michael Arnold Glueck
August 8, 2000
Intelligent Design

4}

The uncoiling, unraveling and decoding of the DNA structure by the Humane Genome Project and the Celera Genomics Group is a magnificent scientific achievement and monumental medical milestone. But what does it really mean to the rest of us mortals? To begin with, it means much less than most people think, hope or worry. As diagnostic physicians, we've been trying to come up with a good analogy. Perhaps figuring out the sequence of the chemical elements in human DNA is like finding a huge pile of ancient document scraps in an unknown language and using computers to help sort out the correct order and position of the symbols. But even when sorted out, how could we figure out what the symbols mean? In DNA, scientists have figured out the ordering of the language symbols but don't know what most of the message means. Read More ›

^{Bruce Chapman
August 7, 2000
Citizen Leadership

6}

Lessons of Rioting — Look to the Funders Behind the Riots

_{Bruce Chapman
August 7, 2000
Citizen Leadership

6}

Protest groups that trashed Seattle during the WTO meetings last December have now tried violently to disrupt the Republican Convention in Philadelphia. Plans are underway for still bigger civil disturbances at the Democratic Convention in Los Angeles. An International Monetary Fund meeting in Prague in September is slated for yet another riot. But there still has been no public recognition Read More ›