Evolution advocate to speak at SMU

by PegNews wire

Professor Kenneth Miller on what the collapse of "intelligent design" means for the intersection of science and faith.

On Thursday, Nov. 15 at 5 p.m. in the Hughes-Trigg Student Center Ballroom on the campus of Southern Methodist University, Kenneth R. Miller will lecture on the subject of science and faith in America, and how the falling out of favor of "intelligent design" will affect our understanding of science as a tool for understanding our world. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Weighty topic, that - but Professor Miller (who teaches biology at Brown University) should be up to the challenge: he did, after all, write the (or at least "a") book on it. He was also a lead witness in the 2005 trial on evolution and intelligent design in Dover, PA.

Miller is described as a "staunch defender of the theory of evolution" and an eloquent explainer of the scientific evidence supporting it. He opposes "diffusing" the role of science by including religious and supernatural beliefs in any scientific arguments, and claims we've got all the evidence we need to explain the wonders of the world around us without resorting to such. His conclusion is that science and religious faith are in no way opponents in the battle for one's world view, but can co-exist comfortably and, in fact, nurture each other.

There will be a pre-lecture reception at 4:30 in Hughes-Trigg which I'm guessing will feature some sort of beverages and - if the planets align - cookies, which should generate applause from both sides of the aisle.

For further information, contact Pia Vogel (of SMU's Department of Biological Sciences) at 214-768-1790.

source: SMU

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