Volume 37 Number 6                               NOV/DEC 1995


ASA Annual Meeting Symposium: Should Pandas Be Recommended?

The 1995 ASA Annual Meeting Symposium addressed the question: "Should ASA members support the use of the textbook, Of Pandas and People, as a supplement to the standard high school biology textbooks?" It was chaired by Creation Commission chairperson David Wilcox.

Nelson Introduces Issue

Philosopher of science Paul Nelson introduced the symposium. Paul defended the intelligent design thesis with its design ideas in biology. Teleological language, Paul observed, is already a part of biology literature and teleological reasoning is found in Darwin when he argued: "Would God have doneº ?" This is essentially a theological and, consequently, a teleological argument. Paul referred to Neal C. Gillespie's book, Charles Darwin and the Problem of Creation, for further demonstration of teleology in biological arguments. Paul also remarked that Gould and Dawkins "make many reverse teleological arguments." Paul's introduction thereby laid the grounds for why the debate itself had merit.

Behe Supports Pandas, Contrasts with Biology

Michael Behe, prof. of biochemistry at Lehigh U. in Pennsylvania and a symposium participant last year, took the position favoring recommendation of Pandas (P.) He evaluated it according to three criteria: as a (supplemental) textbook, its science, and its pedagogy. Compared to symposium participant Kenneth Miller's popular textbook, Biology (B.), he assessed the terminology and topics covered to be comparable.

As for science, P. is "top-notch" perhaps superior to Ken's book, Behe asserted. He discussed Miller's experiment (a different Miller than Ken) of over four decades ago which attempted a laboratory simulation of presumed conditions on early earth. Inorganic chemicals were subjected to pressure, light, electrical discharge (simulated lightning), etc., and some of the amino acids and other chemicals found in living organisms were produced. Mike noted that P. covers biases in these experiments, such as the destruction of DNA bases by ultraviolet light and that much of the resulting material, such as formaldehyde, is not conducive to life.

Mike's criticism of B. in contrast to P. is that it treats these experiments as the last word, so far. Mike noted that B. discusses comets and hypothermal vents as serious problems for origins of life. Yet, P. puts forward more detailed criticisms of present origins of life theories.

Next, Behe emphasized that evolution has multiple definitions, such as: change over time, common descent, or mutation and natural selection. Behe said P. distinguishes between these meanings while B. shows no hint of such difficulties. This is likely to confuse high-school students. For example, B. talks about peppered moth adaptation immediately before introducing macroevolution. Behe criticized glosses over such difficulties in these theories because it teaches students to unquestioningly accept authority.

Finally, Behe opined that P. is mild-mannered and polite in style, and that the hysterical reaction against P. is based on its breaking a taboo: P. does not bend the knee to science; it does not say that the problem of life will be solved by science. Behe contrasted P. again with B., which invites students to write about their understanding of evolution but doesn't say what the fuss is about. Yet it broaches extrascientific issues such as environmentalism, recycling, and the right to cause extinction of species. Behe finished by noting that other areas of science are not as religiophobic. For instance, the Big Bang theory may have religious overtones but hasn't been rejected by science.

Miller Lists Errors in Pandas

Kenneth Miller is prof. of biology at Brown U. in Providence, Rhode Island, where he was an undergrad. He was an assistant prof. at Harvard U. for six years before returning to Brown. His high-school textbook, Biology, is in its third edition (1990) with 700,000 copies in circulation. His current research involves plant cell membranes and how viruses get from cell to cell in plants.

Ken was apprehensive about what his reception before ASAers would be. After all, as he noted at the beginning of his talk, all of the other symposium participants were listed in Pandas as contributing to it in some way! To break the ice, Ken put on his "ASA" capóhe umpires in his son's sports activities as part of the Amateur Softball Association. After Mike's extensive reference to his book, no introduction was needed, though he too had an essentially identical slide showing its front cover. Ken would like to see P. usedóhe's not for censoring itóbut does not endorse its use. He would say yes to P. if it offered a novel view, a fair summary of life science, corrected any major errors, or stimulated critical scientific thought.

