Intelligent Design the Future

On this episode of ID the Future, Senior Fellow David Klinghoffer discusses the concept of "human exceptionalism"--the idea than human beings hold a unique place in the world, reflecting a special status not comparable to other creatures. Klinghoffer examines the relation between a belief in intelligent design and a belief in human exceptionalism, arguing that ID helps make the case for human dignity.

On this episode of ID the Future, Casey Luskin discusses The Design of Life: Discovering Signs of Intelligence in Biological Systems with author Dr. William Dembski. Is design in nature just an "illusion," as Richard Dawkins proclaims? Dembski and co-author Dr. Jonathan Wells show the answer is "no." Biologists have and continue to use the assumption of design successfully, precisely because design in biology is not an illusion but real.

On this episode of ID the Future, Sarah Chaffee discusses a recent article by Adam Laats and Harvey Siegel in Education Week. While Laats and Siegel make important points that schools should teach about evolution, and students should be asked to understand, not accept the theory, they leave out much of what origins science education is really about.

On this episode of ID The Future, CSC Research Director Casey Luskin examines a recent paper in Genome Biology and Evolution which argues that the famous beta-globin pseudogene is functional. Why is this pseudogene famous? Well, it’s been Exhibit A — literally, offered as evidence in a court case — for critics of intelligent design who argue that our genome is full of useless, functionless junk, and therefore can’t be a product of design. In light of this new evidence for the functionality of the beta-globin pseudogene, it seems that this so-called Exhibit A, collapses.

On this episode of ID the Future, hear a past episode of The Universe Next Door in which Tom Woodward talks to CSC Associate Director John West about the themes of his book The Magician’s Twin: C.S. Lewis on Science, Scientism, and Society. If C.S. Lewis were around today, would he be a supporter of intelligent design or theistic evolution? Dr. West discusses what Lewis has to say about science, evolution, and the dangers of scientism.

On this episode of ID the Future, hear an episode of Tom Woodward’s radio show The Universe Next Door, which features CSC Research Coordinator Casey Luskin. Luskin explains the mystery of the Cambrian explosion, gives examples of human designs that copy designs in nature, and gives 5 major problems with current theories about the chemical origin of life.

On this episode of ID the Future, Sarah Chaffee discusses New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof's recent articles about intellectual diversity. Kristof makes a compelling case for hiring faculty with varying political and religious viewpoints, but stops short when it comes to evolution skepticism.

On this episode of ID the Future, hear a talk between Professor Michael Flannery and Dr. Tom Woodward on the radio program The Universe Next Door on one of the most important, and often overlooked, figures in the history of evolutionary theory: Alfred Russel Wallace. In the late 19th century, the theory of evolution was usually referred to as ‘the Darwin and Wallace theory,’ but today, Wallace’s views are best seen as a precursor to the modern intelligent design theory. Listen in as Prof. Flannery tells Wallace’s story.

On this episode of ID the Future, hear an episode of our ID The Future segment ID Inquiry, in which ID scientists and scholars answer your questions about intelligent design and evolution. Tune in to this episode as Dr. Ann Gauger discusses evolution and antibiotic resistance.

On this episode of ID the Future, Michael Behe is on The Universe Next Door with Tom Woodward to discuss his work that that presents a challenge to neo-Darwinian evolution, including his books Darwin's Black Box and The Edge of Evolution. Behe explains his "irreducible complexity" concept, and also gives an overview of research by Richard Lenski that shows that random mutation is "like a bull in a china shop."