[Vision2020] Mandating Religion In Science Class

[Chasuk]

On 11/6/05, Michael <metzler at moscow.com> wrote:

> What of Michael Behe's research and argument?

> If I was an atheistic biology professor, I don't have a clue why it would be inappropriate to have his book called Black Box in my curriculum.

I know this question wasn't addressed to me, but I do have some
knowledge of Behe, and I've read Darwin's Black Box.  Based on nothing
more than that, I've decided to answer Michael's question.

First, a few words about Behe, and not an ad hominem attack in sight. 
First, to dispel a few misconceptions:  Behe _is_ an evolutionist, in
that he does believe than man and ape have a common ancestor, and that
we diverged into separate species based on evolutionary principles. 
He also believes that the earth is billions of years old, which is
atypical of most ID proponents.  However, Behe differs from the
majority of his peers in the scientific community in his concept of
"irreducible complexity," which states (and I am probably grossly
simplifying) that evolution at the molecular level fails; only
Intelligent Design (or guided evolution) can account for the existence
of certain biochemical systems, because it is impossible to divide
those systems into smaller units which are still capable of
functioning.

Behe's opponents accuse him of argumentum ad ignorantiam, which I
think is usually stated as the "absence of evidence is not evidence of
absence." In others words, his opponents rephrase his argument as: "I
can't conceive of it, so it can't be true."

My own take on Behe is that he is grasping at straws, trying to
reconcile his belief in God with his biological training.  That
doesn't work for me, it merely delays the question of the origin of
the Universe rather than answers it.