Ken began describing his difficulties with the book by noting that, despite reference to the half-life of rubidium and strontium, P. says nothing about the age of the earth. Secondly, its coverage of fossils is in need of correction. Fossils are neither rare nor fragmentary. For instance, there are over a million extant sea urchin fossils. Many fossils are not lacking in detail either. The fossil record shows continuity between present and past life much better than some arguments to the contrary. Furthermore, evolution does not follow continuous or linear descent but shows a branching pattern instead.

Ken also gave the example of Mekong River snails to illustrate that there are few gaps in the fossil record. Yet all of this is, according to Ken, rendered invalid by P. which asserts that fossils are no proof of ancestry. Why is it, Ken asked, that the first amphibian to appear in the record is more fish-like than other amphibians? P. says fish appeared early but doesn't say present boned fish appeared late (recently) in the record. Groups appear and disappear (punctuated equilibrium), yet extinction is not discussed in P. And what is extinction evidence of? P. argues for intelligent design in terms of the appearance of new species but does not confront the extinction of species.

Ken described transitional forms of the whale and Ambulocetus natans, a critical intermediate between land mammals and present-day whales. Yet P. denies intermediate forms. As for the human fossil record, P.'s prehuman fossils are not antecedent to humans. Furthermore, P.'s chapter on molecular homology distorts the molecular nature of the fossil record: Darwinism does not predict equal distances between organisms. That both humans and apes have the same pseudogenes implies common ancestry. According to Ken, a big error is that the red (or lesser) panda [Finally! Something about pandas!] does not have an opposable thumb. Ken summed up P.'s major errors in facts: P. distorts evolutionary theory and mischaracterizes the fossil record.

And then 

Following these presentations were interactions with the audience. John Wiester quoted from Miller's book, Biology (K. Miller and J. Levine, Prentice-Hall, 1993, p. 658):

" In many ways, each animal phylum represents an experiment in the design of body structures to perform the tasks necessary for survival. Of course, there has never been any kind of plan to these experiments because evolution works without either plan or purpose."

He then asked Ken if he would consider this science or philosophy. John's point was that B.'s ideological implications are significant and worth considering for revision in the next edition of the book.

The tone of the symposium was congenial, lacked vitriol, and yet was hard-hitting and forthrightówhat many of those attending prayed it would be: a serious exchange of worthwhile ideas about the issues raised by Pandas. Channels of communication also appeared to open for further dialog. Both Mike Behe and Ken Miller impressed some of us with not only their scientific acumen but with their remarkable Christian character. As Ken facetiously pointed out in passing during the interaction time, it is indeed unusual to find a largely Protestant organization hosting a debate between two Catholics!

Great Minds, Parallel Paths

They say that great minds travel similar paths. Now there is some evidence for this tenuous conjecture from this year's Annual Meeting. For starters, both Judy Toronchuk of Trinity Western U. in Langely BC (east of Vancouver) and Dillard Faries, Wheaton C. physicist, were on Christian missions to the city of Zaporozhe (American) or Zaporoghye (Canadian) in the Ukraine. Furthermore, both Dillard and David Fisher, who was elected this year as an ASA Fellow, found the face of Einstein congenial to their thoracic attire.

More compelling evidence was revealed, when Robert Brainard and Kenneth Van Dellen both appeared at the Meeting with T-shirts from the obscure Caribbean island of St. Martin (French) or St. Maarten (Dutch). The island is splitóhalf French, half Dutch. In this case, the opposing halves demonstrate variations in position (location?) that is typically found in the ASA, especially on less geographical matters.

The rigorous experimental methods of scientific data reduction preclude our use of the next picture as evidence favoring the hypothesis because of known collaboration between Montreat C. Local Arrangements Committee members at the Annual Meeting. Their dress, completely atypical in the torrid North Carolina heat, was intended to impress upon us the cooler climate atop Mt. Mitchell, the tallest peak east of the Mississippi R. Our thanks to Mike Sonnenberg, local arrangements chair, and to Brad Daniel and the other committee members, Lloyd Davis and Mark Lassiter, for a splendid, well-run meeting!

Caring Research Awards

This is the third year in which the ASA Caring Research Awards (of $150 each) were given. Had Mike Epstein's car trouble not prevented him from attending the Annual Meeting and giving his paper on environmental lead contamination, he might have won the Caring for Creation award, which was not awarded this year.

