Podcasts about why evolution is true

My guest today is Jerry Coyne. Jerry is an evolutionary biologist and geneticist. He received his PhD from Harvard in 1978, after which he served as a professor at the University of Chicago in the Department of Ecology and Evolution for over two decades. His seminal work is on the speciation of fruit flies. Jerry is also the author of two books, including "Why Evolution Is True", which is also the name of his blog, and "Faith Versus Fact".In this episode, we talk about the tension between evolution and the biblical origin story. Jerry goes over the basics of the theory of evolution by natural selection. We talk about sexual selection. We talk about the teaching of intelligent design in schools and how that compares to the battle over CRT in schools today. We dicuss the attack on evolutionary psychology from the political left. We discuss epi genetics and the concept of intergenerational trauma. We talk about how humanity has evolved genetically in recent history and the consequences of birth rate differences between different groups of people. We talk about gender dysphoria and gender ideology. Finally, we go on to talk about the unanswered questions that remain in the field of evolutionary biology.

My guest today is Jerry Coyne. Jerry is an evolutionary biologist and geneticist. He received his PhD from Harvard in 1978, after which he served as a professor at the University of Chicago in the Department of Ecology and Evolution for over two decades. His seminal work is on the speciation of fruit flies. Jerry is also the author of two books, including "Why Evolution Is True", which is also the name of his blog, and "Faith Versus Fact".In this episode, we talk about the tension between evolution and the biblical origin story. Jerry goes over the basics of the theory of evolution by natural selection. We talk about sexual selection. We talk about the teaching of intelligent design in schools and how that compares to the battle over CRT in schools today. We dicuss the attack on evolutionary psychology from the political left. We discuss epi genetics and the concept of intergenerational trauma. We talk about how humanity has evolved genetically in recent history and the consequences of birth rate differences between different groups of people. We talk about gender dysphoria and gender ideology. Finally, we go on to talk about the unanswered questions that remain in the field of evolutionary biology.

