Scientists who dissent on evolution

The beauty of creation. Credit: Max Norskog/Flickr/Creative Commons

We are inundated constantly with messages on evolutionary theory. We see it referenced in movies, documentaries, newspapers, magazines, websites and even TV ads.

Though flooded almost daily with this belief, many are unaware there is a growing list of scientists who openly question the very tenants of Darwin’s theory of evolution. This is happening because the evidence does not support the theory — one of the basic theorems of science.

In fact, a website (www.dissentfromdarwin.org) was set up a few years ago specifically for scientists having second thoughts about Darwin’s theory of evolution.

In order to join this prestigious list, one must have a doctorate in one of the sciences such as chemistry, physics or biology or be a medical doctor. The signers must willingly subscribe to this basic belief:

“We are skeptical of claims of 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.”

This list — updated quarterly — is managed by the Discovery Institute and as of January 2016 stands at over 950 scientists. You can see the current list here.

Obviously not everyone on this list claims to be a Christian, but clearly all have second thoughts on Darwin’s theory of evolution.

The signers include members of National Academies of Science from countries around the world including Russia, Czek Republic and the US.

Many from the US hold professorships at such prestigious universities as MIT, Notre Dame, Syracuse, Duke, Purdue, Georgian Institute of Technology and Texas A & M. Professors from major Canadian Universities such as Waterloo, McGill, Simon Fraser and the Universities of Ottawa and British Columbia have also signed on.

As a group, they teach in a variety of scientific disciplines such as microbiology, chemistry, physics, biology, biochemistry, physics, Astronomy, geoscience and marine geology.

One of those who signed is Dr. Michael Egnor, professor of neurosurgery and pediatrics at State University of New York. New York Magazine name him as one of the top doctors in New York.

Egnor described his dissent this way:

“Darwinism is a trivial idea that has been elevated to the status of the scientific theory that governs modern biology.”

There are also many with doubts who are not on the list — such as world-renown physicist Dr. Michio Kaku. In a recent interview with Geophysical Association of Anthropological and Cultural Studies Kaku said:

“To me it is clear that we exist in a plan which is governed by rules that were created, shaped by a universal intelligence and not by chance.”

Kaku is a co-founder of string theory, best-selling author and for 25 years held the Henry Semat Chair and professor of theoretical physics at City College of New York.

There are others who though they still subscribe to evolutionary theory recognize the significant problems associated with this belief.

Included on this list is English physics professor Brian Cox. He has hosted a number of popular programs on BBC. In a recent documentary, he admitted that he doesn’t believe in life on other planets because what happened on earth was so impossible, so unlikely, there is little chance it could happen again.

Cox who is a professor of physics at the University of Manchester told his viewers:

“There is only one advanced technological civilization in this galaxy and there has only ever been one– and that’s us. We are unique.

It’s a dizzying thought. There are billions of planets out there, surely there must have been a second Genesis.

But we must be careful because the story of life on this planet shows that the transition from single-celled life to complex life may not have been inevitable.

We still struggle to understand how this happened. It’s incredibly unusual.”

Aside from scientists, many people look how complex our own bodies are and realize it’s impossible for it to have happened through random luck.

This belief was spelled out in a 2006 Gallup poll which showed that most Americans believe God or a designer was involved in man’s creation. The poll showed:

46% of Americans believe God created man in his present form (no evolution);
36% believe that God guided the development of man. Even though evolution has impacted the views of this group, they believe there must have been a designer.
Only 13% believed fully in evolutionary theory — that God had no part in man’s development.
5% had no opinion.

So for those who believe in creation, we are not alone.

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