Prominent Scientists, National Poll Question Unbalanced Presentation of Evolution

1/18/2002

From: Mark Edwards of the Discovery Institute, 206-292-0401, ext. 107 or e-mail: medwards@discovery.org

SEATTLE, Jan. 18 -- One-hundred scientists have declared their skepticism of Darwinian evolution in an effort to dispel the oft-repeated claim that all scientists agree with Darwin's theory.

Signers include five-time Nobel nominee Henry Schaefer and professors and researchers at Yale, Princeton, MIT, U Penn, UC Berkeley, Texas A&M, the Smithsonian Institute, NASA, and the National Laboratories at Livermore, Calif., and Los Alamos, N.M.

They represent fields as diverse as biology, chemistry, anthropology, biochemistry, geology, neuroscience, physics and astronomy.

Chemist Henry Schaefer spoke of the need to encourage debate on Darwin's theory of evolution, saying, "Some defenders of Darwinism embrace standards of evidence for evolution that as scientists they would never accept in other circumstances." Schaefer directs the Center for Computational Quantum Chemistry at the University of Georgia.

"The numbers of scientists who question Darwinism is a minority, but it is growing fast," said Stephen Meyer, a Cambridge-educated philosopher of science who directs an origin-of-life research center at Seattle's Discovery Institute.

"Most Darwinists want people to think that the only criticism of Darwin's theory today is from religious fundamentalists," said Discovery Institute president Bruce Chapman. "They routinely try to stigmatize scientists who question Darwin as 'creationists,' but this is simply not accurate."

The statement, "A Scientific Dissent from Darwinism," proclaims, "We are skeptical of claims for the ability of random mutation and natural selection to account for the complexity of life. Careful examination of the evidence for Darwinian theory should be encouraged."

The full list can be found online at www.ReviewEvolution.com.

Meanwhile, an August 2001 Zogby Poll shows overwhelming public support -- 71 percent -- for the position that "Biology teachers should teach Darwin's theory of evolution, but also the scientific evidence against it."

Only 15 percent supported presenting "only Darwin's theory of evolution and the scientific evidence that supports it." (Fourteen percent said "Neither" or "Not sure.")

"The American public has clearly expressed an overwhelming sentiment in favor of hearing all scientific sides of the debate," said Chapman, former director of the U.S. Census Bureau. "The huge majorities in the poll cross every demographic, regional and political line in America."

The national sample of 1,202 adults was conducted by Zogby International from Aug. 25-29, 2001. The margin of error is plus-or-minus 3.0 percent.