ID the Future Intelligent Design, Evolution, and Science Podcast
Topic

Teach the Controversy

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NCSE Pushes Unscientific Pro-Darwin Survey

On this episode of ID the Future, Robert Crowther interviews Sarah Chaffee, Education and Public Policy Program Officer for the Center for Science and Culture, on a recent survey conducted by the dogmatically pro-Darwin National Center for Science Education (NCSE), and published in Nature. The NCSE claims that the survey shows that science teachers “advocate evolution” even more now than in 2007. But as Crowther and Chaffe’s discussion suggests, the survey appears gamed to produce a pro-Darwinist outcome, so much so that even teachers who follow the Discovery Institute’s policy of promoting critical thinking skills by teaching biology students both the strengths and weaknesses of modern evolutionary theory could be counted as evolution advocates by the survey. Then too, as Crowther and Chaffee further note, how likely are biology teachers with doubts about modern Darwinism to participate in a survey by an organization famously instrumental in attacking Darwin-doubting biology teachers?

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A unicorn silhouette in a galaxy nebula cloud. Raster illustration.

Evolution and Intelligent Design in a Nutshell — An Excerpt

On this episode of ID the Future, Eric H. Anderson reads from his newly co-authored book Evolution and Intelligent Design in a Nutshell, written to provide a clear and simple introduction to the evolution/ID controversy, and broad overview of the evidence for design in nature — including fine tuning and the Big Bang, the origin of life, irreducibly complex machines, and the Cambrian Explosion. In this chapter excerpt, Anderson tells of Richard Dawkins’ glib assurances that the mystery of the origin of life is one not far from being solved. Not so, Anderson says. Origin-of-life researchers haven’t found a pathway to a self-replicating biological entity, the beginning point for any sort of Darwinian evolution. And it’s not for lack of time, effort, or funding. The single cell that Darwin saw as a relatively simple blob has proven to be far more complex than anything imagined. What about a self-reproducing molecule, thought to be easier to evolve than a full-blown cell? As Anderson explains in Chapter 3 of the book, the idea remains a purple unicorn, and for reasons that are perhaps most easily appreciated by looking at the ongoing attempts to build a self-reproducing 3D printer.

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Stephen Meyer Introduces His New Course on Intelligent Design

On this episode of ID the Future, bestselling author and Center for Science and Culture director Stephen Meyer introduces an exciting and informative new Discovery U video course, “Stephen Meyer Investigates Scientific Evidence for Intelligent Design.” Here he sets the stage by recalling a few times when ID made national news headlines, sometimes with Meyer right in the middle of the controversy. He also addresses some of the questions generated by these dustups: Is ID faith-based or science-based? Did the earliest scientists follow ID principles or did they avoid them, as one state education commissioner claimed. And why did two highly regarded research scientists get expelled from their museum positions, and were the expulsions justified?

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Cancelled planning, appointment, schedule, meeting concept. Business planning cancelled with blank calendar, pen and cancelled rubber stamp on black background.

Herman Bouma: “It Was Like the Darwinian Gestapo”

On this episode of ID the Future, attorney Herman Bouma tells the story of how his talk at a National Association of Science Teachers conference last April was canceled at the last minute. His talk highlighted how Darwin’s Origin of Species (sixth edition) set an example of engaging his scientific critics with civility and reason. Bouma says in response to the incident, “It’s almost as if they considered Darwin a threat to Darwinian evolution.” Three conference officials shut him down, accusing him of promoting fake science. As Bouma notes, Darwin wrote that “I look with confidence to the future, to young and rising naturalists, who will be able to view both sides of the question with impartiality.” Alas, Darwin’s example — and his hope — weren’t much in evidence among the three conference officials who decided to shut down Bouma’s talk. For information from Discovery Institute on teaching the controversy, go here.

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Debate Really Is Good for Science Education

On this episode of ID the Future, host Robert Crowther interviews Sarah Chaffee, Program Director for Education and Public Policy at Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture. With long experience in formal debate, as a student and beyond student years, Chaffee explains how defending views strengthens students’ education. She also corrects a persistent misconception about the Discovery Institute’s science education policy: It’s about more evolution education, not less. Please consider donating to support the IDTF Podcast.

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Old science lab with chemical reagents and burner

Improving Science Education by Understanding Science’s History

On this episode of ID the Future, Rob Crowther discusses controversy in the science classroom with Senior Fellow and historian of science Dr. Michael Keas. Listen in as Keas discusses various areas of controversy, and advises teachers that “science is best taught as science is best practiced.”

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The Human Element in Science: Douglas Axe on The Eric Metaxas Show

On this episode of ID the Future, listen in as Eric Metaxas interviews Douglas Axe on The Eric Metaxas show. Axe, author of Undeniable: How Biology Confirms Our Intuition That Life is Designed, shares how he lost his research position in Cambridge over the evolution controversy. For more from metaxastalk.com.

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Jay Richards on the March for Consensus Science

On this episode of ID the Future, CSC Director of Communications Rob Crowther interviews CSC Senior Fellow Jay Richards on the upcoming March for Science and the CSC’s partnership with Stream.org to provide critical analysis of the April 22 event. Listen in as Richards discusses the controversy over the politics of the march, and why arguments from consensus should set off your baloney detector.

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Evolution in Kindergarten: Now Brought to You by the National Science Foundation

On this episode of ID the Future, hear about new taxpayer-funded research that will look for the most effective ways to pre-condition young minds to accept neo-Darwinism. The National Science Foundation just awarded Boston University a grant of just under $1.5 million for their project, “Evolving Minds in Early Elementary School: Foundations for a Learning Sequence on Natural Selection Using Stories.” Listen in.

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What Teaching the Controversy Looks Like

On this episode of ID the Future, Sarah Chaffee examines what it looks like to teach the controversy over Darwinian evolution, explaining why students should learn more, not less, on the topic. Listen in as she looks at a lesson plan overview for a unit on neo-Darwinisim, and highlights 3 points of scientific controversy that teachers can discuss.

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