Tag: biology

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Author
Casey Luskin

Date
July 24, 2024

Tagged
, AI, Artificial Intelligence, biology, Casey Luskin, Charles Darwin, Darwinian Evolution, Darwinism, David Hullender, Evolution, Evolutionary Biology, evolutionary theory, large language models, Materialism, Natural Selection, Neo-Darwinism, Olen Brown, origin of life, self-assembly}

Can AI Help Us Assess Neo-Darwinism?

_{Casey Luskin
July 24, 2024

Uncategorized

2}

Can artificial intelligence be applied to the scientific theory of Darwinian evolution to help us evaluate its strengths and weaknesses? On this episode of ID The Future, host Casey Luskin concludes his conversation with two distinguished PhD scientists who are asking tough questions of Neo-Darwinism: Olen Brown, Professor Emeritus of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Missouri, and David Hullender, Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Texas, Arlington. In Part 2, Luskin discusses the latest paper from Brown and Hullender arguing that AI has strong but unrealized potential both for assessing and also solving major problems with the prevailing naturalistic account of life's origins. This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation. Read More ›

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Author
Emily Reeves

Date
June 26, 2024

Tagged
, adaptability, adaptation, biology, Charles Darwin, chemistry, Darwin finches, Darwinism, Emily Reeves, engineer, engineered systems, engineering, engineering principles, Eric Anderson, Evolution, Evolutionary Biology, finch beaks, guppies, Materialism, microbiology, Neo-Darwinism, peppered moths, Richard Dawkins, Theodosius Dobzhansky}

The Engineered Adaptability of the Humble Guppy

_{Emily Reeves
June 26, 2024

Uncategorized

2}

Do living things evolve right before our eyes? Perhaps the most common evidence put forward to support evolutionary theory is the observation that organisms can adapt. But is this adaptability really a hallmark of a gradual Darwinian process? Or is it evidence of intelligent design? On this ID The Future, host Eric Anderson speaks with Dr. Emily Reeves about the adaptability of the humble guppy fish, a new icon of evolution heralded by biologists as proof positive of Darwinian evolutionary processes at work. In this episode, Dr. Reeves uses guppies to discuss why the adaptability of organisms is actually powerful evidence of design. She also explains how biologists can improve their abilities as scientists by learning more about engineering. Read More ›

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Author
Stephen C. Meyer

Date
April 8, 2024

Tagged
, Assembly Theory, biology, Darwinism, Denis Noble, developmental gene regulatory network, epigenetic information, epigenetic revolution, Evolution, James Tour, Joana Xavier, Lee Cronin, Natural Selection, Nature (Journal), Neo-Darwinism, Nick Lane, origin of life, RNA world, RNA World hypothesis, Stephen Meyer}

Meyer & Tour on New Critiques of Origin of Life Research

_{Stephen C. Meyer
April 8, 2024

Uncategorized

2}

On this ID The Future, we're pleased to share a new discussion between Dr. James Tour and Dr. Stephen Meyer about recent critiques of origin of life research published in the prestigious science journal Nature. The interview originally aired on The Science and Faith Podcast, hosted by Dr. Tour. We are grateful to Dr. Tour for permission to share this interview on ID The Future. Read More ›

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Author
Dr. Gary Habermas

Date
November 1, 2023

Tagged
, afterlife, biology, Christianity, evidential NDE, Gary Habermas, heaven, Materialism, mind-brain, Minding the Brain, Naturalism, near-death, near-death case, out of body experience, philosophy of mind, reductionism, reductionist philosophy, resurrection, Science and faith, skepticism}

Gary Habermas on the Scientific Evidence for Near-Death Experiences

_{Dr. Gary Habermas
November 1, 2023

Uncategorized

2}

Is there strong scientific evidence for near-death experiences? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid speaks with Dr. Gary Habermas about his chapter evaluating the evidence for near-death cases in the new book Minding the Brain: Models of the Mind, Information, and Empirical Science. As Dr. Habermas explains, most near-death accounts contain both objective and subjective elements. Personal testimony about other realms can't be independently corroborated, but objective evidence rooted in this world can be confirmed and evaluated. "I can't verify heavenly discussions or heavenly sites," says Habermas, "so the kind of NDE data I'm talking about virtually always occur on this earth in normal kinds of situations, like parking lots or in your home two miles away. That's where the evidence comes from." Dr. Habermas relays several examples of near-death cases with strong evidential support. He also lays out five different lines of verifiable phenomena. Tune in to learn more about the scientific case for this intriguing phenomenon. Read More ›

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Author
David Berlinski

Date
October 2, 2023

Tagged
, biology, Charles Darwin, Darwinian, Darwinian Evolution, Darwinian materialism, Darwinism, Evolution, Fossil Record, Human Nature, human origins, human uniqueness, Materialism, Natural Selection, Neo-Darwinism, physics, Stephen J. Gould, Stephen Jay Gould, Steven Weinberg}

