North Texas Skeptic - Vol 23 No 05 - 2009

Magazine Overview

Title: The North Texas Skeptic
Issue: Volume 23, Number 5
Date: May 2009
Publisher: The North Texas Skeptics
Country of Publication: USA
Language: English

This issue of The North Texas Skeptic delves into the complexities of 'Intelligent Creationism,' primarily focusing on the movement known as Intelligent Design (ID). The magazine critically analyzes ID, presenting it as a modern, sophisticated form of creationism that attempts to cloak religious beliefs in scientific language. The publication aims to expose the underlying religious motivations and legal challenges associated with ID, particularly in the context of public education.

Intelligent Creationism by John Blanton

The lead article, "Intelligent creationism" by John Blanton, continues a special series on Web News devoted to Charles Darwin's 200th birthday. Blanton addresses the ongoing attacks on evolution, distinguishing between sincere disputes and the opposition from creationists. He notes that a growing number of creationists now prefer the term 'Intelligent Design' to appear more scientific and distance themselves from the literal interpretations of Genesis. However, Blanton asserts that an in-depth analysis reveals a religious basis for ID.

The article recounts the significant court case of *Edwards v. Aguillard*, where the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a Louisiana law requiring the teaching of creationism alongside evolution in public schools was illegal. The Court affirmed that government agencies must not promote religion. Blanton criticizes proponents of ID for denying religious intent while their actions and arguments betray it.

He explains that following *Edwards v. Aguillard*, creation science, which relied on biblical accounts, could not stand in court. Intelligent Design emerged as a 'Trojan horse' to reintroduce religion into public education. ID's core argument is that life's complexity suggests a designer, rather than purely natural processes. Blanton points out that ID proponents often avoid identifying the designer but frequently slip and use a capital 'D' for 'Designer,' indicating a religious inclination.

The article references critiques of ID, including those by David K. DeWolf, John G. West, and Casey Luskin, who responded to an article by Peter Irons. Irons is accused of misrepresenting the positions of ID proponents like William Dembski. The article also touches on the work of Michael Egnor, who equates naturalistic evolution with atheism and believes teaching evolution is unconstitutional because it teaches atheism.

Phillip Johnson is identified as the 'godfather' of Intelligent Design, whose book *Darwin on Trial* was influential. Johnson and other ID advocates presented their ideas at SMU in 1992. The article quotes Johnson from the Discovery Institute's website, where he expresses hope that the scientific profession would consider objections to Darwinism based on empirical evidence, but notes that Darwinists often stigmatize ID as 'creationism.' Johnson admits that while ID doesn't identify the designer, believers in the Christian God would find scientific acceptance of ID encouraging.

William Dembski is described as the 'brain' of Intelligent Design, noted for his overtly religious advocacy. The article mentions Dembski's comments on Mark Perakh's book *Unintelligent Design*, where Dembski characterizes Prometheus Press as a militantly atheistic and ideologically driven press.

The article discusses the 'Wedge Document,' a manifesto outlining the goals of the new creationists to overthrow materialism and promote a theistic understanding of nature. It highlights the document's assertion that the proposition of humans being created in the image of God is a bedrock of Western civilization, which has been attacked by intellectuals since Darwin.

The case of the Dover (Pennsylvania) Area School District is presented as an example of ID being used in public schools. Board member Bill Buckingham's statements revealed an acknowledgment that the designer in ID could be God, as mentioned in Genesis. The article notes that this led to the *Kitzmiller v. Dover* lawsuit, where Federal Judge John E. Jones III ruled against the school board, acknowledging the creationists' duplicity.

Prominent ID proponents, including those associated with the Discovery Institute, have proposed God as the designer. The article cites expert testimony from Dr. Barbara Forrest, who has chronicled the history of ID and its religious content. The court in *McLean v. Arkansas Board of Education* (1981) had previously ruled that creation science was religion and should not be taught in public schools, a precedent that influenced later cases like *Edwards v. Aguillard* and *Kitzmiller v. Dover*.

Blanton concludes that Intelligent Design is religiously motivated and that protests by the Discovery Institute and its agents to the contrary are false.

Psychic Vision by John Blanton

This short piece introduces Homer Webb, a retired electrical engineer from Austin, who has developed a device for inducing psychic visions. Webb claims the device can be built affordably and allows users to experience conversations with the dead and perform remote viewing. The North Texas Skeptics plans to collaborate with Webb and share future findings.

Evolutionary Psychology by Rodrigo Neely

Rodrigo Neely presented a talk on evolutionary psychology at an NTS meeting. He explains that while Darwin's theory of evolution is not controversial in science, its implications for the development of the human mind are debated. Evolutionary psychologists posit that natural selection has shaped significant aspects of the human mind.

Neely discusses controversial claims made in the name of evolutionary psychology, citing an article that suggested evolutionary psychology explains why most suicide bombers are Muslim, a claim Neely finds absurd. He highlights the work of David M. Buss, whose cross-cultural surveys suggest that women prioritize resources and men prioritize fertility in mating strategies. He also mentions Stephen Pinker's *The Blank Slate*, which explores the implications of genetics on psychology and society.

Neely acknowledges that evolutionary psychology has a controversial past, linked to eugenics and its disastrous consequences. He notes that critics, such as Stephen J. Gould in *The Mismeasure of Man*, caution against overstepping the predictive power of evolutionary psychology and highlight the potential for confirmation bias and statistical error in studies of race and IQ.

Despite the criticisms, Neely finds evolutionary psychology to be an exciting field with compelling findings and a bright future, offering opportunities for critical thinking.

What's New by Robert Park

This section features two brief reports from Robert Park's column.

Dateline: a new wrinkle on the hydrogen-fuel scam

NBC Dateline exposed Dennis Lee's 'Hydro Assist Fuel Cell' as a scam. The device claimed to increase mileage by decomposing water into hydrogen and oxygen. However, it was revealed that more energy is required to decompose water than is produced by burning hydrogen, and Dennis Lee has a history of scams. Tough Dateline investigators, aided by Eric Krieg of the Philadelphia Association for Critical Thinking, exposed Lee's fraudulent claims.

Dennis Lee: top dog of the perpetual scam

This report revisits Dennis Lee's history of promoting perpetual motion machines and other scams since 1997. Lee sells dealerships for these machines, which have varied in their purported mechanisms over the years, from the Gamgee Zero- motor to machines using permanent magnets and 'counter rotation.' NBC Dateline had previously investigated one of Lee's demonstrations but did not use the footage due to technical reasons. The scam, however, remains perpetual.

Future Meeting Dates

A list of upcoming meeting dates for The North Texas Skeptics is provided, spanning from May 2009 to December 2009.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the critical examination of pseudoscientific claims and the defense of scientific reasoning. The magazine consistently takes a skeptical stance, particularly concerning the intersection of religion and science, as exemplified by its thorough debunking of Intelligent Design. The editorial stance is clearly pro-science, pro-evolution, and anti-creationism, advocating for rigorous testing and rational inquiry in all matters. The publication also shows an interest in phenomena that challenge conventional scientific understanding, such as psychic visions, but approaches them with a critical and investigative eye, as seen in the 'Psychic Vision' and 'What's New' sections.