02.28.07
Shermer on the draw
Intelligent Design is Neither
Brian Trent
In a debate at the Cato Institute between evolutionist Michael Shermer and so-called Intelligent Design proponent Jonathan Wells, the latter was asked point-blank what his alternative to the evidence for natural selection was.
Great move, Shermer. Be quick on the draw, so noone will ask for the evidence of natural selection.
“I don’t think I’m obligated to propose an alternate theory,” Wells publicly stated. “I don’t pretend to have an alternate theory that explains the history of life.”
Therein lies the problem with modern Creationism. Having largely (but far from completely) backed off from the Genesis tale, today’s proponents try a different spin. They claim to have a scientific theory on their hands.
This “theory” isn’t one at all, but we’ll return to that point in a moment.
My recent commentary on evolution and the so-called “Intelligent Design” argument drew a few comments from the ID crowd. Steve Renner, of the Intelligent Design and Evolution Awareness Center, rushed to his ideology’s defense. His first move was to assail me for “denigrating the 90% of Americans who have faith-based beliefs.”
Like much else from the modern Creationist crowd, this comment itself a misdirection.
This isn’t about denigrating religious belief. The debate between evolution and ID-Creationism is about what should be taught as knowledge. Belief is irrelevant; this debate is simply an issue of evidence which, I point out again, Renner, his ally Michael J. Behe, and Wells cannot supply.