TalkDesign - Dissecting the Rhetoric

Where exactly can I find this controversy again?

Wesley R. Elsberry — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 02:27:55 -0500

Original: Where exactly can I find this controversy again?, Matt Brauer, posted on March 24, 2004 03:35 PM.

The battle-cry of the IDists, "teach the controversy!" strongly presupposes that there is a controversy worthy of teaching. It is true that there is a controversy in evolutionary biology, in the political sense. But this is not what legal scholars DeWolf (et al.) mean when they use the term. They would like to convince the majority of citizens (or the minority that sit on school boards) that this is an issue of fairness. According to the truism there are two sides to every coin, why not "teach the controversy" and let the students make reasoned opinions for themselves? Why not use "the controversy" to teach about the process of science?

The best reason not to teach the "origins controversy" is that it simply is nowhere to be found. Genuine scientific controversies -- the important and useful ones -- take up a huge volume of space in the scientific literature. Even the controversies sparked by wrong ideas can be tracked as they generate discussion among the members of the scientific community. If no-one is talking about it, it's not controversial.

PT Reviews "The Politically Incorrect Guide to Darwinism and Intelligent Design"

admin — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 01:39:57 -0500

A number of the contributors to the Panda's Thumb weblog review chapters from "intelligent design" advocate Jonathan Wells's 2006 book, The Politically Incorrect Guide to Darwinism and Intelligent Design. The book proved to be a farrago of quote mines, obfuscation, misleading rhetoric, and just plain false claims.

Meyer's Hopeless Monster

admin — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 01:33:37 -0500

Alan Gishlick, Nick Matzke, and Wesley R. Elsberry critique the paper published by "intelligent design" advocate Stephen C. Meyer in Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington in August, 2004. They conclude that Meyer's review paper presents an incomplete, misleading, and false impression of the biological evidence, and that his conclusion that "intelligent design" is supported because evolutionary alternatives are eliminated is illegitimate.

A Presentation Without Arguments

admin — Tue, 29 Aug 2006 10:34:11 -0500

Mark Perakh evaluates William Dembski's presentation at the CSICOP conference in Burbank, CA on June 21st, 2002.

"The Quixotic Message", or "No Free Hunch"

admin — Sun, 27 Aug 2006 22:04:04 -0500

Steve Reuland (aka "theyeti") takes a humorous but well-referenced look at the inconsistencies of the Intelligent Design movement and its advocates.

Bottaro's Letter to WNYE

admin — Sun, 27 Aug 2006 21:37:31 -0500

Andrea Bottaro wrote a letter to TV station WNYE about their scheduling of the "intelligent design" propaganda film, Unlocking the Mystery of Life.

- DR. DEMBSKI'S COMPASS - or, How to lose one's way while looking for misdirection.

admin — Sun, 27 Aug 2006 21:29:04 -0500

Andrea Bottaro responds to a criticism made by "intelligent design" advocate William A. Dembski about Bottaro's review of Unlocking the Mystery of Life.

How Intelligent Design Advocates Turn the Sordid Lessons from Soviet and Nazi History Upside Down

admin — Sun, 27 Aug 2006 20:55:04 -0500

Wesley R. Elsberry and Mark Perakh examine the invidious comparisons made by "intelligent design" advocates where they liken evolutionary biologists to Soviet and Nazi leaders. In particular, the bizarre misuse by ID advocates of the example of Trofim D. Lysenko, pseudoscientist extraordinaire, is examined.

Read the full article in PDF (off-site).