My guest today is Jerry Coyne. Jerry is an evolutionary biologist and geneticist. He received his PhD from Harvard in 1978, after which he served as a professor at the University of Chicago in the Department of Ecology and Evolution for over two decades. His seminal work is on the speciation of fruit flies. Jerry is also the author of two books, including "Why Evolution Is True", which is also the name of his blog, and "Faith Versus Fact". In this episode, we talk about the tension between evolution and the biblical origin story. Jerry goes over the basics of the theory of evolution by natural selection. We talk about sexual selection. We talk about the teaching of intelligent design in schools and how that compares to the battle over CRT in schools today. We dicuss the attack on evolutionary psychology from the political left. We discuss epi genetics and the concept of intergenerational trauma. We talk about how humanity has evolved genetically in recent history and the consequences of birth rate differences between different groups of people. We talk about gender dysphoria and gender ideology. Finally, we go on to talk about the unanswered questions that remain in the field of evolutionary biology. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Come see us in Arlington, Virginia on October 29th!https://www.arlingtondrafthouse.com/shows/186960Culture war drama hits a new low when a podcasting convention issues an apology for letting Ben Shapiro show up and… actually, that’s about it. Then, Jesse Singal regales us with the story of the American Historical Association’s president, James H. Sweet, and how his attack on presentism got him canceled. Thankfully, Katie Herzog intervenes to soothe us with some nice drawings of dinosaurs and – no, nevermind, turns out there’s drama here, too: paleoartist and behavioral geneticist Emily Willoughby has been exposed for sending black elementary schoolers to jail. Somehow.IntroBen Shapiro causes a firestorm by standing, also breathingCoverage in Reasonhttps://reason.com/2022/08/25/ben-shapiro-podcast-movement-harm-done-twitter/PresentismSweet’s credentials (Jesse forgot to mention he’s the president of the AHA)https://history.wisc.edu/people/sweet-james/His article in questionhttps://www.historians.org/publications-and-directories/perspectives-on-history/september-2022/is-history-history-identity-politics-and-teleologies-of-the-presentThe AHA’s tweet of the article, which likely kicked things offTwitter doing what it does bestThe Tattooed Prof’s response to Sweet’s piecehttps://thetattooedprof.com/2022/08/19/on-presentism-and-history-or-were-doing-this-again-are-we/The World Socialist Web Site jumps inhttps://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2022/08/24/ogzj-a24.htmlPhil Magness also comes to the defense of Sweet’s essayhttps://www.realclearpolitics.com/2022/08/22/the_suicide_of_the_american_historical_association_577652.htmlNazi DinosaursSome paleo art, to cleanse the palatehttp://www.charlesrknight.com/Gallery/Knight/Prehistoric/AMNH/Leaping_Laelops.jpghttp://21essays.blogspot.com/2012/03/kongs-debt-to-charles-r-knight.htmlSurprise! Not even paleo art is free of dramahttps://www.vice.com/en/article/vvb8kj/why-paleontologists-get-riled-up-over-this-heretical-pterosaur-concept-artPaleo artist Emily Willoughby has some works on Amazonhttps://www.amazon.com/Gods-Word-Human-Reason-Perspective/dp/1629016381https://www.amazon.com/Drawing-Painting-Dinosaurs-Using-Science/dp/1785009559/She also has some on FurAffinity (SFW, astoundingly)https://www.furaffinity.net/view/3856285/https://www.furaffinity.net/view/5274416/Prehistorica_CM’s attack on WilloughbyZoologist Derren Nash’s subsequent disavowal of WilloughbyDinoDJ accuses Willougby of promoting eugenics and racismHistory illustrator Midiaou Diallo ties Willougby to the foundations of white supremacyWilloughby’s drawing for Everyone Draw Mohammed Dayhttps://media.discordapp.net/attachments/957957987673186344/1011361260463460432/unknown.pngMidiaou’s response to the pieceSomeone digging up an old FurAffinity post of hersWilloughby’s response to the dramaEric Turkheimer, prominent progressive behavioral geneticist, comes to Willoughby’s defenseJerry Coyne, blogging at “Why Evolution Is True”, covers the dramahttps://whyevolutionistrue.com/2022/08/17/the-ignorant-and-misguided-demonization-of-a-behavior-geneticist/Paleoartist Mark Witton has a very important question about Willoughby’s workPEN America Charlie Hebdo insanityhttps://pen.org/pen-receives-letter-from-members-about-charlie-hebdo-award/University of Washington trans study comes to bizarre conclusion, unsupported by its own datahttps://mynorthwest.com/3602854/rantz-despite-concerning-trans-study-uw-kept-quiet-because-of-positive-coverage/Jesse’s original article critiquing the studyImage: Tyrannosaurus rex dinosaur - stock illustration via Getty This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.blockedandreported.org/subscribe

Evolution is a rich and complex subject that may be very foreign or intimidating for those who have left religion. Today Isaac and Tim tackle the subject of Evolution vs Creationism. We discuss the basics of both ideas, and common arguments for those who may be new to this subject matter. Our goal with this episode is to encourage our audience to go learn more about this topic, and to arm you against common religious arguments against evolution. Spoiler alert....they aren't very good arguments. Links: CosmosThe Greatest Show On Earth by Richard Dawkins.The Language of God by Francis Collins.Why Evolution Is True by Jerry Coyne.Article: 15 Answers to Creationist Nonsense.  

