Does the panda's thumb refute intelligent design? Or is it one of the most extraordinary manipulation systems in the mammalian world, as one respected study has found? On this ID The Future, host Casey Luskin speaks with philosopher Dr. Stephen Dilley about his recent paper evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the iconic panda's thumb argument for evolution. Source
It's not just intelligent design theorists who are calling for a major rethink of biology and origin-of-life research. On this ID The Future, Casey Luskin speaks to host Andrew McDiarmid about two recent articles in the prestigious journal Nature that review major problems with current theories on the origin of life and the source of genetic complexity in living things. Dig deeper with more resources at idthefuture.com. Source
On today’s ID the Future from the vault, host Casey Luskin sits down with Dominic Halsmer, a Senior Professor of Engineering at Oral Roberts University, to discuss Halsmer’s book Hacking the Cosmos: How Reverse Engineering Uncovers Organization, Ingenuity, and the Care of a Maker. They pair discuss the engineering concept known as affordance, reverse engineering of biological systems, and biomimicry. Source
Is modern science a search for truth or a search for power? How can we restore public trust in the scientific enterprise? On this ID The Future, we're delighted to share a recent conversation between bioethicist Wesley J. Smith and philosopher of science Dr. Stephen C. Meyer. In an exchange that lasts just over an hour, Smith and Meyer touch on a variety of topics relevant to the public’s view of the scientific enterprise. This interview originally aired on the Humanize podcast. Source...
To understand the limitations of evolutionary mechanisms, we have to "bite the bullet of complexity," as biochemist Michael Behe writes. And to appreciate complexity, we have to experience it. On this ID The Future, Dr. Jonathan McLatchie takes us on a deep dive into the structure and biochemistry of muscles to gain a better understanding of their incredible design properties. Source
On this episode of ID the Future from the archive, host Emily Kurlinski interviews a PhD biochemistry student who tells about her experiences at the annual Center for Science and Culture summer seminar program in Seattle, and how her relationships there developed into a community of friendship, professional connection, and support, inspiring her to choose research as her own career path. Source
On this ID The Future, philosopher Stephen Dilley speaks with scientist and attorney Casey Luskin about theologian Dr. Rope Kojonen's recent proposal on the compatibility of evolution and intelligent design. In previous episodes of this series, Dr. Luskin interviewed colleagues Brian Miller, Emily Reeves, and Stephen Dilley about their contributions to a recent paper critiquing Kojonen's model. Now, Luskin concludes the series with some additional insights of his own. This is the final episode i...
Can intelligent design and evolution work together? It's an intriguing idea that is welcomed by some, but does the scientific evidence support it? On this ID The Future, host Casey Luskin speaks with Dr. Emily Reeves to discuss her contribution to a recent paper critiquing theologian Dr. Rope Kojonen's proposal that mainstream evolutionary biology and intelligent design have worked in harmony to produce the diversity of life we see on earth. This is part of a series of interviews on this topic. ...
Would our world be a better place if scientists were in charge? On this ID the Future from the archive, author and philosopher Jay Richards hosts bioethicist Wesley J. Smith to discuss a tweet from Physics-Astronomy.org. The tweet read, “Imagine a world ruled by scientists, not politicians.” The pair discuss the consequences of such a form of governance, using the response to the coronavirus pandemic as a case in point. Source
Was the universe designed to evolve through natural processes? In a recent book, theologian Dr. Rope Kojonen has argued that evolutionary mechanisms work in harmony with intelligent design to produce the diversity of life we see on earth. But can these fundamentally different processes really work together? On this ID The Future, host Casey Luskin speaks with physicist Dr. Brian Miller to explore why Kojonen's theory fails on scientific grounds. This interview is part of a series responding to K...
Can evolution and intelligent design work together in harmony? Or is that wishful thinking? On this ID The Future, host Casey Luskin concludes his conversation with philosopher Dr. Stephen Dilley about a recent proposal to marry mainstream evolutionary theory with a case for intelligent design. Dr. Dilley outlines the scientific problems with Kojonen's proposal and explains why it contradicts our natural intuition to detect design. This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation. Be sure to catch Part...
On this ID the Future from the vault, Zombie Science author and biologist Jonathan Wells and host Andrew McDiarmid explore the seductive but misleading appeal to consensus science. Wells also explains the difference between evidence-based empirical science and ideologically driven science, giving plenty of examples along the way. For more on the topic, get a copy of Dr. Wells's book Zombie Science. Source
Can evolution and design be wedded in a happy marriage? On this ID The Future, host Casey Luskin kicks off a series of interviews responding to theologian Dr. Rope Kojonen's proposal that front-loaded design and a full-blooded evolutionary process worked together in harmony to produce the diversity of life we find on earth. Here, Luskin interviews Dr. Stephen Dilley, lead author of a comprehensive critique of Kojonen's model co-authored with Luskin, Brian Miller, and Emily Reeves published in th...
Charles Darwin penned three-quarters of a sequel to his famous book On the Origin of Species, but he never finished or published it. Why not? On this ID The Future, we're pleased to bring you an exclusive excerpt from author and professor Dr. Robert Shedinger's new book Darwin's Bluff: The Mystery of the Book Darwin Never Finished. This exclusive reading covers the Introduction to the book and a portion of Ch. 6. Get your copy at www.discovery.org/bluff. Source...
On this ID the Future from the vault, biophysicist Cornelius Hunter explores Charles Darwin’s theological arguments for his theory of evolution. Darwin received what is known as theological utilitarianism from the intellectual culture of his youth, and he built a case against it with his theory of natural selection. Hunter explains the problems with Darwin's tunnel vision and why it matters today. Source
Under the weight of modern scientific evidence, Darwin's theory of evolution is struggling. To better understand why, it's helpful to peel back the mythological status of its founder, Charles Darwin, and see the 19th century naturalist for who he really was. On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid concludes his conversation with author and professor Dr. Robert Shedinger about his new book Darwin's Bluff: The Mystery of the Book Darwin Never Finished. This is Part 2 of a two-part conversatio...
