Posted on 10/16/2005 1:28:00 PM PDT by PatrickHenry
Marginalized by his university colleagues, ridiculed as a quack by the scientific establishment, Michael Behe continues to challenge the traditional theory of how the world came to be.
For more than a decade, the tenured Lehigh University biochemistry professor and author has been one of the nation's leading proponents of intelligent design, a movement trying to alter how Darwin's theory of evolution is taught in school.
This week, Behe will testify in a federal courtroom in Harrisburg in a landmark case about whether students in a Pennsylvania classroom should be required to hear a statement before their evolution classes that says Darwin's theory is not a fact.
"The fact that most biology texts act more as cheerleaders for Darwin's theory rather than trying to develop the critical faculties of their students shows the need, I think, for such statements," Behe said.
In papers, speeches and a 1996 best-selling book called "Darwin's Black Box," Behe argues that Darwinian evolution cannot fully explain the biological complexities of life, suggesting the work of an intelligent force.
His life on the academic fringes can be lonely. Critics say the concept is nothing more than biblical creationism in disguise. He long ago stopped applying for grants and trying to get his work published in mainstream scientific journals. In August, his department posted a Web statement saying the concept is not scientific.
"For us, Dr. Behe's position is simply not science. It is not grounded in science and should not be treated as science," said Neal Simon, the biology department chairman.
Behe said he was a believer in Darwin when he joined Lehigh in 1985, but became a skeptic after reading Michael Denton's book "Evolution: A Theory in Crisis."
Behe's big idea, published in "Darwin's Black Box" and the one that catapulted him to academic fame, is irreducible complexity. It is the notion that certain biochemical systems are incapable of having evolved in Darwinian fashion because they require all of their parts working simultaneously.
Behe uses a mousetrap to illustrate the concept. Take away any of its parts - platform, spring, hammer, catch - and the mousetrap can't catch mice.
"Intelligent design becomes apparent when you see a system that has a number of parts and you see the parts are interacting to perform a function," he said.
The book "put the positive case for design on the map in a way that some of the (previous intelligent design) work had not done," said Steven Meyer, director of the Center for Science and Culture at the Discovery Institute [http://www.discovery.org]. Most of academia panned it.
Eugenie Scott, director of the National Center for Science Education [ http://www.ncseweb.org], said that he believes Behe thought he discovered something astonishing. "But no one is using irreducible complexity as a research strategy, and with very good reason ... because it's completely fruitless," he said.
Behe finds community in a Web group that he says includes like-minded faculty from other universities. Most keep their views to themselves, Behe said, because "it's dangerous to your career to be identified as an ID proponent."
He earned tenure at Lehigh before becoming a proponent, which lets him express his views without the threat of losing his job.
"Because of the immense publicity that's mushroomed around this issue in the past six months, more people are getting emotional about the topic," Behe said. "And it's generally not on my side."
Proof that they were asexual. They did NOT go forth, be fruitful and multiply before the fall.
Mrs. furball and I are quite dedicated to each other, most of the time.
The more I think about this the more troubling it becomes to me. The notion that science should be required to affirm dignity is pretty much a plank in the democratic party platform. Science as an instrument of the the party apparatus.
It was not scientists that Galois was dealing with, but politicians. From the article: During the dinner Galois raised his glass and with an open dagger in his hand appeared to make threats against the King, Louis-Phillipe. After the dinner Galois was arrested and held in Sainte-Pélagie prison. At his trial on 15 June his defence lawyer claimed that Galois had said To Louis-Phillipe, if he betrays but the last words had been drowned by the noise. Galois, rather surprisingly since he essentially repeated the threat from the dock, was acquitted.
But education is. And education should temper the isms.
Obviously you don't know the story. The work he submit was disregarded, sometimes lost, and unappreciated by people who should have know better. Given that he died at age 23 and that his work was that of a genius, it ought to be obvious that someone dropped the ball.
***Gee ... a scientific theory can be twisted into horrific uses. How utterly unlike a religion***
By nature, evolution gives rise to horrific uses.
How liberal of you.
The Jewish Legend of Lilith seems to indicate sexual.
Adam didn't 'know' Eve and Eve didn't conceive till Genesis 4, AFTER they were kicked out of the garden.
By nature, religion gives rise to horrific uses.
Remember 9/11.
As does religion, by its nature. The earliest instances of genocide were attributed to the orders of God.
I always thought that was one of the best toons ever. LOLOL
It is awfully difficult for someone, even in today's world of modern communications to be respected and recognized by the age of 23.
Naturally.
Some did, but his papers were handled poorly and he was never about to win honors, in part because he was unable to do well on routine examinations. So he was downgraded for what he did not know and not appreciated for what he did know. Much of the neglect may have been political. Professors, even matherical professors are seldom indifferent to the political climate of their time.
twice?
Are you saying here that everything in the Bible is to be taken literally? You must believe, then, that locusts have four legs, that rabbits chew their cud, and that wearing linsey-woolsey shirts and rounding the corners of your beard are offensive to God. You must believe that slavery is okay as long as you follow the rules outlined in the Bible for the treatment of slaves. You must believe that witches not only exist, but you must kill them whenever you find them.
And I added this once:
Oh, and you must also believe that bats and birds are the same thing.
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