About Jerry Coyne - www.whyevolutionistrue.com/about/ Jerry's Why Evolution Is True blog - “Ways of knowing” - https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa1h0MFIxell0X3VUTzN3MEFNT0hCN24zTnRBQXxBQ3Jtc0trMWR2aXJjUlZ1TloxY2F4Y1dSbWd1eFcxbTNyOW4xWXl2WURweUVmNzk3dm9oSmNLNmdoWkJuYndtN3V4OWMtdXJMV0ZwRFJJajl3S0hrZjZxa3FUTExTWW84S1FzRUFqLUFhd1lKaDRRWVRsX2lRZw&q=https%3A%2F%2Ftinyurl.com%2F3tmmx59d (https://tinyurl.com/3tmmx59d) Email Royal Society of New Zealand chief executive paul.atkins@royalsociety.org.nz ContextIn July 2021, seven University of Auckland professors published a letter to the editor in the New Zealand Listener, titled In Defence of Science. The professors' were responding to a Government education report (see link below), recommending parity for Mātauranga Māori (traditional Māori knowledge) in the secondary school curriculum, and in particular, in the science classroom. The report states:  ”Our goal is to ensure parity for Mātauranga Māori with the other bodies of knowledge credentialed by NCEA (particularly Western/Pākehā epistemologies)."  The report also states:  "Philosophy and History of Science is a unique strand in Pūtaiao [Māori word for Science], with no equivalent in the New Zealand Curriculum. It promotes discussion and analysis of the ways in which science has been used to support the dominance of Eurocentric views (among which, its use as a rationale for colonisation of Māori and the suppression of Māori knowledge); and the notion that science is a Western European invention and itself evidence of European dominance over Māori and other indigenous peoples. Pūtaiao allows opportunities to incorporate Māori perspectives and knowledge about the natural world into the classroom. In this regard, it decentres Western epistemologies and methodologies."  The professors' letter arose from their concern for "the disturbing misunderstandings of science emerging at all levels of education and in science funding", which they state “encourages a mistrust of science”. Their concern is in the context of the decline in maths and science achievements in New Zealand schools, particularly by Māori and Pacific Island students.  Their letter stated:  "Indigenous knowledge is critical for the preservation and perpetuation of culture and local practices, and plays key roles in management and policy. However, in the discovery of empirical, universal truths, it falls far short of what we can define as science itself. To accept it as the equivalent of science is to patronise and fail indigenous populations; better to ensure that everyone participates in the world's scientific enterprises. Indigenous knowledge may indeed help advance scientific knowledge in some ways, but it is not science".  The reaction to the "In Defence of Science" by the University of Auckland, the Royal Society of New Zealand Te Apārangi, the Tertiary Education Union, and the New Zealand Association of Scientists was not positive and can be viewed in the following articles…  Scientists rubbish Auckland University professors' letter claiming Māori knowledge is not science https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbkZ6M1BHa0dJUFIzODR6NUwzTjJOU2xYMVNoUXxBQ3Jtc0tuMEU5YUFjV3Vua2M4WWJhTkliTW1HcE5XU0VWZngyTTJieEh3anVSbm9mb1JwS1M2UjgzQVJjYUNEaE43NmNweDV1RC1fX3Zyc1plTTAwaWVlYWlyRFFsWnVkZjMzRnQwZHE5d0YyQkx2bEh2WVNDQQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Ftinyurl.com%2F2p8v2h9s%C2%A0 (https://tinyurl.com/2p8v2h9s ) University academics' claim Mātauranga Māori 'not science' sparks controversy https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbkxvWnhidjV6U0hTSzQ1M19oX19tZE54VzgyQXxBQ3Jtc0ttcU9lYWwtV0dXNEowbGtVdDJzMkhCV3dNUDJiYm1QSG5UQVdidmNpZmVCbGpqOV9oOWZrZHJPa29EM2R5NGdzVUlvZWdXMDY4X3RFNlZtWk1ia1kyaDI5THNhODltbTRwVDJIdTZrNnF4WDM1Yzdxbw&q=https%3A%2F%2Ftinyurl.com%2F2ybvk3ja%C2%A0...

Jerry's book Why Evolution Is True (2010) can be found here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/300564/why-evolution-is-true-by-jerry-a-coyne/ Faith vs Fact: Why Science and Religion Are Incompatible (2016) can be found here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/312382/faith-versus-fact-by-jerry-a-coyne/9780143108269/ Speciation (2004) by Jerry Coyne and H. Allen Orr can be found here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/speciation-9780878930890?cc=gb&lang=en& Jerry's blog: https://whyevolutionistrue.com/ Follow Jerry on Twitter @Evolutionistrue Further References Steven Pinker, Enlightenment Now (2018); The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined (2011) Timestamps 3:30 Why Jerry wrote Why Evolution Is True 5:45 Public misperceptions of evolution 8:52 Evolution as a tinkerer: the example of hernias 11:08 Turtles, rhinos and tradeoffs 14:38 How mutation works 16:33 How speciation works (with an excerpt from Why Evolution Is True) 23:46 What people (including Darwin) misunderstand about speciation 28:38 Faith vs. Fact: why evolutionary biology has become the main political battleground of religion vs. science 33:42 A creationist road trip. 36:36 Scientists allying with religious groups. The work of the Templeton Foundation. 42:08 Belief in belief. 46:36 The biggest threats to rationality other than religion. 47:10 The argument from evil; rejection of vaccines 49:59 A reading from Evolution Is True

