"What's New with ? Ark Park, Intelligent Design, and More." DavidDavid E.E. ThomasThomas NMSRNMSR NovemberNovember 2121st,, 20162016

nmsrdave@swcpnmsrdave@swcp Thought for the Day ““NothingNothing inin BiologyBiology MakesMakes SenseSense ExceptExcept inin thethe LightLight ofof Evolution”Evolution” TheodosiusTheodosius Dobzhansky,Dobzhansky, 1973;1973; aa communicantcommunicant ofof thethe EasternEastern OrthodoxOrthodox ChurchChurch What IS “Creationism” ?

“The 66 books of the Bible are the written Word of God. The Bible is divinely inspired and inerrant throughout.” “Its assertions are factually true in all the original autographs. It is the supreme authority in everything it teaches. Its authority is not limited to spiritual, religious, or redemptive themes but includes its assertions in such fields as history and . The final guide to the interpretation of Scripture is Scripture itself.” What IS “Creationism” ?

“The account of origins presented in Genesis is a simple but factual presentation of actual events and therefore provides a reliable framework for scientific research into the question of the origin and history of life, mankind, the earth, and the universe.” What IS “Creationism” ?

“The various original life forms (kinds), including mankind, were made by direct creative acts of God. The living descendants of any of the original kinds (apart from man) may represent more than one species today, reflecting the genetic potential within the original kind. Only limited biological changes (including mutational deterioration) have occurred naturally within each kind since creation.” What IS “Creationism” ?

“The great Flood of Genesis was an actual historic event, worldwide (global) in its extent and effect. The of Adam (the first man) and Eve (the first woman), and their subsequent fall into sin, is the basis for the necessity of salvation for mankind. Death (both physical and spiritual) and bloodshed entered into this world subsequent to and as a direct consequence of man’s sin.” What IS “Creationism” ? “Scripture teaches a recent origin for man and the whole creation, spanning approximately 4,000 years from creation to Christ. The days in Genesis do not correspond to geologic ages, but are six [6] consecutive twenty-four [24] hour days of creation. The Noachian Flood was a significant geological event and much (but not all) fossiliferous sediment originated at that time.” What IS “Creationism” ?

“The gap theory has no basis in Scripture. The view, commonly used to evade the implications or the authority of biblical teaching, that knowledge and/or truth may be divided into secular and religious, is rejected.” “By definition, no apparent, perceived or claimed evidence in any field, including history and chronology, can be valid if it contradicts the scriptural record. Of primary importance is the fact that evidence is always subject to interpretation by fallible people who do not possess all information.” What IS “Creationism” ? What IS “Creationism” ? What IS “Creationism” ? What IS “Creationism” ? AiG Is the Ark the World’s Biggest “Timber-Framed Structure”? Is the Ark the World’s Biggest “Timber-Framed Structure”?

No, KAFB’s TRESTLE is bigger! Bigger still: Tillamook Air Museum, OR Ken Ham’s Nye-Ham Debate, Feb. 4, 2014 Exhibits More Dinos & Humans Dinosaurs and Humans Ooops – that was POE!

Poe's Law states: “Without a winking smiley or other blatant display of humor, it is impossible to create a parody of Fundamentalism that SOMEONE won't mistake for the real thing.” (Nathan Poe) Poe's Law is an axiom suggesting that it's difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish between parodies of religious or other fundamentalism and its genuine proponents, since they both seem equally insane. For example, some conservatives consider noted homophobe Fred Phelps to be so over-the-top that they argue he's a "deep cover liberal" trying to discredit more mainstream homophobes. Ooops – POE! The Reality: Creationist Debate Tools: Using the “Gish Gallop”

Duane Gish, the chief debater for the Institute of Creation Research (ICR)

http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Gish_gallop

“The Gish Gallop is an informal name for a rhetorical technique in debates that involves drowning the opponent in half-truths, lies, straw men, and bullshit to such a degree that the opponent cannot possibly answer every falsehood that has been raised ... It is named after creationism activist and professional debater .” The Fire-hose Approach: “Gish Gallop”

Spurious argument from authority

“It is often used as an indirect argument from authority, as it often appears to paint the 'galloper' as an expert in a broad range of subjects and the opponent as an incompetent bumbler who didn't do their homework before the debate. (Such emphasis on style over substance is why many scientists disdain public debates as a forum for disseminating opinions.)” Solution: the Internet Debate

The Great Creation/Evolution Debate New Mexicans for Science and Reason (NMSR) versus Fellowship of NM, Inc (CSFNM)

http://www.nmsr.org/debate.htm Does “Answers in Genesis” represent all believers in God? No. “When we read about creation in Genesis, we run the risk of imagining God was a magician, with a magic wand able to do everything. but that is not so.” - Pope Francis, 2014 Link Wait – couldn't God just make things “evolve”? AIG: “No.” “Those who claim God 'used evolution,' incidentally, are calling God a liar. God’s Word leaves no room for an evolutionary origin.” - Dr. Elizabeth Mitchell of , July 12, 2014 Link Yet another False Dilemma

One does not have to choose either God or evolution. “Intelligent Design” ?

