Posted on 04/28/2006 7:59:55 AM PDT by PatrickHenry
Thousands of MU students shuddered in fear Thursday as Kenneth Miller, one of the co-authors of the Miller and Levine textbook series — a widely used high school biology text — spoke on campus.
But Miller didn’t come to put freshman biology students to sleep with discourses on flagellum — he came to speak about what he sees as the falsities that make up theories of intelligent design. His lecture, “God, Darwin and Design: America’s New Battle Over Evolution,” used scientific evidence to denounce arguments commonly used by intelligent-design advocates.
Goateed and slightly balding, Miller wore a brown belt and all-black Nikes with a black suit. What he lacked in fashion sense, he made up with an Ivy League professor’s knowledge of biology. Miller had a message.
“Everything in science should be approached with an open mind, not just evolution,” Miller said.
Miller was the lead witness in Kitzmiller et al. v Dover Area School District et al., the first direct challenge brought in a U.S. federal court against a public school district that required the presentation of intelligent design as an alternative to evolution and as an explanation of the origin of life. Federal Judge John Jones III, an appointee of President George Bush, ruled for the plaintiff in the case.
Miller has appeared on a diverse spectrum of television programs including NOVA and the Colbert Report. In addition to the textbooks, Miller has written a book entitled “Finding Darwin’s God: A Scientist’s Search for Common Ground Between God and Evolution.”
The lecture addressed many of the issues touted by intelligent-design proponents as holes in the theory of evolution. These issues included missing links in the evolutionary chain and the genetic uniqueness of the human species.
Miller showed diagrams of species that followed one another down the evolutionary chain and explained how the inner ear of those mammals’ ear bones evolved to hear better underwater. Miller said he views these developments as evidence of evolution.
The opposition did not show up to Miller’s lecture, but he still addressed what he said he sees as the poor theological background for intelligent design.
Miller said that not everyone who supports intelligent design is a biblical literalist. He said the debate represents more of a culture war than a scientific debate. He said many people have characterized the battle between intelligent-design and evolution proponents as a battle between religion and secularism.
Miller said he doesn’t agree.
He said he thinks that religion and evolution can coincide. In fact, he said, they support each other. Miller, a Roman Catholic, used quotations from Pope Benedict II and Sts. Augustine and Thomas Aquinas to support his argument that evolution and religion can work together.
Professor of biochemistry Frank Schmidt organized Miller’s visit to campus.
“Miller is a remarkable example of a scientist as a civic servant. He’s a remarkable example for the students,” Schmidt said.
A coalition of organizations, including the Biochemistry Department and the Science Teachers of Missouri, sponsored the event held at the Monsanto Auditorium in the Life Sciences Center.
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placemarker
That is unfortunate. They could have learned from this man.
There's a first time for everything.
Yes, and Colmes might learn from Hannity. But it never seems to work out that way.
That's all we need to know about this man's qualifications to recognize design.
</ID_mode>
Sigh. (LOL!)
Not without the Rolex!!!
Thank you Kenneth Miller. Now, the only holes left to plug are the ones the intelligent-design proponents have between their ears!
But nevertheless, Biblical literalism is the only relevant driving force behind this whole thing. Miller's statement reminds me of the people who insist that Islam is not at the root of terrorism.
If you want the truth...ICR.org
What's ICR?
Prominent on their home page:
Welcome to the
Institute for Creation ResearchWe believe God has raised up ICR to spearhead Biblical Christianity's defense against the godless and compromising dogma of evolutionary humanism. Only by showing the scientific bankruptcy of evolution...
Yes, despite transparently disingenuous claims to the contrary, it's the chief force behind ID in the US. But as I like to point out, ID works quite well as a stand-alone religion, e.g., the Raelians, a sect based entirely on ID.
ID fits comfortably as a component of other religions as well. The Hare Krishnas reject Darwinian evolution, and their website has this article: The Intelligent Designer. And followers of followers Islam are happy with ID: Why Muslims Should Support Intelligent Design, By Mustafa Akyol.
LOL! That's doggone funny!
I guess I shouldn't have asked but I don't like to just go off to websites without having a feeling for what the content is...
Just don't have any cartoons of the process ;)
I think I will use that as an example of begging the question when I nag someone about using "begs the question" in place of "raises the question."
Ping for later read.
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