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Welcome to ARN-Announce
Number Five, May 29, 2000

ARN-Announce is the on-line announcement and information service of Access Research Network. ARN generates announcements to the current ARN Announce list as information becomes available. You have received this message because your email address was submitted to this list. Subscription and Unsubscription information is at the end of this message.

IN THIS ARN-ANNOUNCE:

A FEW NOTES ABOUT ARN-ANNOUNCE

This is the fifth issue of ARN-Announce. It describes many of the upcoming events and new articles, books, videos and other resources on Intelligent Design. Please forward this message to several of your friends and colleagues to let them know about the resources available at Access Research Network (www.arn.org). Back issues of ARN-Announce can be found at www.arn.org/announce.htm

PHILLIP JOHNSON RADIO INTERVIEW THIS WEEK

Professor Phillip Johnson will be featured this week on the Focus on the Family radio program on Tuesday May 30th and Wednesday May 31st. The program is a rebroadcast of an interview with Dr. James Dobson from last October entitled "Teaching Children the Truth About Science."

Phillip Johnson is a law professor at the University of California, Berkeley and author of numerous books including his first Darwin on Trial and his latest The Wedge of Truth (to be released in July). Those of you who have never heard or read Johnson may wonder what a lawyer could possibly have to say about teaching science. This is your chance to find out. His strategist mind, his many book and articles, his tireless speaking schedule, and his witty, fun-loving, and friendly nature, have contributed, more than any other single person, to transform Intelligent Design from a phrase into an intellectual movement.

Focus on the Family will be offering at least one ARN video product to their listeners, but we thought we would take this opportunity to highlight many of Professor Johnsons resources that we provide through our web site (www.arn.org/johnson/johome.htm). If you would like an annotated guide to the best of Professor Johnsons material, keep reading to the end of this message where we lay out his seven-course meal. If you are new to Professor Johnsons materials you will want to stay up tonight to read a few of his papers and interviews, listen to the broadcast the next two days, and then order as many of his books and videos as you can afford or have time to absorb. Clear thinking is the first priority and Professor Johnson delivers it by the bucketful.

To find a local radio station in your area that will carry the broadcast, go to the Focus website at www.focusonthefamily.org/fmedia/broadcast/ and click on "Find a Local Station" or there is also an option to listen to the broadcast online in RealAudio.

KANSAS CITY SYMPOSIUM ON DESIGN JULY 15

"Darwin, Design & Democracy: Teaching the Evidence in Science Education"
July 15, 2000, Rockhurst High School, Kansas City, MO

The controversial decision of the Kansas State Board of Education regarding state testing requirements for evolution started a firestorm of controversy and media misinformation that has not gone away (we provide a collection of articles on the issue at www.arn.org/kansas899.htm).

One positive outcome of that event is the formation of the Intelligent Design Network, Inc. (www.IntelligentDesignnetwork.org). Formed by local scientists and educators in the Kansas area, their mission statement is two-fold: 1) To promote evidence-based science education with regard to the origin of the universe and of life and its diversity; and 2) To enhance public awareness of the evidence of intelligent design in the universe and living systems.

They are launching their efforts with a big bang on July 15 with an all day symposium featuring many of the movers and shakers of the Intelligent Design movement including Michael Behe, Walter Bradley, David DeWolf, Jonathan Wells, and John Wiester. The $15 registration fee makes this the best ID bargain of the year. Equally exciting will be the sneak preview of Jonathan Wells soon to be released book The Icons of Evolution as he will document why much of what is taught about evolution is wrong. For a sneak preview of his sneak preview talk, read his paper on "Second Thoughts about Peppered Moths" on the ARN web site at www.arn.org/docs/wells/jw_pepmothshort.htm

For a detailed look at the symposium program and registration information go to: www.intelligentdesignnetwork.org/program.htm

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE ARN DISCUSSION FORUM

The ARN Intelligent Design Discussion Forum continues to grow like a wildfire with over 1,700 messages posted. Our forum moderator is continually reminding our members of the rules of polite, evidence-based discourse as proponents of opposing viewpoints get caught up in the heat of the moment. But overall we are encouraged by the breadth and depth and tone of many of the posts. We want this to be a dialog, and not an exercise in talking to ourselves.

