You are hereThe Pillars of CreationismFeaturing: Eugenie C. Scott, PhD  Time: 7:00pm Date: April 8, 2009 Location: 105 Olin Hall 2190 E. Iliff Avenue Denver University Colorado Three arguments have characterized the creationist movement since the Scopes Trial of 1925. One or more of these “pillars of creationism” are found in any given creationist book, video, letter to the editor, legislation, policy statement – virtually any source. Of most importance to creationists themselves is the concept that evolution and Christian religion are incompatible.  They also contend that evolution as a scientific explanation is weak, and on the verge of being abandoned by scientists – who are just not letting the public in on the big secret. Finally, the most successful of the pillars is the “fairness” pillar: the idea that it is only fair to “balance” evolution with the presentation of some alternative. These alternatives have variously included creationism, creation science, intelligent design, and “evidence against evolution.” All of the pillars of creationism have factual or conceptual weaknesses which remove them as serious challenges to evolution, but all three continue to be proposed with success to the public.For more information: Contact: Dean Saitta Darwin, Dover and intelligent designFeaturing: Kevin Padian, Ph.D.  Time: 12:10am Date: April 6, 2009 Location: Baker Center Ballroom Ohio University Athens, Ohio Dr. Kevin Padian, NCSE Board President, will present his experiences with the Kitzmiller vs. Dover court case. With his expertise in phylogenetic relationships, homology, and the nature of science, Dr. Padian was called to testify in the Dover, Pennsylvania court case that put "intelligent design" on trial in 2005.  This US Federal Court case was brought against a public school district requiring that "intelligent design" be provided as an alternative to evolution as to explain the origin of life. The plaintiffs successfully argued that intelligent design is a form of creationism, and thus, the school board policy violated the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.For more information: Contact: OCEES website Darwin, Dover and intelligent designFeaturing: Kevin Padian, Ph.D. Time: 4:10pm Date: April 6, 2009 Location: Baker Center Ballroom Ohio University Athens, Ohio Dr. Kevin Padian, NCSE Board President, will present his experiences with the Kitzmiller vs. Dover court case. With his expertise in phylogenetic relationships, homology, and the nature of science, Dr. Padian was called to testify in the Dover, Pennsylvania court case that put "intelligent design" on trial in 2005. This US Federal Court case was brought against a public school district requiring that "intelligent design" be provided as an alternative to evolution as to explain the origin of life. The plaintiffs successfully argued that intelligent design is a form of creationism, and thus, the school board policy violated the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.For more information: Contact: OCEES website McGill Symposium on Islam and EvolutionFeaturing: Joshua Rosenau, Taner Edis, Salman Hameed, Ehab Abouheif, Saouma BouJaoude, Minoo Derayeh, A. Uner Turgay, Anila Asghar, Jason WIles, Brian Alters  Time: 6:00pm Date: March 31, 2009 Location: Redpath Museum, Auditorium How is evolution taught and understood in Islamic societies? How do Muslim students, parents, and teachers understand evolutionary science in relation to their religious beliefs? These questions form the basis of the McGill Symposium on Islam and Evolution, where international experts in Islamic and Religious Studies, Science Education, and Biological Evolution will meet to discuss their views on this important topic.
Anila Asghar, Jason Wiles, and Brian Alters, a member of NCSE's board of directors, will present two papers in the afternoon. The first, "Islam, Culture, and Evolutionary Science: Evolution Education in Indonesia," will present results of surveys administered to 1,200 Indonesian high school students, as well as interviews with science/biology teachers, about student and teacher attitudes toward evolution and their views on the relationships of science to religion. The second paper, "Biological Evolution and Islam: The Paradox of Evolution Education in Pakistan," presents a survey of 2000 Pakistani high school students and interviews with their teachers, examining their understanding of evolution and their understanding of the relationship between science and religion. For more information: Contact: Sarah Bean, Evolution Education Research Centre. McGill Symposium on Islam and EvolutionFeaturing: Joshua Rosenau, Taner Edis, Salman Hameed, Ehab Abouheif, Saouma BouJaoude, Minoo Derayeh, A. Uner Turgay, Anila Asghar, Jason WIles, Brian Alters Time: 10:00am to 5:00pm Date: March 31, 2009 Location: Redpath Museum, Auditorium How is evolution taught and understood in Islamic societies? How do Muslim students, parents, and teachers understand evolutionary science in relation to their religious beliefs? These questions form the basis of the McGill Symposium on Islam and Evolution, where international experts in Islamic and Religious Studies, Science Education, and Biological Evolution will meet to discuss their views on this important topic.
