Of all my colleagues in the ID movement, the one evolutionists slime the most is Jonathan Wells. It is therefore gratifying to see his article on centrioles and their design characteristics (“Do Centrioles Generate a Polar Ejection Force?”) appear in the latest issue of a peer-reviewed biology journal. Here is the abstract to his article:
I have just made available on my designinference.com website the documents detailing the rise and fall Baylor’s now defunct Michael Polanyi Center (MPC). The MPC was the first ID think-tank connected to a major university and for about nine months was the focus of considerable media attention. The documents are of mixed quality, with a lot of chaff but also some gems (e.g., a letter by Antony Flew indicating his willingness to defend my academic freedom). There is also some material that has hitherto not been made public, including the original planning document for the MPC presented to the Baylor administration at their request. Also included for the first time is a memo and summary from May 2000 that underscores Read More ›
Ordinarily, I confine my comments on this blog to topics related to ID and evolution. This post is somewhat peripheral, though not entirely since Baylor was the first major university to set up an ID research center/think-tank (the now defunct Michael Polanyi Center). Robert Sloan, the Baylor president at whose instance I was hired to set up this center, resigned his presidency a few months ago, the resignation to take effect June 1 — he assumes the position of chancellor (which is a fundraising/public relations — not an administrative — position). Coincidentally, I move on to Southern Seminary June 1 to direct its newly formed Center for Science and Theology.
Jed Macosko and I for the last two years have been working on a Festschrift volume for Phillip Johnson (he is 65 this June). The volume, titled A Man for This Season, is now in production with InterVarsity and should be published early 2006. For the introductory material to this volume, including our preface and Sen. Rick Santorum’s foreword, go here. For initial critical response, go here.
The Kansas State Board of Education will hear from scientists and scholars next week about how best to present evolution in the classroom. If you are not testifying to the board, there is still a significant role for you to play in the wider debate. Namely, write supportive letters to the editor to appear during the hearings next week, and the week following, in regional and national newspapers.
From a colleague:
A 3-member Committee of The Kansas State School Board will conduct hearings in Topeka next week, and possibly the week after, to evaluate proposed changes to the state science standards. Thursday through Saturday next week, May 5-7, the Committee will hear testimony from scientists, philosophers and educators who think the standards should incorporate language about the problems with Darwinian evolution — a group knownofficially as “the Minority.” Witnesses will include William Harris, Jonathan Wells, Charles Thaxton, Giuseppe Sermonti, Ralph Seelke, Russell Carlson, Bruce Simat, Bryan Leonard, Daniel Ely, Edward Peltzer, Jill Gonzalez-Bravo, John Sanford, Robert DiSilvestro, Roger DeHart, Michael Behe, Stephen Meyer, Angus Menuge, James Barham, John Millam, Mustafa Akyol, Nancy Bryson, and John Calvert.