Berlinski: Why Humans Are Unique in the World of Matter

_{David Berlinski
October 2, 2023

Uncategorized

2}

Eminent paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould has argued that humans differ only in degree, not kind, from other organisms, and to think otherwise betrays an ancient and outdated prejudice. But does this match up with what science has revealed in the last century? On this ID The Future, we are pleased to share the first half of an engaging conversation between Dr. David Berlinski and host Eric Metaxas on the subject of Berlinski's recent book Human Nature. Some argue that humans are growing more peaceful, enlightened, and improved by the year, and that a coming technological singularity may well usher in utopia. Berlinski isn't buying it. "There is no society without its underlying ideology," he writes in Human Nature. A universal civilization requires a universal theory, and the prevailing grand narrative preferred by most materialist scientists today is fueled largely by Darwin's theory of evolution. But is the world of matter the only world that matters? In this conversation and in his book, Berlinski argues that human beings have a fundamental essence that is radically different from the essence of other organisms and that cannot be changed at will. It's a view that is supported by the latest evidence about life and the universe in biology, chemistry, physics, and even cosmology. And it represents a fatal flaw in the Darwinian story. This is Part 1 of a 2-part conversation. This interview originally aired as a Socrates in the City event in 2022. We are grateful to Eric Metaxas for permission to share it. Watch the conversation in video form on YouTube. Read More ›

Abstract bacteria, probiotics, gram positive bacteria bacteria and viruses of various shapes against a light background. Concept of science, medicine. Microbiology background. 3d illustration.

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Author
Rob Stadler

Date
September 18, 2023

Tagged
, abiogenesis, adaptability, adaptation, Bacteria, bio-engineering, biology, bounded adaptation, Craig Venter, Darwinism, devolution, engineering, Evolution, genes, genome, Materialism, minimal cell, Natural Selection, origin of life, random mutation}

The Simple Life: Abiogenesis Gets Another Reality Check

_{Rob Stadler
September 18, 2023

Uncategorized

2}

When it comes to biological life, even the simplest single-celled organism is an astonishingly complex multi-part system. Just how simple can a living cell get? On this ID The Future, Eric Anderson hosts another conversation with Dr. Robert Sadler to evaluate the claims of abiogenesis researchers. A recent Nature paper reports on an engineered minimal cell and how it contends with the "forces of evolution" compared to the non-minimal cell from which it was derived. In an attempt to find life's lowest common denominator, experimenters reduced the minimal cell down from 901 genes to 473 genes. The result was a fragile, irregular organism, sheltered and well cared for. But does this reduction in genomic complexity demonstrate evolution or devolution? Is it an unguided process at work or adaptation within the boundaries of an organism's design? "When people speak of evolution, they speak of random changes and natural selection," Sadler says. "But are they really random? Or does the organism have a built-in ability to change the genome to its own benefit?" Sadler puts the paper's results and claims in perspective for us. Read More ›

Knowledge and science books artistic graphic collage - Generative AI illustration

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post

Author
ID the Future

Date
July 24, 2023

Tagged
, biology, Biology Textbooks, Darwinism, Evolution, Evolutionary Biology, Fossil Record, genetics, high school, high school biology, Icons of Evolution, molecular biology, Students, textbook errors, Textbooks, whale evolution}

Is Evolution Taught Fairly in Textbooks? A High School Senior Investigates

_{ID the Future
July 24, 2023

Uncategorized

3}

Has the accuracy of teaching on evolutionary theory improved in standard biology textbooks in recent years? On this ID The Future, host Daniel Reeves, Director of Education & Outreach at Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture, speaks with a recent high school graduate named Natalie about her senior year research project. Natalie has had an interest in evolution and intelligent design for years, and she's noticed that textbooks don't always cover important or controversial topics fairly. So when she discovered her school was trialing a new biology textbook, she decided to evaluate the proposed textbook's approach to accuracy and fairness in light of the available scientific evidence. Focusing on the fossil record and genetics, Natalie organized quotations from the textbook into three categories - misrepresented, underdeveloped, or well-aligned - based on how well they conveyed the available evidence. From whale evolution to genetic differences among organisms, Natalie found that more often than not, the textbook was misleading to students in the way it presented or omitted important scientific ideas. "High school students are in such a pivotal time in their life because they're forming their worldview," says Natalie. "And evolution is a theory on the origin of life...that's huge to answering those questions." Natalie encourages her fellow students, and anyone interested in origins, to question and dive deep as they evaluate competing ideas. As biologist and Center for Science and Culture Senior Fellow Jonathan Wells puts it at the start of his latest book, Zombie Science, this book is "dedicated to the students who will need to discern the truth for themselves." Here's one young scholar who is doing just that. AN IMPORTANT NOTE In the interview, Natalie shares her personal view that intelligent design should be included in public school science classrooms. However, as a matter of public policy, Discovery Institute opposes any effort to require the teaching of intelligent design by school districts or state boards of education. Attempts to require teaching about intelligent design only politicize the theory and will hinder fair and open discussion of the merits of the theory among scholars and within the scientific community. Furthermore, most teachers at the present time do not know enough about intelligent design to teach about it accurately and objectively. Instead of recommending teaching about intelligent design in public K-12 schools, Discovery Institute seeks to increase the coverage of evolution in curriculum. It believes that evolution should be fully and completely presented to students, and they should learn more about evolutionary theory, including its unresolved issues. In other words, evolution should be taught as a scientific theory that is open to critical scrutiny, not as a sacred dogma that can’t be questioned. Read more of our recommendations for science curriculum here: https://www.discovery.org/a/3164/ Read More ›

