Party Like It’s 1925!

Hi, everyone! I’m very honored to be posting here on Digby’s blog. And it will be kind of fun to be back in the saddle posting on a regular basis. So without any further ado, here goes.

I’ve been following “Scopes 2,” aka, the Pandas Trial, aka Kitzmiller v. Dover. This is an ACLU-supported challenge to the Dover (Pennsylvania) Area School Board moves to include “intelligent design” in public school science classes. I hope I don’t jinx anything by saying that things are looking very good. The scientific witnesses have been very strong and the defense’s arguments are very, very feeble. You can find a running blog covering the trial here and they link to trial transcripts. I haven’t gone through them all yet, but I would certainly recommend Barbara Forrest’s testimony. She is the co-author of the absolutely indispensable Creationism’s Trojan Horse: The Wedge of Intelligent Design, a definitive survey of the IDiots, as I’ve nicknamed them. I reviewed Forrest’s book here.

Incredibly, some of the smartest people I know are quite confused over “intelligent design.” A few years ago, my wife and I were having lunch with some friends, two enormously gifted investigative reporters for two Major Metropolitan Newspapers here in New York, folks whose bylines often appear on the front page. The subject turned to the evolution debate and John (name changed to protect the guilty) said, “Actually, I really think ‘intelligent design’ should be taught in science class.” I was absolutely shocked, He had no idea what the actual issues are. Similarly, last week, we were having dinner with a philosopher of science and his wife. They, too, didn’t quite understand why “intelligent design” does not belong in biology classes. So, in case any of you find it unclear, here’s the skinny:

1. The theory of evolution proposed by Darwin and elaborated over the past 140 years or so is as close to proven fact as anything in science.

2. Despite an incredibly expensive marketing campaign to convince an unsuspecting public, and its lawmakers, otherwise, there has been no original research in “intelligent design” published in respected science journals. That’s because none of the IDiots has done a stitch of science that can withstand peer review.*

3. “Intelligent Design” clearly is nothing more than creationism with big hair and thick lipstick, tarted up to look like science. In fact,, in a new edition of an infamous creationist textbook, “the word “creationism had been replaced by ‘intelligent design,’ and ‘creationist’ simply replaced by ‘intelligent design proponent.’ “. Also, see here.

4. Therefore, since there is no science to “intelligent design,” and since it is clearly a religious belief, there is no reason under the sun why it should be taught in public school science classes. It would make more sense to teach astrology.

I’ll be writing more on the subject later. I think it is important not only to defeat this recent attempt to undermine science by defending real science against creationism, but to go after the “intelligent design” advocates on their own turf. In other words, I’m suggesting that not only is “intelligent design” bad science, but also bad theology.

By the way, to those who want to argue in favor of IDiocy, first go to Pharyngula and argue with PZ Meyers, an expert on the subject of evolution. When you convince him that there is actually something scientific in “intelligent design”, feel free to come back here and I’ll be delighted to discuss it with you.

*A few minor articles, like literature reviews have occasionally been snuck past an editor, but they have been quickly debunked.)