Annual Meeting Program Chairman Martin Price, Director of the Education Concerns for Hunger Organization (ECHO) won the Caring for People award for his paper, "Making Science Work for the Poor" as representative of the kind of empirical research ASA wants to encourageóespecially from operations that run as much on vision as on their shoestring budgets. Martin wrote that he has "never been more surprised in my life" than to learn he received the award.

Betty Juergensmeyer's paper, "Plasmid Acquisition in Microgravity," won in the Caring for Science category. Betty, at Judson C. in Elgin, IL, hadn't heard of space biology until her daughter, Margaret who is a co-author of the paper and a graduate student at Kansas State U., declared her interest in the subject. "The judges were impressed," award announcer Walt Hearn wrote her, "by the way you seized an opportunity to fly an experiment on a space shuttle mission and thus bring science `down to earth' for your students." Betty's experiment flew on STS63 in February of this year, and tested how easily bacteria take up plasmid DNA in microgravity. The result? It will be somewhat harder to stay disease-free in space. A follow-up experiment will hopefully fly onboard Endeavor (STS69).

Press releases accompanied the notifying letters to award recipients. Don Munro, ASA Executive Director, said that the awards encourage scientists to show, in practical ways, their love for God's creation, for needy people, and for the scientific enterprise. Walt Hearn

Pandas Postscript

The JUL/AUG '95 issue of the ASAN reported on the discussion in Alabama school circles about the use of the supplementary high-school biology textbook, Of Pandas and People. (See "ASA Annual Meeting Symposium" article for more detail on book controversy.) John Wiester, chairman of the ASA Science Education Commission, wrote in reference to Constance Holden's article, "Creationism: Alabama Cracks Open the Door" (Science, Vol. 268, 7 APR 1995):

"It's not just that Alabama wants to teach evolution as a theory, it's that "explanations of the origins of life and major groups of plants and animals, including humans, shall be treated as theory and not as fact."º The beauty of the Science quote from the Alabama guidelines is that they don't use that ambiguous and manipulable word "evolution," but "explanations for origins" are to be treated as theory rather than fact. That's obviously why there should be fear and trembling on the part of metaphysical naturalists, but why should there be fear and trembling on the part of scientists that "explanationsº shall be treated as theory and not as fact?"

The July 1995 Scientific American (p. 12) reported on "Darwin Denied: Opponents of evolution make gains in schools." "Creation science" is out by law, but now "`intelligent design,' a theistic formula that posits an unnamed intelligent force to explain the diversity of life" threatens science curricula, this "Science and the Citizen" article proclaims. The Pandas textbook and John Buell, Director of the Foundation for Thought and Ethicsóthe copyright holderóis quoted as opposing the "metaphysical naturalism" of other books. Kevin Padian of U. C. Berkeley called Pandas "fundamentalism in disguise" but the article opines that its scrupulous avoidance of suggesting divine creation may allow it to elude the 1987 Supreme Court ruling that creation science is religion. Buell counters in the article that Pandas is not religious but is congenial to theism.

Eugenie Scott of the National Center for Science Education also appears, stating that "antievolutionary sentiment is strong in many small towns." Pandas in Alabama is also covered, and elsewhere two pro-Pandas school-board members in Plano, TX were voted out in a "bitterly contested election." In Merrimack, NH, school-board meetings are packed with supporters for a creationist curriculum, though the details were not given in the article. Although Jon Buell did not state where in "more than 12 states" Pandas is being used, the ACLU said that complimentary copies were given to the Louisville, Ohio school district. The ACLU previously threatened them with a lawsuit over creationism. Scott ended the article, extrapolating that "Sooner or later we are going to have to go to court over Pandas."

