The belief in the freedom of the will is inconsistent with the truth of evolution. Modern philosophy shows clearly that the will is never really free in man or animal, but determined by the organization of the brain; and that in turn acquires its individual character by the laws of heredity and the influence of environment.
~ Ernst Heinrich Haeckel, in The War Over the Evolution Theory
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Ben Stein has done the unthinkable. He has become an advocate of something that our academic institutions and the gatekeepers of accepted Science absolutely will not tolerate. He has advocated freedom of inquiry. How dare he suggest that PhDs in mathematics, physics, and genetics be allowed to question the dogma of the scientific elite? Doesn’t he know that Science is about unquestioning acceptance of the theories of our predecessors? Where would we be if Newton and Einstein had the audacity to question the accepted theories of their day?
I enjoy reading William Dembski’s blog, Uncommon Descent. For those of you who may not have been over there for awhile, it recently got a new face-lift so go on over and check it out. While going through their archives I noted that in response to a request from a grad student in the field of philosophy for a “philosophically educated beginner’s guide to ID” Dembski posted this impromptu reading list:
(IVP)
(IVP)
(Rowman & Littlefield)
(Oxford) (Routledge)
(SUNY)
(Routledge)
(UPA, edited by Elmer Duncan)*****
Over at Evangelical Outpost, Joe Carter has written a post on Science vs. Naturalism: Why Naturalism is a Self-Refuting Philosophy. (HT: Wayne Shih)
I strongly recommend the book Naturalism Defeated?: Essays on Plantinga’s Evolutionary Argument Against Naturalism
Contributors to this book include William Ramsey, Jerry Fodor, Evan Fales, Michael Bergmann, Ernest Sosa, James Van Cleve, Timothy O’Connor, Richard Otte, W.J. Talbott, Trenton Merricks, William Alston, and Alvin Plantinga.
This book isn’t exactly a page-turner, but it is a very important work for those who are considering the intellectual foundations of evolutionary science.
Ann Coulter, isn’t usually an author that you would think of when building your theological library. However, consider the following statement made by William Dembski at Uncommon Descent;
“Having been a sounding board for Ann Coulter, on chapters 8-10 of GODLESS), I’m happy to see the entire book now that it is out. Ann is taking Phillip Johnson’s message as developed in DARWIN ON TRIAL and REASON IN THE BALANCE and bringing it home to the masses. Critics will dismiss it for its hyperbole, lack of nuance, and in-your-face attitude. But she has the gist just right, which is that materialism (she calls it liberalism) dominates our culture despite being held by only a minority of the populace and has become an agenda among our elites (academy, scientists, media) for total worldview reprogramming. Close to half the book is devoted to science and evolution. I cannot help but feel that GODLESS will propel our issues in the public consciousness like nothing to date. Phillip Johnson’s DARWIN ON TRIAL took ten years to sell 300,000 copies. I expect Ann will sell more than that in ten weeks.”