richarddawkins.net/ Richard's latest publication, Books Do Furnish a Life (2021) is available among other places here: www.penguin.co.uk/books/111/111994…81787633681.html See also The Selfish Gene (1979); The Extended Phenotype (1982); Climbing Mount Improbable (1996); A Devil's Chaplain (2003); The Ancestor's Tale (2005); The God Delusion (2006) and many other works. For a more complete list of Richard's books: www.britannica.com/biography/Richard-Dawkins Follow Richard on Twitter: @RichardDawkins Further References Jerry Coyne, Why Evolution Is True (2009) Erik Hoel, The Revelations (2021) Timestamps 4:16 Why more non-scientists should take pleasure in science writing 6:07 Why it is important for scientists to write clearly 14:35 Continuously updated virtual reality 16:33 The genetic book of the dead 20:09 The extended phenotype 25:04 Literature and poetry 27:58 Misconceptions of the gene's eye view 33:13 Misinterpretations of evolutionary biology and of Dawkins' own work in particular 35:48 Defying our genes 36:08 Anti-Darwinian ethics 37:20 Threats to the understanding of science 39:14 Dawkins' gift for satire 44:29 Dawkins' own favourite work

https://richarddawkins.net/ Richard's latest publication, Books Do Furnish a Life (2021) is available among other places here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/111/1119942/books-do-furnish-a-life/9781787633681.html See also The Selfish Gene (1979); The Extended Phenotype (1982); Climbing Mount Improbable (1996); A Devil's Chaplain (2003); The Ancestor's Tale (2005); The God Delusion (2006) and many other works. For a more complete list of Richard's books: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Richard-Dawkins Follow Richard on Twitter: @RichardDawkins Further References Jerry Coyne, Why Evolution Is True (2009) Erik Hoel, The Revelations (2021) Timestamps 4:24 Why more non-scientists should take pleasure in science writing 6:15 Why it is important for scientists to write clearly 14:43 Continuously updated virtual reality 16:41 The genetic book of the dead 20:17 The extended phenotype 25:12 Literature and poetry 28:06 Misconceptions of the gene's eye view 33:21 Misinterpretations of evolutionary biology and of Dawkins' own work in particular 35:56 Defying our genes 36:16 Anti-Darwinian ethics 37:28 Threats to the understanding of science 39:20 Dawkins' gift for satire 44:37 Dawkins' own favourite work

Ako pokračovala diskusia medzi monogenizmom a polygenizmom? Ako boli rôzne rasy klasifikované a kto boli poprední predstavitelia tohto skúmania? A čo to všetko má spoločné s knihou Genezis? ----more----Prečítajte si túto dávku aj ako článok na SME: https://bit.ly/SME_davka155Použitá a odporúčaná literatúra:Coyne, 'Are there human races?', Why Evolution Is True, 2018.Coyne, 'Finally: a sensible discussion of “race”', Why Evolution Is True, 2018.Gould, The Mismeasure of Man, 1980.James, Burgos, ‘Race’, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2020.Lindberg, Numbers (eds.), When Science and Christianity Meet, 2003.Livingstone, Adam's Ancestors: Race, Religion, and the Politics of Human Origins, 2008.Sapp, ‘Race Finished’, American Scientist, 2012.Súvisiace dávky:PD#151: Rasy a Genezis I., https://bit.ly/davka151 PD#92: O pôvode druhov, https://bit.ly/davka92PD#88: Charles Darwin, https://bit.ly/davka88PD#84: Svet pred Darwinom, https://bit.ly/davka84***Dobré veci potrebujú svoj čas. Staň sa patrónom Tvojho obľúbeného podcastu cez Patreon ❤️ (https://bit.ly/PatreonPD) alebo nás podpor jednorazovo či trvalým príkazom (https://bit.ly/CHCEMpodporit). Ďakujeme!