Finally, the "IBRI Newsletter" (Vol. 15, No. 2) reported that John Wiester and Bob Newman (that's "Robert C.") are working on a cartoon-illustrated book, Darwinism for Skeptics. The partially completed book was brought to the Annual Meeting and is targeted for high-school students. The illustrations and overall composition were attractive and of high quality. The skepticism addresses issues from ASA's Resolution (found in the latest edition of Teaching Science in a Climate of Controversy for high-school biology teachers), and rhetorical maneuvers such as faulty analogies, unwarranted extrapolations, and either/or fallacies. Teaching Science is available from the ASA office (see ASAN box for address) for $7 (1) plus $1.50 p/h or $6 (2-9) and $1.50 handling plus postage. The cartoon book is not yet out. <F41559M>*<F255D> Timothy Chen, John Wiester, Bob Newman


If you have to behave like the enemy in order to win, then the battle is already lost.
 ñ Walter Hearn, Monday devotions, 1995 ASA Annual Meeting


ASAers in Action

Personals

New ASA Members

Welcome, new ASAers! From April through August, we have added 52 members. Local Section leaders, invite new members in your area to become locally active. Call the ASA office if you need a more definitive location.

Anderson, EvanñArden Hills, MN

Barton, ErikñNashville, TN

Beiser, HelenñChicago, IL

Cook, LynñDecatur, AL

Courtney, BernardñBel Air, MD

Davenport, Jr., RobertñEl Paso, TX

Dayton, BrianñGranger, IN

Duscher, AlyssañNaperville, IL

Edison, JohnñDerry NH

Feucht, LewisñClackamas, OR

Frette, Olav Ingeñ0491 Oslo, Norway

Gasper, JoyñNewark, DE

Grassie, WilliamñUnionville, PA

Gyger, TerryñBrookline, MA

Hall, TimothyñKijabe, Kenya

Hoffman, W. HowardñLas Vegas, NV

Hoffmann, DominikñMadison, WI

Holub, FrederickñGeneseo, NY

Huber, ReubenñCalgary, Canada

Jyoo, Yeong SaeñGlendale, CA

Kooi, ElseñLos Altos, CA

Lanham, CharlesñMarietta, GA

Larimer, EricñWheaton, IL

Leck, MaliañWest Chicago, IL

McCrery, RebeccañAlexandria, MN

Meyer, TraciñMontreat, NC

Mohlman, DeanñAustin, TX

Mongrain, DanielñCanada

Musselman, MaryannñLinwood, PA

Oakes, JeffñAlbuquerque, NM

Ogilvie, CoreenñWheaton, IL

Oldham, DavidñHuntington, PA

Parks, GeorgeñBartlesville, OK

Paulsen, SeanñAnn Arbor, MI

Pelton, ElizabethñVictor, NY

Perry, CharlesñLawrence, KS

Peterson, BrianñVacaville, CA

Presher, Jr., GordonñFairport, NY

Richey, W. FrankñLake Jackson, TX

Romig, KimberlyñWichita, KS

Root, ChristopherñGambrills, MD

Russell, AlanñZionsville, PA

Schmitt, DonñIndianapolis, IN

Schomer, BillñColumbus, OH

Shimada, MakotoñAichi 484, Japan

Sprinkle, BarnabasñSan Antonio, TX

Strohmaier, EdñGresham, OR

Trock, JenniferñJenison, MI

Wang, AndrewñAlburtis, PA

White, MatthewñWheaton, IL

Wilson, CharlotteñIndianapolis, IN

Wolinski, JeffreyñWinfield, IL

Squibs

"Dr. Scott made an amazing admission. Usually she claims her organization, an offshoot of the American Humanist Association, is interested in good science education, but in this program ["The Creation Controversy," PBS, aired late May] she admitted that it exists to fight creationism. She views her organization as the "David" doing battle with the "Goliath" of ICR."

"Scott condemned the creation science of the Genesis literalists, of course, but she extended her condemnation to creation in the more general sense of intelligent design or direction."

"Francis Collins can tell audiences that belief in God is good for them and only a few extreme atheists will be outraged. Let him start to tell those audiences that a supernatural intelligence may have been required for the origins of life, however, or that God forbids scientific experimentation on human embryos, and he had better start looking for another job."

Johnson recognizes however that Collins's beliefs have an objective basis and are not without evidence. Collins has said, "There is no conflict between being an absolutely rigorous scientist and being a person of faith." He further has said that "Christians have a lot to contribute to these [ethical] debates, especially if they are well informed."

