Paul Nelson

the-very-large-array-vla-radio-astronomy-antennas-in-new-mexico-is-one-of-the-most-impressive-observatories-in-the-world-the-sun-was-piercing-through-after-a-major-storm-during-a-public-tour-stockpack-adobe-stock
The Very Large Array (VLA) radio-astronomy antennas, in New Mexico, is one of the most impressive observatories in the world. The Sun was piercing through after a major storm during a public tour.

Could Carl Sagan’s Methods Be Used to Make Design Inferences?

On today’s ID The Future out of the vault, host Robert Crowther welcomes philosopher of science Paul Nelson to explore an intriguing tension in the thinking of famous scientist and science popularizer Carl Sagan. Though Sagan was a committed Darwinist and agnostic, he embraced certain ideas consistent with the theory of intelligent design. Could Sagan's methods for detecting extra-terrestrial intelligence be used to make design inferences in the natural world? Listen in as Dr. Nelson discusses this intriguing idea. Read More ›
Photo by Flavio Gasperini
Photo by Flavio Gasperini at Unsplash.

Evidence Keeps Rolling In

Several new papers have appeared that reinforce key points of my recent book, Darwin Devolves. (Hat tip to Paul Nelson.) The first one — “Quantifying the pathways to life using assembly spaces” — is from a group of theoreticians at Arizona State and the University of Glasgow. (The work was discussed by one of the authors, Sara Imari Walker, at a Read More ›

How Evolution Uses Natural Selection

How Evolution Uses Natural Selection to Build Organisms

What is natural selection and how does evolution use it to build new organisms? The fundamental difficulty for any undirected process of evolution is being able to see into the future and determine what functions that organism will need to survive. An unguided process like natural selection is incapable of doing that. What natural selection and other undirected natural mechanisms cannot achieve however, an intelligent agent can. Philosopher of Biology Paul Nelson describes the amazing process by which the worm C. elegans is constructed and how it points toward intelligent design. Read More ›
Scientist explaining his mathematical calculations
Close-up of unrecognizable male scientist in shirt standing in dark room and gesturing hands while explaining his mathematical calculations during scientific conference, neon calculations on man and wall

For Darwin Advocates, Wistar Conference Remains a Pain in the Master Narrative

The 1966 Wistar Institute conference remains, fifty years later, a pain in the master narrative of Darwin advocates. According to their favored story, doubts about the evolutionary mechanism are the exclusive domain of, first of all, those seeking to uphold a particular interpretation of Genesis and, second, the scientifically ignorant. Today marks the anniversary of the conference’s opening, April 25 Read More ›

Intelligent Design Under Fire, pt. 4: Q&A with Charlotte Laws & Larry Herbert

Intelligent Design Under Fire, pt. 4: Q&A with Charlotte Laws & Larry Herber

In Intelligent Design Under Fire, Dr. Stephen Meyer and colleagues Dr. Jonathan Wells, Dr. Michael Behe, Dr. Guillermo Gonzalez, and Dr. Paul Nelson respond to questions about intelligent design from a panel of critics. Part 4 features questions from writer and columnist Dr. Charlotte Laws, retired geology professor Dr. Larry Herber, comparative religion professor Dr. Craig Nelson, and others. Video Read More ›

Intelligent Design Under Fire, pt. 2: Q&A with Dateline NBC’s Keith Morrison

This is part 2 of a video called Intelligent Design Under Fire. Dr. Stephen Meyer joins Michael Behe, Jonathan Wells, Paul Nelson, and Guillermo Gonzalez in defending the arguments of intelligent design in response to questions from a panel of leading critics of the theory. Part 2 includes Q&A with Dateline NBC’s Keith Morrison. Video copyright Biola University. Used with Read More ›

ISCID Chat With Paul Nelson

ISCID Moderator:Our guest speaker today is Paul Nelson. Dr. Nelson is a philosopher of biology, specializing in evo-devo and developmental biology. He is also a fellow of the International Society for Complexity, Information and Design. Dr. Nelson received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago Department of Philosophy. His thesis critiques aspects of macroevolutionary theory in light of recent developments Read More ›

‘Intelligent Design’ vs. Evolution

Original Article When Charles Darwin published his theory of evolution in 1859, most scientists were skeptical and said the theory lacked sufficient evidence. Now, nearly 150 years later, the vast majority of scientists accept evolution as the best explanation for life’s diversity. Nevertheless, a small contingent of scientists is pushing for an alternative. They call it “intelligent design.” And just Read More ›