Intelligent Design the Future

On this ID the Future out of the vault, host and geologist Casey Luskin continues his conversation with astrobiologist Guillermo Gonzalez about the many ways Earth’s place in the cosmos is finely tuned for life. In this second half of their conversation, Gonzalez zooms out to discuss the galactic habitable zone and the cosmic habitable age. Luskin says that the combination of exquisite cosmic and local fine tuning strongly suggests intelligent design, but he asks Gonzalez whether he thinks these telltale clues favor theism over deism? That is, does any of the evidence suggest a cosmic designer who is more than just the clock maker God of the deists who, in the words of Stephen Dedalus, “remains within or behind Read More › Source

On this episode of ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid continues a series of interviews celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Jonathan Wells, our close colleague and friend who passed away in 2024 at the age of 82 years old. Dr. Wells was one of the first fellows of Discovery Institute's Center for Science and Culture and made significant contributions to science and to the arguments for intelligent design. Today, evolutionary biologist Dr. Richard Sternberg shares personal anecdotes and insights into Dr. Wells's character, his contributions to biology and epigenetics, and the profound impact he had on those around him. Source

On this episode of ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid invites Dr. Casey Luskin to share some of his memories of our longtime colleague Dr. Jonathan Wells, who recently passed away at 82 years old. Dr. Wells was one of the first fellows at Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture. In a career spanning three decades, Wells made significant contributions to our understanding of the limits of evolutionary processes and the evidence for intelligent design. In this interview, Dr. Luskin describes the powerful impact Jonathan's work had on him and how it led to meaningful reform in textbooks and classrooms. He also identifies the character traits he most admired in Dr. Wells. Source

Guillermo Gonzalez, a research scientist at TELUS-1 Scientific and co-author of "The Privileged Planet," unpacks the concept of Earth’s unique suitability for life. He distinguishes between local and universal fine-tuning, revealing how new data challenges the notion that Earth is just another ordinary planet. Gonzalez discusses the peculiar arrangement of our solar system compared to exoplanets and highlights factors that bolster habitability, such as the stability of environments and the presence of liquid water. A fascinating dive into Earth's cosmic privilege!

On this ID The Future, Dr. Tom Woodward shares more memories of our longtime colleague Dr. Jonathan Wells, who recently passed away at 82 years old. Dr. Wells was one of the first fellows at Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture, and his contributions over the last quarter century to the intelligent design movement have been formidable. In Part 2, Dr. Woodward kicks off by describing Dr. Wells's skills as a communicator. He also discusses Dr. Wells's mind-boggling insights on the design beyond DNA in every nook and cranny of the cell, layers of information that Wells knew only strengthen the case for intelligent design at the heart of biological life. This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation. Source

On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid welcomes Dr. Tom Woodward to the podcast to share some of his memories of our longtime colleague Dr. Jonathan Wells, who recently passed away at 82 years old. In Part 1, Dr. Woodward tells the story of Jonathan’s efforts to fight the battle over textbook misinformation with his 2000 book Icons of Evolution. When the book first came out, National Center for Science Education director Eugenie Scott said that Icons of Evolution would be a “royal pain in the fanny” for the evolutionist community. She was not wrong! Woodward talks about the reverberations caused by the book's release and the waves of textbook reform it has brought about. This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation. Source

Dr. Richard Sternberg, a research scientist at the Biologic Institute with expertise in molecular evolution, challenges the outdated definition of genes, advocating for a more nuanced understanding of biological complexity. He delves into the intricacies of cellular systems, discussing the difficulties in reverse-engineering biological entities. Sternberg critiques Mendelian genetics and suggests deeper mathematical insights are essential for comprehending evolution. He also highlights the struggles students face in academic environments resistant to new ideas while exploring intelligent design from a Platonist perspective.

On this episode of ID The Future, philosopher of biology Paul Nelson continues to share his remembrances of our longtime colleague Dr. Jonathan Wells, who passed away in 2024 at 82 years old. Dr. Wells was one of the first fellows at Discovery Institute’s Center for Science & Culture, and his contributions to the intelligent design movement over the last quarter century have been monumental. In Part 2 of the conversation, Dr. Nelson shares another adventure he had with Jonathan, this time at the University of Chicago in the early 2000s. He also discusses the qualities that made Wells such a remarkable man, including his bravery and loyalty. This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation. Source

On this episode of ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid welcomes philosopher of biology Paul Nelson to share some of his remembrances of our longtime colleague Dr. Jonathan Wells, who passed away in 2024 at 82 years old. Dr. Wells was one of the first fellows at Discovery Institute’s Center for Science & Culture, and his contributions to the intelligent design movement over the last quarter century have been monumental. In the first half of the conversation, Dr. Nelson takes listeners back to a famous meeting in the history of the modern intelligent design movement. He also shares some humorous stories of his adventures with Jonathan Wells at events in the United States and China. This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation. Source

On today’s ID the Future from the vault, Casey Luskin continues his conversation with host Eric Anderson about the myths surrounding human origins. Luskin rebuts the popular claim that the human and chimp genomes are 98-99% similar and therefore surely resulted from Darwinian common descent. He also throws shade in the argument that humans and chimps share junk DNA similarities. The problem? So-called "pseudogenes" are turning out to have functions. Listen in as Luskin unravels this popular myth, one thread of evidence at a time. Source