In the News

As reported by the Discovery Institute, in Evolution News & Views, a recent law review article by self-described "liberal First Amendment theorist" Arnold H. Loewy argues that it is constitutional to teach intelligent design in public schools. Writing in First Amendment Law Review, Loewy points out that "[t]o allow all ideas about the origin of man that do not presuppose an intelligent designer, but forbid all theories that explore the possibilities of such a designer, expresses hostility, not neutrality, towards religion."

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Seminar Title:
Are microevolutionary processes sufficient for Macroevolution: birds and
mammals?

Thursday, March 15 at 2 PM

Location:
National Center forBiotechnology Information
Lister Hill Auditorium Building 38a

David Penny, Research Director
Allan Wilson Center for Molecular Ecology and Evolution
Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Although 'descent with modification', and the necessity of microevolutionary processes, are now accepted by the scientific community, there is still debate over the issue of whether microevolutionary processes are sufficient to explain all of macroevolution. Is there still some great missing principle, or the need for physical forces to 'drive' evolution? Such questions are difficult to answer, but do stimulate viable scientific research programs. The combination of molecular data and fossil calibration points allow good progress to be made. Although molecular data has well established excellent databases, we are still limited in having equivalent databases for fossil data.

Jean Cowden Moore, of the Ventury County Star, reports that a science book for seventh-graders has brought the national debate over evolution and creationism to Ventura County.

On Monday, the Ventura County Board of Education postponed a vote on the textbook, "Focus on California Life Science," because board member Ron Matthews objected to its discussion of evolution.

While the book talks about "the theory of evolution," it also uses the phrase "students know" when discussing aspects of evolution, Matthews said.

"This is taught as theory, yet it's taught as fact," he said. "We need to present a broad spectrum of knowledge, and we don't do that here."

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Wartburg College, in Waverly Iowa, will host an evolution and intelligent design conference on March 16 and 17. The conference was organized by Iowans for Religion and Science Dialogue.

According to Brian Jones, assistant professor of religion and one of the conference organizers, some of the main objectives of the conference are to lay out what intelligent design is and to equip K-12 teachers to respond to conflicts about evolution in a religiously sensitive way.

The conference will feature four major presenters: Wesley Elsberry, information project director for the National Council for Science Education; John Haught, theologian and research professor from Georgetown University; Jennifer Miller, teacher in Dover, Penn.; and John Ayers, adjunct professor from Waldorf College.

Besides the major presenters and panel discussion, the conference will also provide seven workshops. Each participant can attend three workshops, which cover topics such as understanding and evaluating intelligent design and understanding the relationship between science and religion.

Jones said conference organizers are planing for 300 attendants.

People who want to attend the conference need to register beforehand at this Web site. Registration costs $30. Registration at the door is $40.

The Center for Continuing Education is providing 200 scholarships to any Warburg student and any Iowa K-12 educator that will cover the $30 registration fee.

Paying the full registration fee will provide entrance to all major presenters and the panel discussion, as well as entrance to workshops, a DVD featuring interviews with specialists discussing all of the workshop themes, a discussion guide for use in both religious and secular discussions of the material and food during the conference.

For a smaller $5 fee, people can still attend the major presenters and panel discussion.