Thought control is real in the University – most noticeable in Biology and Anthropology Departments. It is also very alive in certain scientific journals. If you are “outed” as as Pro-ID (Intelligent Design) or even waver in your devotion to neo-Darwinian Evolution, you can lose your tenure and job. Read with dismay how a tenured professor at the University of Texas, El Paso, had his peer-reviewed article pulled from publication in the journal, Applied Mathematics Letters. Ah, but a somewhat happier ending resulted when the light was shined on its decision, disclosing some fairly serious ethical breaches from the journal. Read all about it, here:

Thought Police Humbles Out – Kinda

Lynn Margulis (born March 5, 1938) is an American biologist and University Professor in the Department of Geosciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. In an interview in the April 2011 edition of Discover Magazine, she unabashedly objects to the standard neo-Darwinian explanation for evolution. She simply doesn’t believe that natural selection has the causative power that so many otherwise accept. Indeed, her objections are some of the exact same ones shared by other non-Darwinists and ID proponents (Michael Behe, Stephen C. Meyer, Philip Johnson, et. al.). While she proposes another natural mechanism, called The Endosymbiotic Theory, her critique of the standard Darwinian explanation runs deep. Go here for the full the interview:

Lynn Margulis Interview

In this 25 minute video clip from a recent John Ankerberg interview, Meyer answers the four most common objections to ID: 1) Is it really Science? 2) Isn’t it just a God-of-the-gaps argument? 3) Didn’t the Dover decision settle the case against ID? 4) Isn’t it just Religion in disguise? Not surprisingly, he answers a resounding “No” to each question and clarifies his position on every single one.

In addition, Dr. Meyer presents the positive case for ID in a simplified manner for the lay audience. The argument can be stated succinctly and simply. It is, in my opinion, a new, improved version of Paley’s Watchmaker argument. For a thorough treatment of Meyer’s version, read his book, Signature In the Cell. To profit the most, it requires a close reading of the biological details involved in the production of DNA, but nonetheless the general outline of the argument can still be followed even if your molecular biology background is weak. Here’s the link to the interview:

Meyer Answers ID Objections

The EPS (Evangelical Philosophical Society) has just made available all of their conference lectures on their website for download. And not just the audio from this year’s conference but from all of their apologetics-themed conferences up until 2003. That’s around 180 lectures. This is an enormous resource. The downloadable mp3s each cost $1.99 (USD) but this is a small price to pay to hear top scholars such as J. P. Moreland, William Lane Craig, Paul Copan, Dr. Ben Witherington III, Dr. R. Douglas Geivett (and our very own New Zealand apologist, Matt Flannagan), and many, many more. While talks and debates by apologists such as Craig, Habermas, and Moreland are readily available on the web already, it is great to have access to lectures by Stephen T. Davis, Chad Meister, Charles Taliaferro–thinkers that we don’t normally have access to online. Thanks to http://thinkingmatters.org.nz for bringing this to our attention.

Check it out now at: EPS Audio Downloads

The 2011 Science & Faith Conference will be held at the Westminster Theological Seminary in Glenside, PA on April 8th and 9th (Friday night and Saturday). The theme this year is “God and Materialism” and will feature presenters from both the Seminary and the Discovery Institute.

From the description:

“Conference sessions will examine the conflicting worldviews of theism and materialism; the widespread impact of materialism on science, ethics, society, Biblical studies and theology; the latest scientific evidence against materialism and for intelligent design in biology and cosmology; and the positive implications of modern science for theism.”

There are about 100 seats left. Last year’s event was sold out early and many could not attend due to a late registration. For more information and to register, see:

Science & Faith Conference Info

Speakers:

From Westminster:
Rev. Dr. Vern Poythress, professor of New Testament interpretation
Rev. Dr. K. Scott Oliphint, professor of apologetics and systematic theology
Rev. Dr. Peter Lillback, President of the seminary, and professor of historical theology
Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Jue, associate professor of church history
Rev. Dr. Brandon Crowe, lecturer in New Testament

From the Discovery Institute:
Dr. John West, social scientist, author of Darwin Day in America
Dr. Guillermo Gonzales, co-author of The Priviledged Plant
Dr. Jonathan Wells, molecular and cell biologist, co-author of The Design of Life
Dr. Paul Nelson, philosopher of biology
Dr. Jay Richards, editor of God and Evolution