Prof Speaks at 'Intelligent Design' Trial

AP - Science ^ | 2005-10-17 | MARTHA RAFFAELE

[Junior]

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Evolutionary theory should be taught to science students, but it alone cannot explain complex biological phenomenon, said a biochemistry professor who is a leading advocate of "intelligent design."

Lehigh University Professor Michael Behe was the first witness called by a school board that is requiring students to hear a statement about the intelligent design concept in biology class. Lawyers for the Dover Area School Board began presenting their case Monday in the landmark federal trial, which could decide whether it can be mentioned in public school science classes as an alternative to the theory of evolution.

Behe, whose work includes a 1996 best-seller called "Darwin's Black Box," said students should be taught evolution because it's widely used in science and that "any well-educated student should understand it."

Behe, however, argues that evolution cannot fully explain the biological complexities of life, suggesting the work of an intelligent force.

The school board is defending its decision a year ago to require students to hear a statement on intelligent design before ninth-grade biology lessons on evolution. The statement says Charles Darwin's theory is "not a fact," has inexplicable "gaps," and refers students to a textbook, "Of Pandas and People," for more information.

Behe contributed to the 1993 edition of "Of Pandas and People," writing a section about blood-clotting. He told a federal judge Monday that in the book, he made a scientific argument that blood-clotting "is poorly explained by Darwinian processes but well explained by design."

Eight families sued to have intelligent design removed from the biology curriculum, contending the policy essentially promotes the Bible's view of creation and therefore violates the constitutional separation of church and state.

Mainstream scientists have rejected intelligent design as scientifically untested and contend that its supporters focus on attacking evolutionary theory rather than providing evidence for design.

Lehigh's biology department sought to distance itself from Behe in August, posting a statement on its Web site that says the faculty "are unequivocal in their support of evolutionary theory." He earned tenure at Lehigh before becoming a proponent, which lets him express his views without the threat of losing his job.

The trial began Sept. 26 and is expected to last up to five weeks.

The plaintiffs are represented by a team put together by the American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for Separation of Church and State. The school district is being represented by the Thomas More Law Center, a public-interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Mich., that says its mission is to defend the religious freedom of Christians.

[Junior]

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CrevoSci threads for the past week:

1. 2005-10-17 Prof Speaks at 'Intelligent Design' Trial
2. 2005-10-17 Spitzer's Stunning Portrait of Andromeda
3. 2005-10-16 An Open Letter Concerning Religion and Science
4. 2005-10-16 Bad Frog Beer to 'intelligent design'
5. 2005-10-16 Evolution debate unchanged over time
6. 2005-10-16 Grown Man in the Stellar Crib: Now What? (Discoveries require rewriting the Astronomy books)
7. 2005-10-16 Museums take up evolution challenge
8. 2005-10-16 "Museums take up evolution challenge (because ""biology classes have faltered"")"
9. 2005-10-16 Pa. professor [Behe] to testify in landmark case [Dover evolution trial, 16 Oct]
10. 2005-10-16 The Separation of the Church of Darwin and State
11. 2005-10-15 God and global warming
12. 2005-10-15 Tracing the whale’s trail [Evolution trial, daily thread for 15 Oct]
13. 2005-10-14 25 Questions to Ponder
14. 2005-10-14 Ancient Anthropoid Origins Discovered In Africa
15. 2005-10-14 Flea's giant leap for mankind
16. 2005-10-14 Is Homosexuality proof against evolution?
17. 2005-10-14 Science is the basis of public schooling
18. 2005-10-14 Scientists hit back at Dover video [Evolution trial, daily thread for 14 Oct]
19. 2005-10-14 Today's breaking news in the world of EVOLUTION
20. 2005-10-13 Crisis In The Cosmos?
21. 2005-10-13 Dark Matter: Invisible, Mysterious and Perhaps Nonexistent -
22. 2005-10-13 Dover players prepare for Supreme Court [Penna evolution trial]
23. 2005-10-13 Government Urged to Back Science Education
24. 2005-10-13 "INTELLIGENT DESIGN POLL (Gallup, via NRO: ""God Had No Part - 12%"")"
25. 2005-10-13 Mysterious 'half-animal, half-plant' marine microbe discovered by Japanese researchers
26. 2005-10-13 New finds of human ancestor jumble evolutionary puzzle
27. 2005-10-13 PJI Sues UC Berkeley for Using Federal Funding to Distort Religious Beliefs
28. 2005-10-12 Camden tool could be 5,000 years old
29. 2005-10-12 Can an Electron be in Two Places at the Same Time?
30. 2005-10-12 Challenge to Biological Evolution: Convergence
31. 2005-10-12 Dover science teacher testifies [Evolution trial, thread for 12 Oct]
32. 2005-10-12 Give Me That Old Time Evolution: A Response to the New Republic
33. 2005-10-12 Intelligent Design 101: Short on science, long on snake oil
34. 2005-10-12 Intelligent Design Debate Brews
35. 2005-10-12 Intelligent Design? [...in California schools]
36. 2005-10-12 NASA Discovers Life's Building Blocks Are Common In Space
37. 2005-10-11 Anthropologists Uncover Ancient Jawbone
38. 2005-10-11 Creationism Is Evolving... It Has No Choice
39. 2005-10-11 Dinosaur-Bird Flap Ruffles Feathers
40. 2005-10-11 Don’t settle for separate but equal (Dover trial Darwinists, are 'absurd' says YDR Editor)
41. 2005-10-11 More bones of hobbit-sized humans discovered
42. 2005-10-11 Warnings from the Ivory Towers

