How a Christian Family Stood Up to Tyranny
November 10, 2009
Faithfulness to principle doesn't always win, but it allows one to live with a clear conscience.
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What Is Man?
November 5, 2009
Science often makes pronouncements about the human species. We should be mindful of the worldview behind them. Live Science published an article with the confident-sounding title, “Human Evolution: Where We Came From,” accompanied by the iconic sketch of Ardi (see 10/02/2009) and an obligatory reference to Darwin. Even though reporter Charles Q. Choi, […]
The Nature of Darwin and the Darwin of Nature
October 29, 2009
“Even the most ardent fan of Charles Darwin might be feeling weary as his anniversary year draws to a close,” remarked Clive Wynn in another issue of Nature celebrating his bicentennial.1 “Publishers have seemingly explored every corner of Darwin’s life: his youth, his marriage, his attitudes to slavery and religion.” And now Wynn was introducing […]
Who Explains Whom?
October 26, 2009
Picture an evolutionary anthropologist and a Biblical theologian sitting on a park bench having a lively discussion. The theologian claims the scientist believes in evolution because of pride that came through sin at the Fall. “Your conscience and innate knowledge of God has been corrupted,” he asserts, “therefore you choose belief systems that rationalize your […]
Asian Darwinist Profs Call Creationists Barbarians
October 22, 2009
“We have kept the creationist barbarians from the gate,” announced a professor at Hong Kong University triumphantly. A news article in Science this week described tensions in the city over the teaching of evolution. The Darwinists won a vote over a change in wording in the science curriculum that would have “opened the door to […]
Science Awards Young Darwinist
October 19, 2009
A young PhD has been awarded grand prize in an essay contest by Science Magazine for studying a complex system and deciding it evolved one way or another.1 Richard Benton won the Eppendorf Grand Prize for Essays on Science and Society, beating out two others who studied neurons but failed to give pre-eminence to evolutionary […]
Science News or Tabloid Journalism?
October 19, 2009
Science news outlets have put out some bizarre headlines recently. Readers can judge whether they should be blessed with the label “science” or belong instead at supermarket checkouts. Women are evolving fatter: New Scientist and PhysOrg said that natural selection is making women shorter, plumper and more fertile. “The take-home message is that humans are […]
Freud’s Out; Who’s Next?
October 15, 2009
Nature is "shocked by the abandon with which he elaborated his theories on the basis of essentially no empirical evidence."
Conservationists Moan Lack of Hikers
October 11, 2009
When hiking and backpacking were popular in the 1970s, the number of environmentalists and conservationists rose accordingly. Since then, many content themselves to watch TV and remain city-bound. The internet exacerbated the problem. Science Daily said, “a recent fall-off in strenuous outdoor endeavors portends a coming decline in the ranks of conservation backers.” […]
Philosophy Puts Brakes on Simplistic Science
October 5, 2009
Three stories touching on philosophy of science were reported recently. They show that simplistic ideas, and even terms deployed, can be misleading. That’s why philosophers still have a role in curbing the pretensions of scientists, and clarifying scientific issues and terms lest policy-makers and the public get wrong ideas. Are all invasive species bad?: We […]
Darwinists Party Hardy, But Crash ID Events
September 30, 2009
As the 150th anniversary of the publication of Origin of Species approaches in November, institutions are promoting Darwin in some bizarre ways. When other events are held critical of Darwin’s ideas, though, the sponsors know to expect trouble and media distortion. Last night, the new film Darwin’s Dilemma (review) was shown in the […]
Evangelist Takes On Darwin
September 27, 2009
What would Darwin do? Just in time for the 150th anniversary of The Origin of Species, his magnum opus has been reprinted with an introduction not by a scientist or historian, but by a Christian evangelist. He and a Christian movie actor are trying to get their special edition to students at major universities. Talk […]
Evolutionists Answer ‘Why’ Questions With ‘Stuff Happens’
September 22, 2009
Why do ants walk single file? Why are goldfish gold? Why do worms come up on the sidewalk in the rain? Exasperated parents sometimes answer the incessant questions of their young children with “It’s just the way things are!” Presumably science does a better job of explanation, but one might wonder if the following evolutionary […]
Trio of Darwin Films Released
September 16, 2009
This month finds us two thirds of the way between Darwin’s 200th birthday and the 150th anniversary of his Origin of Species. Taking advantage of the extra attention Darwin is getting this year (as if he needed more), three films on his life and ideas are being released from three different companies. The Voyage that […]
Does Hedonism Belong in Science?
September 13, 2009
What’s an article advocating hedonism doing on Science Daily? Sure enough, an article entitled “Hedonism As the Explanation of Value” appeared today on the science news site without controversy or debate. The entry gave David Brax of Lund University a platform to preach that “pleasure is the only thing that is valuable in itself.” […]