Johnson goes on to urge naturalistic scientists to not be timid but to "argue vigorously for what they think to be true." Additional insight into Johnson's thinking about God's relation to the creation: "A person who wants to believe in God badly enough can do so regardless of how purposeless evolution appears to have been, but a God who went to such lengths to conceal his role in creation from impartial scientific investigators must have some very peculiar motives."

Finally, Johnson is disturbed by the "compromise" offered by Scott because she "is neither an active scientist nor a philosopher; she is a kind of police chief who oversees a national effort to prevent arguments for creation from getting a foothold in public educationº What she offers is peace on a conqueror's terms."

However one assesses Eugenie Scott and the NCSE or the extent to which God's signature is written in his creation, the debate goes on. Phil would like it to be more vigorous, however. John Wiester

With the Lord

Roger C. Burgus of Tulsa, Oklahoma passed away June 3, 1995. He was a biochemist.

ASAers Want Outreach to Churches

Austin Anthis of Houston, TX wrote a letter to the ASA just before he got the JUL/AUG issue of ASAN, concerned that ASA was not doing enough to reach churches. He indicated that, were he able, he would donate to "organizations that are trying to have a greater influence on the mainstream of evangelical Christianity in relation to scripture-science issues." Anthis said, "I feel strongly that the ASA could be a great help to the churchº but we are not (in my opinion) doing what we could or should in this area." And "what do we do to help the poor Sunday School teacherº ?" Or how do we enable ASAers to help such teachers? Austin cites Reasons to Believe, headed by Hugh Ross, as producing helpful literature. But, he goes on, "he is just one man with one academic background (astronomy). And he is a member of ASA! Why did he have to form a separate organization? Couldn't this literature have been produced within the ASA, where we also have many [members] of other backgrounds and training that complement his and thus even broaden the work he is doing."

Anthis cites, Teaching Science as a good book for science teachers, but "I have talked with a number of my associates or friends of scientific background (but none of them in academic positions) and usually found that they had only a passing interest in ASA because of the decided academic nature of most of our publications and activities." Although not suggesting that academic questions be neglected, he desires avenues by which to help fellow Christiansóeven those not knowing they need help. Austin finished by saying that "I'll be interested in seeing what we as an organization can do to improve the situation."

Upon reading the JUL/AUG 1995 ASAN, Austin included a cover letter with the one described above, saying: "I was glad to seeº some of my major concerns for ASA reaching out and becoming effective in the greater evangelical community [are] mentionedº " But he also observed that this is "only a start in possibly getting our organization to act and produce items that would be of great benefit for directing (or correcting) some evangelical thinking [about] science/biblical subjects." Austin closed with the idea that "possibly a commission within the ASA could develop itemsº " of help. "Please don't put this on the back burner; let's get the pot to boiling!"

The Editor also received a letter from Martin Root of Freeville, NY, who appreciated the ASA 3-dimensional model, with axes: fellowship, scholarship and stewardship. (See JUL/AUG 1995 ASAN, back page.) He would label the "stewardship" axis as "mission" instead, and finds a sense of it in the Newsletter very invigorating. Martin elaborated: "Our [ASA's] mission recognizes that we are actively involved in the ongoing spiritual battle of our age, not just a club of like-minded friends."

Comments similar to those of Austin's and Martin's were heard at the ASA Annual Meeting. Austin asked what it would take to "awaken the sleeping giant of ASA." Perhaps it is already awakening.

Many ASAers are already productive in reaching churches with science/Christianity material, though not under the ASA label. ASA has been a kind of "holding company" for those involved in such work and we have yet to explore how the many organizations of ASAers can relate synergistically to the ASA itself. Any ideas?

The Executive Director's Corner

Where has this year gone? Well, at least some best parts are left ó Thanksgiving and Christmas. During the last but very beautiful days of summer in Ipswich, I spent many hours collating data from the ASA Membership Information sheets that you received with my June letter. That kept me off Cranes Beach and out of the skin cancer-causing sunlight. Almost 1,100 information sheets are here which means that there are at least 800 still out there sitting on desks of members. If you have lost yours, let us know and we will send another. If not, we would really appreciate receiving the information to update our files and connect you with a commission or affiliation. The sheet generally takes about ten minutes to complete unless you have a lot to tell us.