What is the theory of intelligent design?

“The theory of intelligent design holds that certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection.” http://www.discovery.org/csc/ http://www.discovery.org/v/2 The Creation-Evolution Continuum GenieGenie Scott,Scott, formerformer directordirector ofof NCSENCSE The Two Sides of ID

There are Two sides of Intelligent Design. ID's attacks on evolution can, indeed, be considered scientifically (and have been so considered, again, and again, and again.) However, ID's major claim – that “certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection” - is NOT science. In fact, it is a Science killer. The False Dilemma (Black and White) Fallacy

Intelligent Design's attacks on evolution are examples of the “False Diemma (Black and White)” Fallacy

“If evolution can't explain [X], then [X] must have been DESIGNED.” The Argument from Ignorance Fallacy

Apart from its attacks on evolution, Intelligent Design is based on a massive Logical Fallacy, the “Argument from Ignorance.” “If I can't imagine how [X] could have happened naturally, then [X] must be DESIGNED.” ID: What looks like Language or Specification Proves Intelligence

“Walking along a beach ID Textbook “Of you may be impressed Pandas and People” by the regular patterns of ripples in the sand. ... if you come across words unmistakably reading ‘John loves Mary’ etched into the sand, you would know that no wave action was responsible for that.” Or, “If It's Complex, It Can't Have Evolved, And Must Have Been Designed” “But, ID is Science” Example: Darwin on Gaps

In 1859, when Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species was first published, the fossil record was poorly known. Darwin described the perceived lack of transitional fossils as "the most obvious and gravest objection which can be urged against my theory", but explained it by relating it to the extreme imperfection of the geological record. Gaps in the Fossil Record

Phillip Johnson, father of ID: “In the long term the biggest problem was the fossil record, which did not provide evidence of the many transitional forms that Darwin's theory required to have existed.” (pp.33-34, 2nd ed., Darwin On Trial) Gaps in the Fossil Record: What IS a “Transitional” Fossil?

ArchaeopteryxArchaeopteryx AmbulocetusAmbulocetus

TiktaalikTiktaalik

AA MosaicMosaic ofof FeaturesFeatures “Gaps in the Fossil Record” ... Explained HereHere isis thethe scientificscientific explanationexplanation ofof whywhy therethere cancan bebe “Gaps”...“Gaps”...

Species “X” is spread across the entire continent. “Gaps in the Fossil Record” ... Explained

Then, Florida becomes Isolated. The Florida sub-population of Species “X” diverges along its own genetic history, gradually evolving into new species “Y.” “Gaps in the Fossil Record” ... Explained

The Land Bridge is Re-established. Species “Y” has an adaptive radiation, wiping out species “X”. In Montana, the fossil record shows a “GAP.” Example of ID as Science Killer: Errors, Plagiarism, and Vitamin C Why do humans need Vitamin C?

Rats make their own ascorbic acid, as do many animals. Primates can’t (mutations), guinea pigs can’t (other mutations). How does ID explain this? Did the Designer Goof? Why hasn’t there been a Design Modification? Humans v2.1.1? Why do Apes have the same Errors? Evolution does explain this: primates share similar gene errors because they were “copied” from the same source - our common ancestor, who survived mutations with diet! Evolution of ID

“Discovery Institute's Center for the Renewal of Science and Culture seeks nothing less than the overthrow of materialism and its cultural legacies….” Evolution of ID

Now What Discovery Institute Says:

Wedge Governing Goals

“To defeat scientific materialism and its destructive moral, cultural and political legacies.”

