Why Evolution is True is a blog written by Jerry Coyne, centered on evolution and biology but also dealing with diverse topics like politics, culture, and cats.
When I first gave a talk at the University of Kentucky in 2010 (could it really have been five years ago?), I had the pleasure of meeting Jim Krupa, a biologist and natural historian with wide interests, and with a reputation as an excellent teacher (see here for my visit to his lab). Krupa has now written … Continue reading Teaching evolution in Kentucky—with accommodationism
Yes, this is a recurring theme on this site, and my answer is “Somewhat, but not fully, for creationism won’t disappear in a big way until religion does.” My answer is buttressed by a paper that I’d somehow overlooked (reference and free download below). The paper by Eric Plutzer and Michael Berkman is six years … Continue reading Can we cure creationism by teaching the facts?
Karl Giberson, the former Executive Vice President of the accommodationist organization BioLogos, has started writing for The Daily Beast. And, judging by Sunday’s column, “What’s driving America’s evolution divide?“, he seems to be having either a crisis of faith or a crisis of tactics. His starting point is the most recent Gallup data on American beliefs about … Continue reading Karl Giberson is puzzled why theistic evolution isn’t gaining adherents
Genie Scott, director of the National Center for Science Education (NCSE), was the subject of a nice profile by Cornelia Dean in yesterday’s New York Times. Scott has been NCSE director for 27 years, but, according to Dean, will step down at the end of this year, and will also write a memoir. I’m curious who … Continue reading NYT profiles Genie Scott
So you think science and religion are compatible? Or that notions of their incompatibility are overblown, and there’s no real problem? Have a gander, then, at this piece from Raw Story. A group called the Citizens for Objective Public Education (COPE), as well as several dozen minors, have filed a lawsuit in federal court (copy … Continue reading More trouble with Kansas: Christians sue to prevent implementation of science standards
This week the Texas Board of Education will consider which biology texts to “recommend” for Texas public-school students. I say “recommend” rather than “adopt” because the rules have changed. The list of approved books, from which all school districts were once required to choose, is now gone, and the Board can only recommend books. Texas … Continue reading Creationism on life support at the Texas Board of Education
If there’s one characteristic of faitheists and accommodationists when facing the issue of American creationism, it’s their refusal to see the palpable fact that religion is the source of that creationism. While this seems trivially obvious to those who have followed the creation/evolution controversy, people like Chris Mooney, Karl Giberson, Kenneth Miller and the like … Continue reading Why do people pretend that religion isn’t responsible for creationism?
