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Uncommon Dissent: Intellectuals Who Find Darwinism Unconvincing is a 2004 anthology edited by William Dembski in which fifteen intellectuals, all intelligent design proponents, write in support of design and against "Darwinism". Eight of the fifteen writers are fellows of the Discovery Institute, considered hub of the intelligent design movement.

It is published by the publishing wing of the paleoconservative Intercollegiate Studies Institute. The foreword is by John Wilson, editor of the evangelical Christian magazine Christianity Today. Described by the Discovery Institute as "a summary of the widespread attack upon Darwinism by ... leading intellectuals," the book rejects the broad acceptance of evolution within the scientific community. In her expert witness report for the Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District trial Barbara Forrest cited Discovery Institute fellow Nancy R. Pearcey's writings in Uncommon Dissent as evidence of the religious foundations of the institute's Wedge strategy and of intelligent design.

The title is a pun on the principle of biology known as common descent.

Topics Addressed

The book contains four sections: Part I: A Crisis of Confidence; Part II: Darwinism's Cultural Inroads; Part III: Leaving the Darwinian Fold; and Part IV: Auditing the Books. Part I, consisting of three essays, offers opinions on why Darwinism is questioned by the public at large. Part II, consisting of four essays, discusses the authors' opinions on the effects Darwinism has had on society and culture. Part III, consisting of three essays, deals with the personal intellectual journeys of contributors Behe, Denton, and Barham, whose attitudes toward Darwinism have changed through their lives. Part IV, consisting of four essays, presents the authors' opinions on the consistency and scope of Darwinism.

Controversy

The book's introduction characterizes Darwinism by the central claim that "an unguided physical process can account for the emergence of all biological complexity and diversity". The scientific community, which rejects intelligent design, say design proponents employ intentional ambiguity in using the term "Darwinism" to refer to the theory of evolution.

ISBN 1-932236-31-7

The Dissenters

The fifteen "dissenting intellectuals" are:

• William A. Dembski, intelligent design activist, Discovery Institute Senior Fellow
• Robert Koons, philosopher, theologian, Christian apologist, Discovery Institute Fellow
• Phillip E. Johnson, lawyer, Christian apologist, Discovery Institute Program Advisor
• Marcel-Paul Schützenberger, mathematician
• Nancy R. Pearcey, Christian apologist, Discovery Institute Fellow
• Edward Sisson, attorney
• J. Budziszewski, philosopher, Discovery Institute Fellow
• Frank J. Tipler, mathematical physicist
• Michael J. Behe, biochemist, Discovery Institute Senior Fellow
• Michael John Denton, biochemist
• James Barham, independent scholar
• Cornelius G. Hunter, biophysicist, Discovery Institute Fellow
• Roland F. Hirsch, US Dept of Energy
• Christopher Michael Langan
• David Berlinski, popular mathematics author, Discovery Institute Senior Fellow

Although at least three of the contributors work in biology-related fields, none is a professional biologist.

"Darwinism"

"Darwinism" is a term for the underlying theory in those ideas of Charles Darwin concerning evolution and natural selection, and can refer to evolution by natural selection, to evolution more broadly, or to other ideas not directly associated with the work of Darwin.

Contributor James Barham argues in Uncommon Dissent that "it is incorrect to simply equate Darwinism with belief in evolution." He distinguishes empirical Darwinism ("the idea that the formation of new species is due to random changes in individual organisms that happen to be 'selected' by the environment") from metaphysical Darwinism (the claim that "the theory of natural selection has successfully reduced all teleological and normative phenomena to the interplay of chance and necessity, thus eliminating purpose and value from our picture of the world"). For Barham, the "real problem with the evolution debate" is not empirical Darwinism, but a sort of "theory creep" in which a "bold but circumscribed scientific claim" (empirical Darwinism) becomes conflated with "a much more sweeping philosophical claim" (metaphysical Darwinism).

References

1. Fellows, Center for Science and Culture, Discovery Institute.
2. Defending science education against intelligent design: a call to action Journal of Clinical Investigation 116:1134-1138 (2006). doi:10.1172/JCI28449. A publication of the American Society for Clinical Investigation.
3. Uncommon Dissent, Intellectuals who find Darwinism Unconvincing Center for Science and Culture, June 1 2004.
4. Uncommon Dissent pp 17, 85, 87, 133.
5. National Association of Biology Teachers Statement on Teaching Evolution
6. IAP Statement on the Teaching of Evolution Joint statement issued by the national science academies of 67 countries, including the United Kingdom's Royal Society (PDF file)
7. From the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world's largest general scientific society: 2006 Statement on the Teaching of Evolution (PDF file), AAAS Denounces Anti-Evolution Laws
8. Expert Witness Report Barbara Forrest, April 1, 2005, page 29.
9. Dembski, Uncommon Dissent, p. xx.
10. "Before discussing Defendants’ claims about evolution, we initially note that an overwhelming number of scientists, as reflected by every scientific association that has spoken on the matter, have rejected the ID proponents’ challenge to evolution." Kitzmiller v. Dover page 83
11. "As I stated earlier, Johnson, Dembski, and their associates have assumed the task of destroying 'Darwinism,' 'evolutionary naturalism,' 'scientific materialism,' 'methodological naturalism,' 'philosophical naturalism,' and other 'isms' they use as synonyms for evolution." Barbara Forrest’s Letter to Simon Blackburn Barbara Forrest. March 2000. Quoted in Rebuttal to Reports by Opposing Expert Witnesses William A. Dembski. May 14 2005
12. "In his latest Commentary essay on 'Darwinism' - as it is often called by those who do not know much evolutionary biology..." Darwinism Versus Intelligent Design Paul Gross. Commentary Magazine, Vol. 115, March 2003, No. 3
13. Barham, Uncommon Dissent, pp. 177–8.

External links

• "The Myths of Darwinism" - the book's introduction, by William Dembski
• "Refereed Journals: Do They Insure Quality or Enforce Orthodoxy?" - Frank Tipler's chapter

• 2004 books
• Intelligent design books