“To replace materialistic explanations with the theistic understanding that nature and human beings are created by God.” End of the Enlightenment? “From the sixth century up to the Enlightenment it is safe to say that the West was thoroughly imbued with Christian ideals and that Western intellectual elites were overwhelmingly Christian. False ideas that undermined the very foundations of the Christian faith (e.g., denying the resurrection or the Trinity) were swiftly challenged and uprooted. Since the enlightenment, however, we have not so much lacked the means to combat false ideas as the will and clarity.” [William A. Dembski and Jay Wesley Richards, Unapologetic Apologetics, Intervarsity Press, 2001, p. 20] Examples of Creatures that would DEFY an Evolutionary Explanation, but not “Intelligent Design” Theory

Ganesh Pegasus

Griffin Chimera Examples of Fossils that would DEFY an Evolutionary Explanation, but not “Intelligent Design” Theory Cambrian Rabbit Onyate Man

To date, no such “Show Stoppers” for evolution have been found. No evidence for “Intelligent Design” has surfaced; ample evidence of “dumb design” exists. Is ID different from Creationism? Adam and Eve; Suggestion: The Flood; Kinds instead of Inference to this... Design; Irreducible Complexity Science, Selection, Mutation, Heredity... Consider Evolution = this... Atheism; Evolution }{Can't Even Work. ID, the Smoking Gun?

“...there will be two competing models for human origins, one that says we came from a population of thousands, and ours that says we came from a population of two. We will see which best fits the available data and yields the most insight.” Feynman: Cargo Cult Science

Problem: This Creationist “Lab” Doesn't Exist! “But, It’s Only Fair to ''” Some Highlights of Creationism vs Evolution in NM

1970s “Theory” has Two Meanings

In Science, a Theory is On the street, a a well-developed body Theory is a of knowledge, conjecture, a guess, an complete with off-the-hip validating data and assertion… “My predictive theory is that Dallas capabilities... will choke at a critical moment...” Consider this: “Music is theory, not fact.” 1996 - 'Evolution' Stripped from Standards

“Roger Lenard had a lot to do with it. Roger, a physicist at Sandia National Laboratories and a Christian, became interested in creation science when he stopped by at the end of an "Answers in Genesis" (Ken Ham) seminar in Albuquerque in January 1995. He was too late to hear any of the speakers, but he bought a few creationist books. Two months later, the governor of New Mexico, a Republican conservative with whom Roger was acquainted, appointed Roger to a four-year term on the State School Board. ...” - Russ Humphreys 1997: SB 155 – the Evolution Bill SB 155 – Reaction

“And since Mr. Berman raised the issue of morality, on what conceivable basis does he defend the morality logically linked with evolution? … This is precisely the moral outlook Hitler and Stalin used to justify the brutal political executions of tens of millions of their citizens. … How can Mr. Berman with a clear conscience support SB155, which requires molecules-to-man evolution be taught as dogma at taxpayers expense in the schools of our state, when it imposes this sort of inherently destructive moral outlook on our young people and on our culture?” - of Los Alamos 1998-1999: NM Restores Evolution to Standards 2003 – NM Includes Evolution in New Science Standards In August, new science standards were approved. IDnet-NM suggestions minimizing evolution were rejected. The draft-version reference to "abrupt appearance" wasn't included. On Aug. 24th, 2003, IDnet-NM published a full-page ad in the Sunday Journal, saying that "the goal of completely objective language has not yet been met," and that they support the final draft "with reservations." The Instructional Services Committee recommended the new standards on Aug. 27th, and they were approved 13-0 by the full board on Aug. 28th, 2003. KNME Flap, 2005

Joe Renick slips, provides a Smoking Gun...

Joe Renick 2005-2007 – Rio Rancho's "Science Policy 401" “When appropriate and consistent with the New Mexico Science Content Standards, Benchmarks, and Performance Standards, discussions about issues that are of interest to both science and individual religious and philosophical beliefs will acknowledge that reasonable people may disagree about the meaning and interpretation of data.” 2007 – Discovery Institute's "Model Academic Freedom Bill" Neither the ______Board of Education, nor any public elementary or secondary school governing authority, superintendent of schools, or school system administrator, nor any public elementary or secondary school principal or administrator shall prohibit any teacher in a public school system of this state from helping students understand, analyze, critique, and review in an objective manner the scientific strengths and scientific weaknesses of existing scientific theories covered in the course being taught. 2007 – SJM 9 and SB 371, Steve Komadina SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 9; 48th legislature - INTRODUCED BY Steve Komadina NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO... that the public education department be requested to ensure that teachers are not reassigned, terminated, disciplined or otherwise discriminated against for objectively informing students of scientific information relevant to both the strengths and weaknesses of a theory of biological origins; 2007 – HB 506, W. C. "Dub" Williams HOUSE BILL 506 48th legislature - INTRODUCED BY W. C. "Dub" Williams Section 1. A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read: A. The department shall adopt rules that: (1) give teachers the right and freedom, when a theory of biological origins is taught, to objectively inform students of scientific information relevant to the strengths and weaknesses of that theory and protect teachers from reassignment, termination, discipline or other discrimination for doing so; ….

