John West

Photo by Lucas Sankey
America flag short from underneath

Darwin’s Conservatives

The debate over evolution is usually framed by the media as a political fight of left versus right. But a small cadre of conservative commentators and scholars, such as George Will, Charles Krauthammer, John Derbyshire, and Larry Arnhart, have become defenders of Darwinism. Darwin’s Conservatives: The Misguided Quest asks whether conservatives-traditionally known as the champions of personal responsibility, family values, Read More ›

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Students In Science Class
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Darwin in the Classroom

After months of debate, the Ohio State Board of Education unanimously adopted science standards on Dec. 10 that require Ohio students to know “how scientists continue to investigate and critically analyze aspects of evolutionary theory.” Ohio thus becomes the first state to mandate that students learn not only scientific evidence that supports Darwin’s theory but also scientific evidence critical of Read More ›

Intelligent Design Could Offer Fresh Ideas on Evolution

There is a growing public debate over how best to teach evolution in America’s schools. But contrary to Alan Leshner (” ‘Intelligent design’ theory threatens science classrooms,” Nov. 22), that debate is not focused on requiring students to learn the theory of intelligent design. Neither the Cobb County School Board in Georgia nor the Ohio State Board of Education mentioned Read More ›

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Picture of a tree partially submerged in water
Photo by Jasper van Der Meij at Unsplash

Intelligent Design and Creationism Just Aren’t the Same

Recent news accounts about controversies over evolution in Ohio and Georgia have contained references to the scientific theory of “intelligent design.” Some advocates of Darwinian evolution try to conflate “intelligent design” (ID) with “creationism,” sometimes using the term “intelligent design creationism.”1 In fact, intelligent design is quite different from “creationism,” as even some of its critics have acknowledged. University of Read More ›

THE SCOPES INDICTMENT-Reah County Courthouse, Dayton, Tennessee,
THE SCOPES INDICTMENT-Reah County Courthouse, Dayton, Tennessee, the courtroom where the Scopes evolution case is being tried. (1925) - CPL Archives/Everett Collection
The Scopes Indictment, Reah County Courthouse (1925)

Evolution Coverage Missed Real Story

More than 40 years ago, the film “Inherit the Wind” presented the controversy over the teaching of evolution as a battle between stick-figure fundamentalists who defend a literal reading of Genesis and saintly scientists who simply want to teach the facts of biology. Ever since, journalists have tended to depict almost any battle over evolution in the schools as if Read More ›

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denied word stamp on white paper with red ink
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Deny, Deny, Deny

After Congress adopted a landmark statement in December calling for students to be exposed to a diversity of views when topics “such as biological evolution” are taught, a pro-Darwin group is absurdly trying to claim victory through creative reinterpretation of the legislative record. In the Conference Report attached to the education reform bill passed in December, Congress declared that “where Read More ›

SPU Hosts Tolkien Fans

“All of the speakers and subject matter sound ridiculously interesting to me. It is going to be great,” freshman Than Vlachos said about the upcoming J.R.R. Tolkien conference at SPU. The conference, titled “Celebrating Middle Earth,” will seek to tell “the story behind the story” of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings.” Conference sessions will focus on exploring the Read More ›