Behe takes on the "limits of evolution"
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Michael Behe is used to kicking up a fuss.
A professor of biochemistry at Lehigh University, Behe has been a scientific celebrity since the publication in 1996 of Darwin’s Black Box, a book famous for the concept of "irreducible complexity." According to Behe, many systems in nature cannot be explained by the tiny, gradual, random changes that are central to Darwin’s theory of evolution. Some other explanation is necessary to account for the complexities of the cell, he says.
Behe will be the final lecturer in Southwestern Adventist University’s 2008 Saxon Lecture Series, April 26 at 4 p.m. Speaking on subject "The Edge of Evolution," Behe will address the scientific limitations of Darwinian evolution. As one critic noted, "Behe is not afraid to offend all parties of the evolution debate."
Behe is not a "creationist," defending a particular interpretation of the Bible. Instead, he sees himself as a scientific skeptic, asking "How much of the change we find in nature can be explained by Darwinism?" And the answer is "Not that much," according to Behe.
Using the ordinary methods of science–that is, "detailed physical evidence, plus standard logic"—Behe concludes that the universe "was designed." Nothing in his interpretation, he says, relies on "holy books or prophetic dreams." Science cannot tell us whether a "designer" is good or all powerful, as Christianity teaches, but science can distinguish between random mutations and non-random ones. "Denying design," Behe has written, "simply because it can cause terrible pain is a failure of nerve, a failure to look the universe in the face."
The Saxon lecture series was created by Dr. George Saxon, retired physics teacher from Southwestern Adventist University. It is designed to promote scholarly discussion of science and religion. Previous presentations have included lectures on C. S. Lewis, Charles Darwin, and John Harvey Kellogg.
Behe’s lecture will be presented in the Mabee Center, Wharton Auditorium, 303 W. Magnolia St., in Keene.