Why didn't Charles Darwin finish and publish his promised sequel to On The Origin of Species? Is it possible to separate Darwin the Myth from Darwin the Man to find the answer? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid begins a conversation with author and professor Dr. Robert Shedinger about his new book Darwin's Bluff: The Mystery of the Book Darwin Never Finished. This is Part 1 of 2. Look for Part 2 next! Source
It's a big universe out there. Could life exist on another planet? Maybe, but it's not just the size of the universe that matters, it's also the size of the chasm between non-life and life. On this ID The Future, bestselling author and radio host Michael Medved sits down with philosopher of science Dr. Jay Richards to preview the theme of this year’s Dallas Science and Faith Conference and discuss the arguments of his popular book The Privileged Planet, written 20 years ago with co-author and as...
Almost 400 years after its discovery, the process of metamorphosis is still a thorny conundrum for evolutionary biologists. But there are other aspects of the humble caterpillar that elude a satisfactory Darwinian explanation, like the origin of caterpillar prolegs. On this ID The Future, paleo-entemologist Dr. Gunter Bechly returns to share insights with us from another article in his popular Fossil Friday series. Source
She was born the same year as Charles Darwin. Like him, she studied nature and wrote books. But while Darwin staked his life's work on the power of natural selection, she recognized the evidence of intelligent design in nature and living organisms. On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid shares his profile of 19th century naturalist and children's author Margaret Gatty. Here, McDiarmid reports on Gatty's life and work within the framework of Darwin's, to show where both were similar as well...
What happens when biologists and engineers get together to study the natural world? Today’s ID the Future from the archive spotlights systems biology and the role engineers can play in leading-edge biology. Today's host is Eric Anderson. According to his guest Steve Laufmann, systems biology, which is taking the biological world by storm, is an approach that treats biological systems as optimally or near-optimally engineered systems, and seeks to better understand these systems. Source...
Do biologists give too much credit to natural selection and self-organization? What are the limits of a materialist approach to science? On this ID The Future, we bring you the second half of a panel discussion reviewing the recent debate between Rice University chemistry professor Dr. James Tour and University of Glasgow professor of chemistry Dr. Lee Cronin. In November 2023, Dr. Tour and Dr. Cronin participated in a roundtable debate on origin-of-life studies at Harvard University with a live...
Are we close to cracking the origin of life problem or not? In 2021, chemist Dr. Lee Cronin declared publicly that "Origin of life research is a scam." Yet, scientists regularly claim to be close to creating simple and complex life from non-life in their labs, and the public is buying it. On this ID The Future, we bring you the first half of a panel discussion reviewing the recent debate on the origin of life between Rice University chemistry professor Dr. James Tour and University of Glasgow pr...
On this ID the Future from the vault, philosopher of science Dr. Stephen C. Meyer sits down with talk show host and bestselling novelist Andrew Klavan to discuss Meyer’s Return of the God Hypothesis. In this fast-paced conversation the pair touch on the Judeo-Christian roots of science, how fine tuning in physics and cosmology point to intelligent design, why the multiverse hypothesis fails, and more. This interview is shared with permission and originally aired on The Andrew Klavan Show, from D...
At its core, intelligent design is the science of detecting design. It's a broadly accepted method used by scientists of all stripes in a variety of scientific disciplines. But when design hypotheses are applied to biology, cosmology, or physics, some claim it's no longer a scientific pursuit. On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid talks to philosopher and author Peter S. Williams about his recent book An Informed Cosmos: Essays on Intelligent Design Theory. Source...
In his landmark book Darwin's Black Box, biochemist Michael Behe wrote that "to appreciate complexity, you have to experience it." On today's ID The Future, we conclude a three-part series with Dr. Jonathan McLatchie that dives into the complexity and design of sexual reproduction. In Part 3, Dr. McLatchie explains the design features of erectile function, the ejaculatory reflex, sperm chemotaxis, and the female egg cell. McLatchie reminds listeners how all separate parts work together as an irr...
On today’s ID the Future from the archive, astrobiologist Guillermo Gonzalez unpacks one of his chapters in the book The Comprehensive Guide to Science and Faith, edited by episode host Casey Luskin. Gonzalez discusses the fine-tuning that makes Earth possible and why our existence is far from insignificant. Source
Sexual reproduction depends on an irreducibly complex core of components for its success. But can we really credit a gradual evolutionary process for this remarkable system? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid continues his discussion with Dr. Jonathan McLatchie on why sex is the queen of problems for evolutionary theory and why instead it bears the hallmarks of a system governed by forethought and engineering. Dr. McLatchie covers two more components and explains why they are beyond th...
Sexual reproduction ought to be a recipe for evolutionary disaster. It's a waste of resources producing no short-term advantages. It demands an entirely different form of cell division and requires highly designed interconnected components to succeed. And yet, sex reigns supreme in the biological world. On this ID The Future, Dr. Jonathan McLatchie begins a series on why sex is the queen of problems for evolutionary theory and why instead it bears the hallmarks of a system governed by forethough...
On this ID the Future from the vault, Taking Leave of Darwin author Neil Thomas and host Jonathan Witt continue their conversation about Thomas’s journey from Darwinian materialism to theistic humanism and a thorough skepticism of Darwinian theory. Hear Thomas draw a link between Darwin's theory and the animistic thinking of pagan thought stretching back to the ancient Greeks. This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation. Source
