Darwin or Design
by MikeGeneJason Rennie has just released his audiobook, Darwin or Design. Rennie offers several ways of obtaining the book, where you can purchase the whole thing (25 interviews) for a small price or download individual chapters for free. It looks like Rennie has done an outstanding job putting this project together. Not only does he interview people like Michael Behe and Nick Matzke, but he also obtains interviews from Massimo Pigliucci, Eliot Sober, Guillermo Gonzalez, James Shapiro, and many more. Rennie has clearly gone out of his way to provide a fair-and-balanced presentation (to the book and the book's web page) and he allows his speakers as much time as they want to answer just a few questions. So hop on over and take it look!
July 15th, 2007 at 7:05 pm
Of course Mike fails to tell you that this is the first chance to hear the voice of Mike Gene:
http://thesciphishow.com/darwi...
Comment by bipod — July 15, 2007 @ 7:05 pm
July 15th, 2007 at 8:52 pm
Hi Mike,
I listened to your interview, twice.
There were only a few parts I even came close to disagreeing with.
Most was very interesting, especially the part where you were discussing the two current treatments of teleological properties of nature (Creationism and Theist Evolution). Your suggestion of a "third way" reminded me of the recent guest post you put up, a lot. You know, the one titled A Third Choice (ID Hypothesis)
But that was only the start. You indicated that for front loading to be successful it had to exhibit "substance".
Would that include hypotheses containing equations like E=h/t and having potential explanatory power for intriguing experimental data like Libet's with tangential support from impressive scientists like Sir Rodger Penrose?
You also talked about a second element needed for success. Something about garnering support by convincing other people to consider the idea. That sounds like it would involve some tricky diplomacy, as in not being too arrogant in the presentation yet controversial enough to generate interest. Hmmm, that could be a tough one. I got it. Why don't you associate yourself with an extremist PR movement while being the voice of reason. That way you would draw attention to yourself by those looking for a fight, but upon reflection your critics would find you reasonable and thoughtful by comparison to expectations.
Then you could publish a book sure to be read by people on both sides of the controversy.
Maybe you should use a pseudonym, just in case.
Comment by Thought Provoker — July 15, 2007 @ 8:52 pm
July 15th, 2007 at 10:39 pm
Great interview, Mike. You were articulate and fun to listen to.
I wonder if your first name is really "Mike"…
Comment by Wonders For Oyarsa — July 15, 2007 @ 10:39 pm
July 16th, 2007 at 1:16 pm
Darwin or Design?…
People interested in the issues surrounding Intelligent Design may be interested in an audio-book that has been put together by Jason Rennie, called "Darwin or Design?"…
Trackback by Exiled from GROGGS — July 16, 2007 @ 1:16 pm
July 16th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
Actually it was Jason Rennie, not John Rennie. John Rennie is the evil anti-ID overlord of Scientific American.
John is the evil Rennie, Jason is the good Rennie.
Comment by Salvador T. Cordova — July 16, 2007 @ 5:24 pm
July 16th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
Yeah ! Also Jason Rennie is a professor at MIT and a guy that jumps dirt bikes over stuff. Now if I can just convince people that the audiobook publishing, dirt bike jumping, professor are the same person and that that person is me i'll be set
Comment by thesciphishow — July 16, 2007 @ 6:25 pm
July 16th, 2007 at 7:34 pm
Thanks for pointing out that the host's name is Rennie, because it sounded like "Rooney" to me. He asks good questions, even if his voice is rather distracting.
Comment by Chris Harrison — July 16, 2007 @ 7:34 pm
July 16th, 2007 at 10:05 pm
Hi TP,
You might want to also check out Shapiro's interview (chapter 9). I think you'll really like it.
Sure. I told you I am completely open to it and will eventually give it the level of thought it deserves. I'm just focused on my own ideas.
Hi WFO,
Thanks! I was unsure how I would come across, as that was the first time I ever verbalized my position on such matters. It's weird, because after all these years, I'm far more comfortable typing on the computer late at night.
Hi Salvador,
Oops.
It's been corrected. Jason now has a free shot at talking about Mark Gene or Mike Bean. 
Comment by MikeGene — July 16, 2007 @ 10:05 pm
July 17th, 2007 at 3:34 pm
"Socrates drove a wedge between religion and morality, Descartes emotion and reason, Trevors and Abel reductionism and reality"- platolives.
Further, good philosophers understand that Trevors and Abel propositions "There is no physicochemical causal link between codon and corresponding amino acid" and "Inanimacy cannot self-organize" pretty much closes the lid on Darwinian mechanisms as the sole reasons for the origin of complex biostructures. Read the data. Why is it that moderately-skilled metaphysicians even do better with issues in causal flow than Darwinists?
Scientists seek to discover the unchanging principles beneath the changing world–Plato's Parmenidean realm–like the boiling point of Fe.-platolives
Comment by platolives — July 17, 2007 @ 3:34 pm