CNN's Lou Dobbs offered his own "facts" on evolution

http://mediamatters.org/

During a debate on "the origin of life," CNN host Lou Dobbs
stated on his own authority: "The fact is that evolution,
Darwinism, is not a fully explained or completely rigorous
and defined science that has testable results within it."
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS), which advises the
federal government on "scientific and technical matters,"
disagrees with Dobbs' "facts" about evolution.


The NAS considers evolution "the central unifying concept of
biology" and "one of the strongest and most useful
scientific theories we have." The academy's 1999 book
Science and Creationism (National Academies Press, 1999)
further states:


"Progress in science consists of the development of better
explanations for the causes of natural phenomena. Scientists
never can be sure that a given explanation is complete and
final. Some of the hypotheses advanced by scientists turn
out to be incorrect when tested by further observations or
experiments. Yet many scientific explanations have been so
thoroughly tested and confirmed that they are held with
great confidence.


"The theory of evolution is one of these well-established
explanations. An enormous amount of scientific investigation
since the mid-19th century has converted early ideas about
evolution proposed by Darwin and others into a strong and
well-supported theory. Today, evolution is an extremely
active field of research, with an abundance of new
discoveries that are continually increasing our
understanding of how evolution occurs."


NAS is comprised of 2,000 members and 350 foreign
associates, including more than 190 Nobel Prize winners.


With Dobbs expressing skepticism on the scientific validity
of evolution, the debate on the May 12 edition of CNN's Lou
Dobbs Tonight appeared to be stacked 3 to 1 against those
embracing "the central unifying concept of biology." The
discussion featured "intelligent design" proponent Jonathan
Wells, a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute;
creationism proponent John Morris, president of the
Institute for Creation Research; and Florida State
University philosophy of science professor Michael Ruse, who
is critical of allowing intelligent design and creationism
to be taught alongside of, or in place of, evolution. From
the May 12 edition of Lou Dobbs Tonight:


DOBBS: The fact is that evolution, Darwinism, is not a fully
explained or completely rigorous and defined science that
has testable results within it. Like a --


RUSE: Now, who says that? Is that you?


DOBBS: I do. I do.


[...]


DOBBS: And, in that degree, if one moves aside from the
issue and suggests that creationism be taught within a
religious class, within the schools, and one looks at the
prospect of intelligent design and evolution, with critical
thought -- because you say life was 4-and-a-half billion
years ago, the planet began 4-and-a-half billion years ago
-- we continue to change our views scientifically on when
what occurred, that is, in terms of missing links within the
family tree of life on this planet. Is there anything wrong
with criticizing evolution in your minds?

Friday May 13, 2005