Dnes sa pozrieme na debaty ohľadom pôvodu ľudských rás, ktoré sa začali črtať v 16. storočí. Kto boli adamiti a preadamiti? O čom bol monogezimus a polygenizmus? A akú úlohu hrala v týchto otázkach veda a Biblia?----more----Prečítajte si túto dávku aj ako článok na SME: https://bit.ly/SME_davka151 Použitá a odporúčaná literatúra:Coyne, 'Are there human races?', Why Evolution Is True, 2018.Coyne, 'Finally: a sensible discussion of “race”', Why Evolution Is True, 2018.Gould, The Mismeasure of Man, 1980.James, Burgos, ‘Race’, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2020.Kunec, ‘Slovenský Sokrates: Ako to Adam František Kollár dotiahol z Terchovej až na viedenský dvor’, Historická Revue, 2017.Lindberg, Numbers (eds.), When Science and Christianity Meet, 2003.Sapp, ‘Race Finished’, American Scientist, 2012.Súvisiace dávky:PD#92: O pôvode druhov, https://bit.ly/davka92PD#88: Charles Darwin, https://bit.ly/davka88PD#84: Svet pred Darwinom, https://bit.ly/davka84***Dobré veci potrebujú svoj čas. Pomohla ti táto dávka zamyslieť sa nad niečím zmysluplným? Podpor tvoj obľúbený podcast sumou 1€, 5€ alebo 10€ (trvalý príkaz je topka!) na SK1283605207004206791985. Ďakujeme! Viac info o podpore na pravidelnadavka.sk/#chcem-podporit

Annie Duke is a renown public speaker and decision strategist. For two decades, she was one of the top poker players in the world, including winning a World Series of Poker bracelet and the $2 million winner-take-all WSOP Tournament of Champions. Her study of the science of smart decision-making began with a National Science Foundation Fellowship, which she used study Cognitive Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.  Among her charity work and television appearances, Annie was a runner-up to Joan Rivers on Celebrity Apprentice, during which she raised $700,000 for Refugees International. She is a natural teacher and storyteller with an active mind that constantly searches for accurate truth. I highly recommend Annie’s new book, Thinking in Bets, which comes out this week. In her life after poker, she is a featured speaker, writes a newsletter and a blog, and advises companies on improving their decision-making process. Have a look at her website, annieduke.com, for more information. Our conversation discusses Annie’s path from an Ivy League education to professional poker, the nature of a bet, how we form beliefs, why we make bad decisions, and what we can do to improve our decision-making process. Towards the end, we also talk about bankroll management, poker faces, and advice she would give the President on how to make better decisions.   For more episodes go to CapitalAllocatorsPodcast.com/Podcast Write a review on iTunes Follow Ted on twitter at @tseides Join Ted’s mailing list at CapitalAllocatorsPodcast.com   Show Notes 2:30 – Annie’s path through the poker world  6:05 – Her transition into teaching and the lesson of tilt  11:57 – How do you apply the concepts of betting and gambling broadly to decision making  13:35 – What is it about the science of the brain that prevents us from making good decisions             14:17 – Stumbling on Happiness             14:19 – Dan Gilbert Ted Talk             15:44 – Kluge: The Haphazard Evolution of the Human Mind  18:50 – Motivated reasoning  21:10 – Is there anything we can do to fix our decision-making biases (wanna bet)  28:05 – Other devices to improve our decision-making  32:29 – Value of a decision group             33:16 – Superforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction 34:00 – Mertonian Norms, CUDOS  40:27 – Mental time travel (Marty McFly from Back to the Future)             42:55 – Jerry Seinfeld – Night Guy vs Morning Guy  44:55 – Applying these tools and the parallels between poker and investing  48:59 – Reading poker faces             49:21 – Joe Navarro books             49:34 – Joe Navarro Psychology Today  52:50 – What advice would Annie give President Trump in terms of improving his decision-making process  53:52 – Favorite sports moment  55:45 – What teaching from Annie’s parents has most stayed with her  56:08 – What information does Annie read that a lot of people might not know about that is valuable             56:18 – The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution             56:19 – Why Evolution Is True 56:58 – What life lesson does Annie wish she knew earlier in life 58:28 – Looking ahead, what advice would Annie give herself today from a ripe old age Learn More Read the Transcript Subscribe to the Capital Allocators Blog or Monthly Mailing List Don't Subscribe, but Let Us Know Who You Are Write a review on iTunes Follow Ted on twitter at @tseides Review past episodes of the Podcast

