Today we’ll be having a lunchtime pizza chat entitled “Thank God For Evolution?” Richard Dawkins has expressed gratitude for Darwin’s theory, as making it possible to be an intellectually-fulfilled atheist. But Francisco Ayala is one of many who has expressed gratitude for evolution as making it possible to be an intellectually-fullfilled Christian. If one had to believe that God directly created parasites to feast on other organisms and devour them alive, it would lead to a far more problematic view of God than evolution does. One simply cannot avoid rethinking one’s views about God in light of scientific knowledge, but without evolution, the things we know about biological organisms might necessitate the abandonment of any notion of a benevolent deity.
Here is a selection of other recent Darwin Day posts:
John Dennehy is gathering Darwin Day posts too.
John Pieret offers a quote from a biography of Charles Darwin. There is much more than a single post on this subject on his blog.
Wesley R. Elsberry has been covering the public part of the discussion on science education in Florida. Also at The Panda’s Thumb.
Jason Rosenhouse disagrees with Richard Harries on the subject of evolution and religion.
Scott Hatfield shares his Credo as well as a post about Darwin Day.
Paleoblog shares the introduction to a museum exhibit on Darwin.
P. Z. Myers wishes you a Happy Darwin Day (and Valentine’s Day).
The Dispersal of Darwin has lots to offer, including information about Darwin Day e-cards.
Duane Smith offers Darwin a hesitant happy birthday.
Ian sums up the event hosted by the Center for Inquiry at the University of Oklahoma.
The Panda’s Thumb offers a dancing panda and invites us to learn more about biology.
Hyper-Textual Ontology wished to say more.
WickedEye’s Quotient offers a belated happy Darwin Day.
Michael Barton’s whole blog is relevant to this event.
Pondering Pikaia starts with a great quote from the man himself.
Peggy has a post on Darwin and Science Fiction.
IO9 shares the news that a hot planet with organic compounds has been found outside our solar system. New Scientist also featured that story, as well as one about the ongoing controversy in the public sphere about Darwin’s theory. That article also alerts us to a new web site to watch…next year.
Vridar has an interesting post on the wiring of our brains and the three-tiered view of the universe.
If Darwin Had A Web Browser, He Would Never Have Written The Origin…