In each issue of ARN-Announce we hope to highlight a few of the better posts, so that those of you that dont have time to keep up on a daily basis can at least sample a few of the tastier morsels:

Teleology and Science by Mike Gene
Many people believe that the conflict over teleology began with William Paley and ended with Charles Darwin. Mike Genes post reveals something quite different. Philosophers in ancient Greece disagreed on the question of teleology. The teleologists were represented by figures such as Socrates, Plato, Diogenes, and Aristotle, while Democritus, Leucippus of Elea, and Epicurus of Samos represented the opposing view. These early thinkers influenced later figures such as Paley, Boyle, and Hume.

Why did the non-teleologists gain the upper hand? Mike Gene suggests that the many of the teleologists began to think of teleology as not only a plan of organization but also as an actual life force. This led them to believe that organisms were incapable of changing their fundamental plan of organization. And when Darwins theory of natural selection provided example to the contrary teleology fell into disrepute.

Despite this setback, Mike Gene believes that teleology is likely to rise once again. He says, after all, teleology has no necessary links to vitalism. To read the full message and responses go to: www.arn.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000005.html

The Not So Intelligent Designer Hypothesis, or, The Divine Tinkerer Hypothesis by Edward T. Babinski
Some ID theorists hold to the view that the designer of biological organisms infused information into organisms at different times throughout biological history. And this "infusion" is often likened to the action of an engineer who comes up with different models of a product over time. For example, engineers first designed the Model T, then the 67 Chevy, followed by the Toyota Celica. This likening associates the designer with the positive image of an engineer. Edward Babinski, however, offers another image with much less positive connotations: a Divine Tinkerer. Babinski, argues that if the designer came out with different biological designs throughout time then he seems to have not gotten it right the first time around; hence he is a Divine tinkerer. To read the full message and responses go to: www.arn.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000125.html

Complex Biological Information from scratch by DNAunion
Members of the ID community have argued that proteins contain a type of information that free agents produce, and law and chance do not. DNAunions post mentions the gene T-urf13 (protein URF13), which may be an exception to that generalization.

The protein is 113 amino acids long and was formed by recombination of NON-PROTEIN-CODING gene segments only. To read the full message and responses go to: www.arn.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000066.html

Is Evolution Needed to Understand Biology? Response by Mordici
Darwinists and ID theorists both have similar ways of explaining biological phenomena.

ID theory:
-Chance
-Necessity
-Design
-Dont Know

Darwinism:
-Chance
-Necessity
-Magic (non-category)
-I Dont Know

The only difference between the two views is that ID allows for the possibility of designed biological phenomenon if there is sufficient evidence while Darwinism does not. This is a problem for Darwinism because even if there were overwhelming evidence for design that possibility is excluded in the Darwinian view. To read the full message and responses go to: www.arn.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000030.html

To visit the forum click the forum button on the top of our home page or go to: www.arn.org/cgi-bin/ubb/Ultimate.cgi?action=intro

PHILLIP JOHNSON RESOURCES AVAILABLE FROM ARN

Now, as promised we will wrap up this announcement with a brief tour of the full course of Phillip Johnson resources available on the ARN site.

For those just getting started, or those wanting a little background before listening to the Focus radio broadcast this week we suggest you start with the appetizer by reading the Christianity Today article from December 8, 1997 by Tim Stafford "The Making of a Revolution". This will give you a good personal background on Professor Johnson and explain how he got into this whole origins business in the first place: www.arn.org/johnson/revolution.htm

Next you will want to sample the October 25, 1999 Insight interview by Stephen Goode "Johnson Challenges Advocates of Evolution". It covers some of the same material, but the interview format lets you hear directly from the cook about his recipe for success in the origins controversy: www.arn.org/docs/johnson/insightprofile1099.htm

Ready for your salad? Order Defeating Darwinismby Opening Minds for $9.99: www.arn.org/arnproducts/php/book_show_item.php?id=27 . This book was written for high school and college students, parents and educators to help them understand the critical thinking skills required to expose the materialist philosophy that is so embedded in our educational system.