2009 – SB 433, Kent Cravens

SENATE BILL 433 49th legislature INTRODUCED BY Kent L. Cravens A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read: A. The department, school district governing authorities and school administrators shall not prohibit any teacher, when biological evolution or chemical evolution is being taught in accordance with adopted standards and curricula, from informing students about relevant scientific information regarding either the scientific strengths or scientific weaknesses pertaining to biological evolution or chemical evolution. A teacher who chooses to provide such information shall be protected from reassignment, termination, discipline or other discrimination for doing so. 2011 – NM’s “Origins Education” A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read: A. The New Mexico Public Education Department, school district governing authorities, and school district administrators shall not prohibit any teacher, when a controversial topic in science is being taught in accordance with adopted standards and curricula, from informing students about relevant scientific information regarding either the scientific strengths or scientific weaknesses pertaining to that topic. Controversial topics in science include but are not limited to biological origins, biological evolution, causes of climate change, and human cloning. A teacher who chooses to provide such information shall be protected from reassignment, termination, discipline or other discrimination for doing so. 2011 – HB 302, Thomas Anderson HB 302 PROTECTION FROM CERTAIN SCIENTIFIC TOPICS Sponsor: Thomas A. Anderson A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read: The department, school district governing authorities and school administrators shall not prohibit any teacher, when a controversial scientific topic is being taught in accordance with adopted standards and curricula, from informing students about relevant scientific information regarding either the scientific strengths or scientific weaknesses pertaining to that topic. A teacher who chooses to provide such information shall be protected from reassignment, termination, discipline or other discrimination for doing so. 2011 – Rep. Anderson claims bill was ‘hijacked’

Abq. Journal, Dan Boyd, 2-16-2011 Insisting he wasn't channeling creationism or targeting Charles Darwin, a veteran Albuquerque lawmaker said Tuesday that his "teacher-protection" bill has been "hijacked." Indeed, despite the protests of Rep. Thomas Anderson, R- Albuquerque, House Bill 302 seems to have taken on a life of its own. A full-page advertisement in Monday's Journal — paid for by a group called the Intelligent Design Network — claimed the bill would allow teachers to challenge Darwin's famous scientific research that formed the underpinnings of evolutionary biology. ... "My bill has been hijacked by people who want to talk about religious issues," Anderson said Tuesday. "That was not my intent." 2015 – "The evolution of antievolution policies after Kitzmiller v. Dover"

In December 2015, Nick Matzke’s Science (AAAS) article tracked creationist legislation nationwide for the last 10 years. He found that anti-evolution policy language has clearly evolved, and often became more subtle after aggressive bills were voted down (much like pathogens evolve to become less aggressive, while more victims live long enough to spread it). 2014/2015 – "Darwin Day" Flap at NMMNHS

Did the State really cancel "Darwin Day" in 2015 to spite the intelligent design movement? No. This whole thing was driven by News 13 being conned into running the "story" by the local Intelligent Design (ID) crowd. Briefly, the museum had a Darwin Day event in 2014.

There was a brief error of attribution of an NMSR event as co-sponsored by the museum in a flyer, but this was corrected in 2014, BEFORE the event even took place. The museum tried to explain things to the ID folk (this is the Feb. 7, 2014 letter shown on News 13), but by that time the ID people were committed to pushing the false claim that "the museum is sponsoring anti-religion talks, so it should sponsor ID talks too." 2014/2015 – "Darwin Day" Flap at NMMNHS They made a huge stink about it last year, but then, the local news people knew better than to run a non story. Cut to this year, the museum has a new director, and there wasn't any effort to do another big Darwin Day like the one of 2014. NMSR didn't even do Darwin Day in 2015; we sponsored . NMSR did have a few Darwin Days before, during, and after 2009 (sesquicentennial of Origin of Species and bicentennial of Darwin himself), but our Feb 2010 meeting was about patent law. Our Feb. 2011 meeting was on early American anthropology. Our Feb. 2012 meeting was on science for the public (w/ Sandra Blakeslee of the NYT).In 2013 we did Lake Monsters. Again, no ID protests, no News 13 "Story." Where were the protests in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013? Creationists in NM

www.csfnm.org www.nmidnet.org

Joe Renick Mike Laurel Mike Kent Edenburn Edenburn Trench Warfare: Genetic Algorithms Steiner’sSteiner’s Problem:Problem: GivenGiven NN FixedFixed Points,Points, FindFind thethe ShortestShortest ConnectingConnecting Straight-LineStraight-Line NetworkNetwork (New(New InternalInternal PointsPoints Allowed)Allowed) Genetic Algorithms: Blog War, August 2006 WhatWhat isis thethe SteinerSteiner SolutionSolution forfor ThisThis 6-Point6-Point Grid?Grid?

