Reprogramming Biology by Ray Kurzweil, July 2006 Scientific American Biology is now in the early stages of a historic transition to an information science, while also gaining the tools to reprogram the ancient information systems of life. Our electronic devices typically update their software every few months, yet the 23,000 software programs called genes inside Read More…
Month: June 2006
Letter from Darrel Falk
Below is a letter to me by Darrel Falk, a biologist on the faculty at Point Loma Nazarene University. Darrel and I have known each other for several years, and even though our views on ID diverge, we respect each other. The letter here is in response to my recent blog entry at UD on Read More…
Preface to Paperback Edition of NO FREE LUNCH
My book NO FREE LUNCH is now, five years after its publication, appearing in paperback. I was asked to write a new preface to the paperback edition. Here is an excerpt: … Ironically, the very sketchiness of mathematical details that Wolpert claims prevents one from properly assessing the book does not prevent him from offering Read More…
Dean of Harvard Medical School endorses pro-ID book, medical professors revolt against Darwin
In addition to the engineers, physicists, chemists, and mathematicians who dissent from Darwin, anywhere from 33% to 60% of medical doctors dissent from Darwin (see Nearly Two-Thirds of Doctors Skeptical of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution, HCD Research Poll, also check out PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS WHO DISSENT FROM DARWINISM). Pro-ID sympathies are reflected by the fact Read More…
“Teach No Controversy” (the alternative to “Teach The Controversy”)
[This just in from a colleague in Kansas:] We are distributing the multicolored brochure titled “Frequently Asked Questions About the New Kansas Science Standards” and explaining the message in more detail: A genuine scientific controversy over evolution clearly exists — its historical character alone guarantees that evolution contains subjective and controversial “narratives” about what happened. Read More…
[Admin Announcement] Get Back to Intelligent Design
I’ve been lax in keeping the topic here on intelligent design and away from everyone’s favorite religion (or lack thereof). I’m as guilty as anyone. To remedy this situation I’m going to be deleting any comments I see with gratuitous references to religion until further notice. I’ll make an exception for any of our authors Read More…
Thank God for Steven Weinberg
Weinberg has a knack for seeing through pretensions. His reference to Sontag’s “piety without content” reminds me of Martin Gardner’s “loyal liars” in his delightful and depressing theological novel The Flight of Peter Fromm (available from Prometheus — I’m going to be using it in my apologetics course this fall). MR. WEINBERG: In my experience Read More…
New German ID Book
Rammerstorfer, Markus (2006). Nur eine Illusion? Biologie und Design [Only an Illusion? Biology and Design]. Tectum-Verlag, Marburg / ISBN 3-8288-9117-9. This book is now available. Amazon.de displays it here: http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/3828891179/028-6300370-3230923?v=glance&n=299956 See also the author’s homepage: http://members.aon.at/evolution/Book.html.
[Off topic:] Darwin’s tortoise dies
Darwin’s tortoise dies http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/darwins-tortoise-aged-176-dies/2006/06/23/1150845377114.html Father time has finally caught up with the world’s oldest animal in captivity. Giant Galapagos tortoise Harriet has died of a suspected heart attack at the ripe old age of 176 on the Sunshine Coast. She was a star attraction at Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo since the 1980s and even features Read More…
“Evolution as Alchemy” (previously “Darwinism as Naturalistic Mystery Religion”)
In light of the recent discussion on this blog about Darwinism as a naturalistic mystery religion (go here), I decided to revise and update a piece I did a long time ago relating evolution and alchemy. I’ve titled it “Evolution as Alchemy” (go here for pdf, here for html). I’ve also included the text (minus Read More…
ID in Indonesia
Check out the following links: http://www.salib.net/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1065 http://www.partaidamaisejahtera.com/diskusi/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=9
Fired for Being Irrelevant
In shocking news this morning, johnnyb was fired from his job for being irrelevant. When asked about why he was fired, ABC Co. gave the following response — “We looked at the operation of the company, and, while there were many programs attributed to him, and some people claimed that the network worked because of Read More…
Are Ken Miller and Francis Collins ID proponents when it comes to the Origin of Life?
Here is an edited report on Ken Miller’s talk that he gave at Texas Tech back in March 2006 (go here) as well as a portion of a keynote address given by Francis Collins at the 2002 ASA meeting in Malibu (go here): Ken Miller’s talk was well attended — the auditorium was stacked (400+) Read More…
Is being pro-Castro more acceptable than being pro-ID?
[From an attorney friend of mine:] Bill, here is an item you might want to “blog” about, relating to the ACLU and the obligation of public schools to keep books in their libraries that take positions some parents object to: An AP story today (6/22/06) in the Washington Times is headlined “ACLU: Miami can’t pull Read More…
Episcopalian intelligentsia sucking up to the scientific establishment
My last post describes 67 scientific academies around the world weighing in to support evolution. Not to be left behind, the Episcopalian intelligentsia and leadership have just done the same. Both houses, Bishops and Deputies, of the Episcopal Church General Convention have approved the following resolution. The Episcopal Church is therefore now on record in Read More…