Now you are ready for the main course which starts with Johnsons first book that kick-started the ID movement Darwin on Trial. Here you will sink your teeth into various scientific topics such as natural selection, mutations, fossil evidence, and molecular data: www.arn.org/arnproducts/php/book_show_item.php?id=12

The true connoisseur will want to order the larger portion "Darwinism on Trial Video Study Kit" for $39.95 where your plate will be overflowing with the Darwin on Trial book, a video lecture by Johnson at the University of California, Irvine, and a detailed study guide to help you master the key concepts in the book and video lecture: www.arn.org/arnproducts/coverimages/v002sk.htm

Those looking for the fast-food version will want to consider the Darwin on Trial three tape audio cassettes where Johnson summarizes his main points in several lectures: www.arn.org/arnproducts/audinfo.htm

Dont forget your vegetables. Now that you understand the basic scientific arguments, its time see how the materialistic shell game plays out in other areas of our culture. Read Reason in the Balance: The Case Against Naturalism in Science, Law and Education and find out how naturalistic thinking permeates many areas of the intellectual world including public schools, universities and the elite of the legal profession: www.arn.org/arnproducts/php/book_show_item.php?id=24

The book is complemented nicely by the three audio tape series by the same name: www.arn.org/arnproducts/audinfo.htm

Finally its time for dessert. Here Johnson demonstrates how his concepts hold up against the opposition as he serves up a little William Provine and Eugene Scott. Those who would like a lighter fare should try the Public Radio debate audios cassettes featuring Professor Johnson and Eugenie Scott: www.arn.org/arnproducts/audinfo.htm

Those who are on their second wind, and just cant get enough will enjoy diving into our most popular selling item "Darwinism: Science or Naturalistic Philosophy Video Study Kit" This two hour debate with William Provine at Stanford University brings the course to a fitting end as Provine is not shy to hide the assumptions and conclusions of his materialist worldview. The 156 page study guide provides all the help you need to digest this mammoth helping: www.arn.org/arnproducts/coverimages/v004sk.htm

For those of you who enjoy sipping a strong cup of dark coffee after your meal, you wont be disappointed. You have several flavors to choose from:

Objections Sustained is a collection of Phillip Johnsons finest essays appearing in magazines and journals: www.arn.org/arnproducts/php/book_show_item.php?id=30

Can Science Know the Mind of God? is a video lecture at Princeton University where Johnson considers the question is the world we live in the product of mindless motion or Mind. The question answer period reflects intellectual discourse at its best: www.arn.org/arnproducts/php/video_show_item.php?id=4

Blind Watchmaker? A Skeptical Look at Darwinism is a video lecture at the University of Wales where Johnson takes on Richard Dawkins arguments for materialism: www.arn.org/arnproducts/php/video_show_item.php?id=5

And of course there are a host of articles and book reviews always to be found on Johnsons home page: www.arn.org/johnson/johome.htm

The funny thing is after devouring this tremendous feast, youll find yourself still hungry in the morning. That's OK. Come on back and we will be happy to serve you up a big helping of Dembski, Behe, Meyers, Thaxton, Bradley, Kenyon, Newman, Nelson or Wells. Our menu just keeps on growing.

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Access Research Network is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This web site and the material provided by ARN is made possible through donations from private individuals and grants from various organizations. We are primarily staffed by a dedicated volunteer-base, so that most of our financial assistance is allowed to directly fund the acquisition and distribution of our educational resources. If you have found this site and this material useful, we encourage you to make a donation to ARN, so that we can continue to expand our reach and provide quality educational resources to the general public. Your donation to ARN is tax-deductible. To make an on-line donation go to: www.arn.org/arnproducts/donation.htm

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ARN-Announce is written by Dennis Wagner (dwagner@arn.org)

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