Annie Duke is a renown public speaker and decision strategist. For two decades, she was one of the top poker players in the world, including winning a World Series of Poker bracelet and the $2 million winner-take-all WSOP Tournament of Champions. Her study of the science of smart decision-making began with a National Science Foundation Fellowship, which she used study Cognitive Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.  Among her charity work and television appearances, Annie was a runner-up to Joan Rivers on Celebrity Apprentice, during which she raised $700,000 for Refugees International. She is a natural teacher and storyteller with an active mind that constantly searches for accurate truth. I highly recommend Annie’s new book, Thinking in Bets, which comes out this week. In her life after poker, she is a featured speaker, writes a newsletter and a blog, and advises companies on improving their decision-making process. Have a look at her website, annieduke.com, for more information. Our conversation discusses Annie’s path from an Ivy League education to professional poker, the nature of a bet, how we form beliefs, why we make bad decisions, and what we can do to improve our decision-making process. Towards the end, we also talk about bankroll management, poker faces, and advice she would give the President on how to make better decisions.   For more episodes go to CapitalAllocatorsPodcast.com/Podcast Write a review on iTunes Follow Ted on twitter at @tseides Join Ted’s mailing list at CapitalAllocatorsPodcast.com   Show Notes 2:30 – Annie’s path through the poker world  6:05 – Her transition into teaching and the lesson of tilt  11:57 – How do you apply the concepts of betting and gambling broadly to decision making  13:35 – What is it about the science of the brain that prevents us from making good decisions             14:17 – Stumbling on Happiness             14:19 – Dan Gilbert Ted Talk             15:44 – Kluge: The Haphazard Evolution of the Human Mind  18:50 – Motivated reasoning  21:10 – Is there anything we can do to fix our decision-making biases (wanna bet)  28:05 – Other devices to improve our decision-making  32:29 – Value of a decision group             33:16 – Superforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction 34:00 – Mertonian Norms, CUDOS  40:27 – Mental time travel (Marty McFly from Back to the Future)             42:55 – Jerry Seinfeld – Night Guy vs Morning Guy  44:55 – Applying these tools and the parallels between poker and investing  48:59 – Reading poker faces             49:21 – Joe Navarro books             49:34 – Joe Navarro Psychology Today  52:50 – What advice would Annie give President Trump in terms of improving his decision-making process  53:52 – Favorite sports moment  55:45 – What teaching from Annie’s parents has most stayed with her  56:08 – What information does Annie read that a lot of people might not know about that is valuable             56:18 – The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution             56:19 – Why Evolution Is True 56:58 – What life lesson does Annie wish she knew earlier in life 58:28 – Looking ahead, what advice would Annie give herself today from a ripe old age

Jerry Coyne is a professor in the department of ecology and evolution at the University of Chicago.   He specializes in understanding the origin of species.  In addition to numerous scientific papers and his scholarly book in his field, Speciation, he is the author of the popular book, Why Evolution Is True.   His most recent effort to communicate to popular audiences about science is his latest book, Faith Vs. Fact:  Why Science and Religion Are Incompatible.

Andrea Sequeira reads from Why Evolution Is True by Jerry Coyne, published by Viking. "The 'island argument' for evolution starts with the following observation: oceanic islands are missing many types of native species that we see on both continents and continental islands."

During a Scientific American cruise in the Caribbean, University of Chicago evolutionary biologist Jerry Coyne talks about his new book Why Evolution Is True . And we hear a brief example of what it's like to attend science lectures at sea. Plus, we'll test your knowlege of some recent science in the news. Web sites related to this episode include www.insightcruises.com; www.whyevolutionistrue.com

Jerry A. Coyne has been a professor at the University of Chicago in the department of ecology and evolution for twenty years. He specializes in evolutionary genetics and works predominantly on the origin of new species. He is a regular contributor to The New Republic, the Times Literary Supplement, and other publications. His most recent book is Why Evolution Is True. In this discussion with D.J. Grothe, Jerry Coyne talks about extent and breadth of the evidence for evolution and how the reasons for believing in evolution are not as clearly argued in today's textbooks as they were fifty years ago. He contends that professional evolutionists may take evolution on faith, or on the authority of their intellectual forerunners. He explains how evolution is both a theory and a fact. He details the various kinds of evidence for evolution, including evidence from the fossil record, molecular biology, embryology, the existence of vestigial organs, biogeography, and from bad design. He explores how Darwin discovered evolution by natural selection without the evidence from the fossil record. He explains how sexual reproduction is the key to evolution, and talks about sexual selection. He discusses the Intelligent Design movement and exactly how many scientists are actually proponents of ID. He lists some genuine controversies within evolution, and states that they are indeed taught in the schools. He discusses the relationship of belief in evolution to disbelief in God. And he explains why he feels the need, as a scientist, to publicly speak out in defense of Darwinism.