An earlier diary (from the 24th) here that covered the Seattle PI article is long scrolled away – this effort highlights a couple pro-evolution lists – and a couple good local Kansas blogs – so I think it’s legit to crosspost this now – originally posted at MyLeftWing.
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RedStateRabble and Thoughts From Kansas are a couple of great local blogs and credit goes to them for making me aware of this story. Most of the substance of this post is directly from their posts, which I want to expose to a larger audience.
Recently the Discovery Institute – a main purveyor of the stupidity on a stick that is Intelligent Design – boasted of having 400 (whoo hoo an even Four Hundred) real Scientist endorse their work. A columnist in Seattle looked at the list, spotted a local name, and interviewed him. The result is not pretty for the ID folks. See – their much vaunted list now stands at 399. Oops.
Read more, and some interesting information on a couple fun pro-evolution lists started to counter ID after the break
Why the 399 now? RedStateRabble explains:
That’s because Bob Davidson, an M.D., scientist, and professor for 28 years at the University of Washington medical school — an ardent Christian whose name appears on the list — says he believes “the scientific evidence for evolution is overwhelming.”
“When I joined [the Discovery Institute] I didn’t think they were about bashing evolution, says Davidson. “It’s pseudo-science, at best … What they’re doing is instigating a conflict between science and religion.”
“I’m kind of embarrassed that I ever got involved with this,” Davidson now says.
To fully understand the depths of Davidson’s disillusionment, to get a glimpse at the utter cynicism and the dishonest manipulation of at least some of those whose names appear on Discovery Institute’s much touted list of Darwin doubters you really must read the report by Seattle Times staff columnist Danny Westneat .
We were sorely tempted to post the entire article — or at least more of the choice quotes from Davidson that Westneat supplies — but we didn’t want to cheat our readers of the pleasure of reading it all in the original context.
But it gets better. Thoughts From Kansas does some digging and finds the statement the vaunted <s>400</s>399 Scientist endorse is…not much to look at.
The statement these 400 signed is incredibly vague. It’s touted as proof that evolution is controversial, but here’s what it says:
We are skeptical of claims for the ability of random mutation and natural selection to account for the complexity of life. Careful examination of the evidence for Darwinian theory should be encouraged.
Um…… well….. that’s um…….
TFK writes
Skepticism is what scientists do. In fact, mutation and natural selection are not the only forces at work. We know that chloroplasts (where photosynthesis takes place in plants) and mitochondria (where energy is processed in all eukaryotes) are bacteria that were engulfed by early cells. No mutation or selection there. Genetic drift is a vital part of many processes, especially in the theory of speciation.
For fun – TFK then suggests that we compare the <s>400</s>399 Scientist who’ve signed the DI’s “statement” with another statement designed to combat ID…
Evolution is a vital, well-supported, unifying principle of the biological sciences, and the scientific evidence is overwhelmingly in favor of the idea that all living things share a common ancestry. Although there are legitimate debates about the patterns and processes of evolution, there is no serious scientific doubt that evolution occurred or that natural selection is a major mechanism in its occurrence. It is scientifically inappropriate and pedagogically irresponsible for creationist pseudoscience, including but not limited to “intelligent design,” to be introduced into the science curricula of our nation’s public schools.
The National Center for Science Education’s Steve-O-Meter currently sits at 589. Project Steve is a tongue-in-cheek parody of creationist and intelligent design lists such as Discovery’s Darwin Doubters list. NCSE’s list of scientists — all with the first name of Steve or Stephanie, in honor of Stephen Jay Gould.
As the NCSE points out:
According to data from the U.S. Census, approximately 1.6% of males and approximately 0.4% of females — so approximately 1% of U.S. residents — have first names that would qualify them to sign the statement.
Hmm- but they still outnumber the now dwindling number of folks willing to stand by the vague pro-ID statement.
verrrry interestink
It’s also fun to compare the gang of <s>400</s>399 with another list. One growing quite rapidly. A few months ago – when the Kansas Board of Education held a sham “trial” of evolution – an effort started to have Christian Clergy sign a statement supporting the teaching of evolution. During the trial (last spring) that statement had about 3100 signatures. The Clergy Letter Project currently lists 7,016 signers of a statement that reads in part,
“We the undersigned, Christian clergy from many different traditions, believe that the timeless truths of the Bible and the discoveries of modern science may comfortably coexist. We believe that the theory of evolution is a foundational scientific truth, one that has stood up to rigorous scrutiny and upon which much of human knowledge and achievement rests. To reject this truth or to treat it as “one theory among others” is to deliberately embrace scientific ignorance and transmit such ignorance to our children.”
Hmm – one does not have to be named Steve to see that a good number of Scientist and Clergy have found some common ground here.
As anyone who’s read much of my writing knows – I claim the Christian tradition as my path. I see absolutely no problem, no conflict, between my faith as a Christian and everything Science has to teach us about the wonder of creation. Neither faith nor science is about easy certainty – both are, or ought to be, about questions. Science can prove a number of things – and yet is constantly learning that old truths are incomplete. We can prove that light is a particle. We can prove that light is a wave. Both can be true, despite the apparent contradictions. Quantum Physics and Chaos Theory continue to expand our understanding – and bring us into contact with mystery. British physicist and Anglican Priest John Polkinghorn says that “the ultimate reward of science is a sense of wonder.”
Certainly many scientist reject religion. They would see me as deluded – fine. I see that we are speaking different languages. Faith is beyond emperical proof – thus outside the realm of Science. I think many creation stories ought to be taught – but NOT in a Science classroom – the stories are NOT science – they are stories told for different reasons and a different kind of knowledge. There need not be a conflict – and the people who want a conflict (mainly those on the ID side) aren’t worried about science – but about power and control…
Those of us who are “people of faith” read in Scripture that we are created in God’s image. Is not our rational mind a part of that? Is not our imagination?
How anyone can see these as threats to faith – rather than vital parts of who we are created to be is beyond me. Why is it that so many of my co-religionist seem to think that God is limited to our image, handcuffed by our limitations and shares our petty hatreds? Talk about idolatry!?
I believe in a creator, I believe that creator to be intelligent and to have a “design” for creation. I believe there’s a point, a purpose, meaning. I do not for a second believe that this Creator is a practical joker setting up fossils and lab experiments as elaborate tricks to test us. That’s an insult to both God and Humanity’s intelligence.
Further – “Intelligent Design” is simple NOT science. It’s not even decent philosophy or theology – it’s nothing more than a political gimmick designed to bully society and protect a bunch of close minded people from having their oh so fragile literal reading of a collection of documents never meant to be more than story challenged.
Folks, If your faith is that weak, that fragile, you’ve got a lot bigger problems than an intro biology class.
I’m glad Dr. Davidson has realized this. High time the rest of the 399 did as well. Hmmm – wonder if we could find a few more Scientist on that list who are embarrassed they ever got involved?