LeslieLeslie Orgel:Orgel: ““EvolutionEvolution isis smartersmarter thanthan youyou are.are.”” First Rebuttal: Ewert, Dembski, Marks, April 2012 Second Rebuttal: Ewert 2014 Irreducible Complexity: a “Barrier” to Evolution? ICIC occursoccurs whenwhen removalremoval ofof anyany partpart ofof aa complexcomplex systemsystem breaksbreaks thatthat system.system. “Since“Since naturalnatural selectionselection cancan onlyonly choosechoose systemssystems thatthat areare alreadyalready working,working, thenthen ifif aa biologicalbiological systemsystem cannotcannot bebe producedproduced graduallygradually itit wouldwould havehave toto arisearise asas anan integratedintegrated unit,unit, inin oneone fellfell swoop,swoop, forfor naturalnatural selectionselection toto havehave anythinganything toto actact on.”on.” -- MichaelMichael Behe’sBehe’s bookbook Darwin’sDarwin’s BlackBlack BoxBox Ewert says Steiner Solutions are not “Irreducibly Complex”

EwertEwert simplysimply discardsdiscards thethe requirementrequirement thatthat thethe networknetwork bebe minimalminimal length,length, andand substitutessubstitutes aa farfar easiereasier problem,problem, MinimumMinimum SpanningSpanning TreesTrees (MSTs).(MSTs). SinceSince randomrandom chancechance selectionsselections cancan happenhappen uponupon MSTsMSTs fairlyfairly easily,easily, EwertEwert sayssays thethe solutionssolutions areare thusthus trivial,trivial, andand thusthus notnot reallyreally 'irreducibly'irreducibly complex'complex' asas perper Behe’sBehe’s concept.concept. Complex Specified Information: another “Barrier” to Evolution?

TheThe SteinerSteiner solutionssolutions themselvesthemselves areare CSI,CSI, byby virtuevirtue ofof theirtheir beingbeing ComplexComplex (in(in thethe sensesense thatthat thethe correctcorrect answeranswer isis rarerare enoughenough toto bebe improbable)improbable) andand byby virtuevirtue ofof theirtheir beingbeing SpecifiedSpecified InformationInformation (as(as thethe formalformal SolutionSolution toto aa givengiven mathmath problem).problem). Catch-22Catch-22

UnderUnder Dembski'sDembski's definitiondefinition ofof CSICSI ...... IfIf thethe GeneticGenetic AlgorithmAlgorithm underunder considerationconsideration alwaysalways getsgets thethe answeranswer toto thethe posedposed problem,problem, itit hashas ZEROZERO CSI.CSI. IfIf thethe GeneticGenetic AlgorithmAlgorithm getsgets thethe answer,answer, say,say, onceonce inin 200200 trials,trials, itit hashas LessLess thanthan 88 BitsBits ofof CSICSI (2(28 == 256).256). OnlyOnly ifif thethe GeneticGenetic AlgorithmAlgorithm getsgets thethe solutionsolution rarelyrarely,, saysay onceonce inin 1010150 trials,trials, doesdoes itit finallyfinally achieveachieve thethe honorhonor ofof possessingpossessing “500“500 BitsBits ofof CSI.”CSI.” ThisThis isis asas rarerare asas tossingtossing aa fairfair coincoin 500500 times,times, andand gettinggetting headsheads everyevery timetime.. TheThe GameGame isis RIGGED:RIGGED: EvolutionEvolution cancan nevernever createcreate CSI!CSI! Final Comments IntelligentIntelligent DesignDesign CreationistsCreationists needneed toto movemove pastpast simplysimply attackingattacking evolution,evolution, asas ifif thatthat somehowsomehow provesproves CreationismCreationism oror ID.ID. TheThe “Burden“Burden ofof Poof”Poof” isis onon them.them. ““TheThe WarWar ofof thethe Weasels:Weasels: HowHow anan IntelligentIntelligent DesignDesign TheoristTheorist waswas BestedBested inin aa PublicPublic MathMath CompetitionCompetition byby aa GeneticGenetic Algorithm!”Algorithm!” SkepticalSkeptical InquirerInquirer Vol.Vol. 34.3,34.3, May/JuneMay/June 2010.2010. http://www.csicop.org/si/http://www.csicop.org/si/ http://www.physics.smu.edu/pseudo/ID/War_of_the_Weasels.pdf (complete) What lies ahead? What lies ahead?

Trouble ahead, trouble behind And you know that notion just crossed my mind. Please, help us keep an eye on these folks...

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