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Author
Eric H. Anderson

Date
June 26, 2023

Tagged
, adaptation, biology, CELS conference, Charles Darwin, Darwinian Evolution, Darwinism, engineered systems, engineering, engineering principles, Evolution, finch beaks, fitness landscape, function, living systems, macroevolution, Microevolution, mutations, Natural Selection, peppered moths, random mutations}

Is Adaptation Actually a Fight to Stay the Same?

_{Eric H. Anderson
June 26, 2023

Uncategorized

1}

On this ID The Future, host Casey Luskin talks with Eric Anderson on location at this year's Conference on Engineering and Living Systems (CELS). The two discuss an intriguing new engineering-based model of bounded adaptation that could dramatically change how we view small-scale evolutionary changes within populations of organisms. In presenting his argument for natural selection, Charles Darwin pointed to small changes like finch beak size and peppered moth color as visible evidence of an unguided evolutionary process at work. Many have adopted this perspective, quick to grant the Darwinian mechanism credit for micro, if not macro, evolution. But Anderson and other attendees of the CELS conference are starting to promote a different view. "We need to stop saying organisms are partly designed," says Anderson. "We need to view them as deeply designed and purposeful, active and engaged in their environments, and capable of adapting within their operating parameters." Tune in to get a fascinating glimpse of this novel approach to biology. Read More ›

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Author
Jonathan Wells

Date
June 12, 2023

Tagged
, biology, California, Charles Darwin, Darwinism, DiscoveryU, Evolution, Evolutionary Biology, evolutionary gradualism, evolutionary theory, Materialism, methodological naturalism, molecular biology, Natural Selection, online course, Philosophy, Princeton, Science, scientific revolution, Theology}

Jonathan Wells Evaluates Darwinian Evolution in New Online Course

_{Jonathan Wells
June 12, 2023

Uncategorized

2}

How strong is the evidence for Darwinian evolution? What are the limits of the Darwinian mechanism? How should concepts like evolution and science best be defined? On this episode of ID The Future, we bring to you the first three video lectures from a new online course by molecular and cell biologist Jonathan Wells. In the first brief lecture, Wells explains his own evolution; the evolution of his thinking about evolution, that is. You'll glean some interesting details about Wells's career here. In the second lecture, Wells defines the word evolution by reminding us of its various meanings and uses. He also describes how Darwin's theory of natural selection became the framework that bolstered a materialistic metaphysic that endures today. You'll learn that Darwin's proposal relied less on evidence-based science and more on theological and philosophical arguments. In the third lecture, Wells defines science, and explains what happens when the definition of science is confined to naturalistic explanations only. Every so often, says Wells, enough data accumulates to present a challenge to the prevailing scientific framework. It happened in Newton's day. It happened in Darwin's day. And it may happen again soon, if the mounting evidence supportive of intelligent design is any indication. Learn more about Wells's online course at discoveryu.org. Over 40 short video lectures, Wells explains the major concepts of both chemical and biological evolution, and he critically assesses the evidence for evolution offered by genetics, developmental biology, fossils, and more. Wells deals with some of the most popular “icons” of evolution found in standard textbooks, including Darwin’s finches, whales, antibiotic resistance, peppered moths, “junk” DNA, and more. Read More ›

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Author
Ola Hössjer

Date
October 20, 2021

Tagged
, biology, cells, DNA, fine tuning, maximum entropy, population genetics, probability, Proteins, statistics}

Life: Fearfully and Wonderfully Fine Tuned

_{Ola Hössjer
October 20, 2021

Uncategorized

1}

Today’s ID the Future spotlights the incredible fine tuning of life. Robert J. Marks hosts Stockholm University professor of mathematical statistics Ola Hössjer and University of Miami population geneticist Daniel Díaz. The three discuss strategies for extending the concept of fine tuning to biological systems, and along the way touch on population genetics, entropy, and probability theory. At the center of the discussion are three technical papers—here, here, and here—each co-authored by one or more of the three members of today’s podcast discussion. This episode is reposted with permission from Mind Matters News, a website of Discovery Institute’s Walter Bradley Center for Natural and Artificial Intelligence. Head over to their podcast site to find the other episodes in this interview Read More ›