The best thing about going over them was learning so much more about you. We are a diverse group with so much talent and so much to offer the Kingdom. The question is how to tap into this energy since so many of you are busy. Many volunteered to do things and I am most thankful for that. Richard Ruble, our book editor, will be surprised to hear that so far 384 members are willing to review a book for the journal. Since we review around 70 books a year, Richard has enough of you for at least the next five to six years so do not look to be contacted too quickly. There are 108 that are ready to serve on our editorial board. Jack Haas has the names. I told him that you would make good referees for potential journal articles.

An important group were those of you (about 220) who volunteered to put special effort into recruiting new members. We wrote to each and sent additional brochures. If the people in this group recruited two members a year for the next five years, we would have our 2,000 new members by 2,000 AD. That would be a real shot in the arm for the affiliation. I hope that all of you are willing to work in this capacity. If you need additional brochures, please let us know. It was gratifying to see that our membership includes many young scientists, most with a Ph.D. They are busy with research, tenure, young families, and mortgages so that they cannot be as active in ASA as they would like. It does take special dedication and commitment to add extra duties but I hope that more of our younger members will see ASA as an important part of their service to the Lord.

The most time-consuming part was getting you located in your primary and secondary commissions and affiliations. We appreciate those who volunteered to serve on the five-member board of one of our commissions. The commission chairs have received your names and are completing their board membership. So far the largest one is the Physical Sciences Commission with more than 350 primary or secondary members. Not far behind is the Science Education Commission with about 285 members, Philosophy and Theology Commission with 270, Creation Commission with 245, and Global Resources and Environmental Commission with 135. One new commission, History of Science, picked up some 120 members while the Bioethics Commission has about 110. The smallest commission, but an important one, is Communications with 35 while the Industrial Commission has 60 and the Social Sciences Commission has about 65. About 135 people opted for the Affiliation of Christian Biologists and 50 for the Affiliation of Christian Geologists. I was surprised that many people, especially those in industry, chose commissions outside their reported field.

The above figures do not include about 75 sheets that are not yet collated, members who did not choose to join any commission or affiliation, and the 800 who have not yet reported. It is the hope of the next year's program chair, David Moberg, and myself, that in the future we will set aside at least one hour at the annual meeting for commission and affiliation members to get together. There is so much potential in each group and the commission leaders cannot do it all. If you failed to join a commission or affiliation and would still like to, let us know. Some were confused about what the obligation might be. The time spent is up to you. I hope to see information circulating among members, the preparation of pamphlets or short books written for the Christian lay public or fellow scientists, and eventually have groups become a stronger, collective voice in the scientific political arena.

Almost 200 members showed interest in maintaining, starting, or joining a local section. That is good news. By now most of those people should have been contacted about others in their area with similar interest. They may be approaching some of you about getting together at least once or twice a year. Such gatherings will invigorate the affiliation and inform more people about our still "secretive" organization. I am hoping that the more active local sections will provide information about how to sustain a local group and what activities seem to work best.

Special thanks to those 55 members who listed themselves as sustaining donors. They help us greatly to keep the organization moving forward. As time goes along, we will contact those of you who want to consider a planned gift. Finally, over 100 are willing to do volunteer work for the organization. As we get further organized, we will be calling upon you to represent us in your local area at a meeting where people who should know more about the affiliation will be attending. Evangelical congresses, Sunday School Conventions, special church functions, Promise Keepers meetings, and scientific gatherings are among the possibilities. We will send you brochures and other materials needed to publicize the organization. If any of you hear of an important meeting coming up, let us know.

Please do not forget those important end-of-year donations. We need over $25,000 to balance this year's budget. You have a hard working staff here. About our only frivolity is to take each person out to lunch for their birthday at some local restaurant. We surely do have a wonderful time at these. Jack Haas, our journal editor, is as busy as ever in "retirement" but he and Ann did manage a car trip with another couple to the Maritime Provinces in Canada at a time when he would ordinarily have been in the classroom. Oh, the breaks of retirement! We have only about 50 copies of Richard Bube's new book left so get yours while you can at $28.50 plus $2.00 p/h. Have a wonderful holiday season as we focus on thankfulness both for what God has entrusted in our care and for the great gift of his son whom he sent us almost two thousand years ago.

Don Munro