Anila Asghar, Jason Wiles, and Brian Alters, a member of NCSE's board of directors, will present two papers in the afternoon. The first, "Islam, Culture, and Evolutionary Science: Evolution Education in Indonesia," will present results of surveys administered to 1,200 Indonesian high school students, as well as interviews with science/biology teachers, about student and teacher attitudes toward evolution and their views on the relationships of science to religion. The second paper, "Biological Evolution and Islam: The Paradox of Evolution Education in Pakistan," presents a survey of 2000 Pakistani high school students and interviews with their teachers, examining their understanding of evolution and their understanding of the relationship between science and religion. For more information: Contact: Sarah Bean, Evolution Education Research Centre. Creationist Attacks on Science Education: The Evolution of a ParasiteFeaturing: Joshua Rosenau  Time: 11:00pm Date: March 29, 2009 Location: Redpath Museum McGill University 859 Sherbrooke Street West Montreal, Quebec
This event is part of the McGill Symposium on Islam and Evolution. For more information: Contact: Sarah Bean, Evolution Education Research Centre Creationist Attacks on Science Education: The Evolution of a ParasiteFeaturing: Joshua Rosenau Time: 3:00pm to 5:00pm Date: March 29, 2009 Location: Redpath Museum McGill University 859 Sherbrooke Street West Montreal, Quebec
This event is part of the McGill Symposium on Islam and Evolution. For more information: Contact: Sarah Bean, Evolution Education Research Centre Back to the Future: The LA Science Education Act of 2008Featuring: Barbara Forrest  Barbara Forrest7:00 p.m. Date: March 26, 2009 Location: Parra Ballroom McNeese State University Lake Charles, Louisiana Barbara Forrest is a professor of philosophy at Southeastern Louisiana University. She is the co-author of Creationism's Trojan Horse: The Wedge of Intelligent Design, which details the political and religious aims of the intelligent design creationist movement. She served as an expert witness for the plaintiffs in the first legal case involving intelligent design, Kitzmiller et al. v. Dover Area School District. She has appeared on Larry King Live, ABC's Nightline and BBC's Horizon documentary about the Kitzmiller trial. She is the 2006 co-recipient with Brown University cell biologist Kenneth Miller of the American Society of Cell Biology’s Public Service Award. This is the second of a two-part lecture on intelligent design. Dr. James Sennett presented the first part during the 2007 Banners Series. For more information: Contact: Banners website
Back to the Future: The LA Science Education Act of 2008Featuring: Barbara Forrest Barbara Forrest7:00 p.m. Date: March 26, 2009 Location: Parra Ballroom McNeese State University Lake Charles, Louisiana Barbara Forrest is a professor of philosophy at Southeastern Louisiana University. She is the co-author of Creationism's Trojan Horse: The Wedge of Intelligent Design, which details the political and religious aims of the intelligent design creationist movement. She served as an expert witness for the plaintiffs in the first legal case involving intelligent design, Kitzmiller et al. v. Dover Area School District. She has appeared on Larry King Live, ABC's Nightline and BBC's Horizon documentary about the Kitzmiller trial. She is the 2006 co-recipient with Brown University cell biologist Kenneth Miller of the American Society of Cell Biology’s Public Service Award. This is the second of a two-part lecture on intelligent design. Dr. James Sennett presented the first part during the 2007 Banners Series. For more information: Contact: Banners website
Darwin, Dover and Intelligent DesignFeaturing: Kevin Padian  12:15pm and 6:30pm Date: March 24, 2009 Location: 55 Music Concourse Drive Golden Gate Park San Francisco CA Dr. Padian was an expert witness in the 2005 Pennsylvania trial, Kitzmiller vs. Dover, that ruled against the teaching of intelligent design in public schools. He will discuss the science and strategy of the trial, and what's next for "intelligent design." Ticket prices: Adults $10, Seniors $8, Members free. To make a reservation or to purchase a ticket, call 800-794-7576. Please note that seating is limited and that admission is for the lecture only. Tickets to the entire museum are separate and optional. For more information: Contact: California Academy of Sciences  Kevin Padian
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NCSE Speakers
NCSE staff members are available to give lectures and workshops on evolution and climate education, and controversies surrounding them, for teachers, clergy members, students, scientists, and the general public.
Please see our staff pages for details and suggested honoraria. |