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2005-10-12 Alice au Wonderland 2003-10-09 antiRepublicrat 2004-10-10 Antonello 1998-10-18 AZLiberty 1999-10-14 blam 2000-10-19 cogitator 2001-10-21 Coyoteman 2004-10-26 curiosity 1998-10-29 Dataman 2000-10-29 dila813 2005-10-07 Dinobot

2001-10-14 dread78645 2005-10-14 EasyBOven 1998-10-03 Elsie 1998-10-17 f.Christian 2002-10-08 FairOpinion 2001-10-26 Genesis defender 2000-10-09 Gil4 2000-10-08 guitarist 2004-10-10 joeclarke 1998-10-03 js1138 2001-10-24 k2blader

2001-10-22 kanawa 2000-10-08 LibWhacker 2002-10-25 m1-lightning 2001-10-10 Michael_Michaelangelo 2001-10-09 Mother Abigail 2004-10-25 MRMEAN 2004-10-03 Nicholas Conradin 1999-10-28 PatrickHenry 1998-10-01 Physicist 2003-10-19 Pipeline 1998-10-25 plain talk

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[Junior]

So nice, I said it twice.

[Junior]

This came in less than half an hour ago.

[doc30]

Any specific news on his testimony and cross examination yet?

[balrog666]

Has Behe soiled himself yet?

[MineralMan]

"Has Behe soiled himself yet?"

You'll never know. I heard someone saw him leaving a Walgreens with a box of heavy duty Depends.

Now, that could be a false report, but someone forwarded it to me in email, so it's probably true. </sarcasm>

[Dr. I. C. Spots]

Let's not forget that the ACLU lost in the "monkey trial". Real scientist allowed Darwin's folly to be taught as a legitimate theory. Now this hoax is being challenged and the ACLU is on the receiving end. It appears that the shoe is on the other foot.

[RogueIsland]

Now this hoax

Obviously, you haven't been keeping up with the Creationist dispatches. The TOE graduated from "hoax" to "vast conspiracy" months ago.

[Aquinasfan]

Evolutionary theory should be taught to science students, but it alone cannot explain complex biological phenomenon, said a biochemistry professor who is a leading advocate of "intelligent design."

This is so cool. First Marx, then Freud, now this. Kinsey's next on the list.

[PatrickHenry]

EvolutionPing

A pro-evolution science list with over 310 names. See the list's explanation at my freeper homepage. Then FReepmail to be added or dropped. See what's new in The List-O-Links.

[GallopingGhost]

When I have a couple of hours to kill bookmark.

[js1138]

Science has been off the leash long enough. time to rein it in and show it the instruments.

[Right Wing Professor]

Science has been off the leash long enough. time to rein it in and show it the instruments.

Way over most creationist heads placemarker.

[AndrewC]

Science has been off the leash long enough. time to rein it in and show it the instruments.

He earned tenure at Lehigh before becoming a proponent, which lets him express his views without the threat of losing his job.

If you say so.

[adam_az]

I hope they call that Moonie freak "Dr Jonathan Wells" to the stand... that would be even better for a laugh than Behe, whose own department repudiates him.

[Junior]

Dover Area School District

[Right Wing Professor]

He earned tenure at Lehigh before becoming a proponent, which lets him express his views without the threat of losing his job.

Creationist moral courage.

[MHalblaub]

Behe contributed to the 1993 edition of "Of Pandas and People," writing a section about blood-clotting. He told a federal judge Monday that in the book, he made a scientific argument that blood-clotting "is poorly explained by Darwinian processes but well explained by design."

Can somebody tell me something that isn't "well explained by design"?