CPU Events

I.D.: The Politics of Intelligent Design
February 27, 2006 at 7:45pm
Roone Arledge Cinema, Lerner Hall
Broadway and 114th St. (See map)

Interview with Dr. Forrest

Dr. Forest is a professor of philosophy in the department of History and Political Science at Southeastern Louisiana University.

Columbia Political Union: What are some of your anticipations for the upcoming panel discussion?

Barbara Forrest: My remarks will center around how the intelligent design movement is a religious movement fueled by politics. The intelligent design creationists at the Discovery Institute think-tank have a great many high level political connections. [Intelligent Design] is politically relevant because it is part of the religious right which has at the moment a great deal of political power.

CPU: How did the politics of the situation play out in the recent Intelligent Design court case Kitzmiller vs. Dover Area School District?

BF: The Kitzmiller case was important because it was a trial that stemmed from the first legal case involving Intelligent Design. Even though the ruling does not extend beyond the middle district of Pennsylvania, Judge Jones crafted a very comprehensive and powerful legal opinion. He ruled that Intelligent Design is religion, not science. I think this ruling will be a guidepost for Judges in future legal cases involving Intelligent Design.

CPU: How does one go about talking about something as controversial as Intelligent Design in purely legal terms?

BF: Any time you speak about it within any context, legal or political, you have to talk about it as a religious idea. You are talking about a religious idea that its supporters are trying to get into public school classes as science, but it’s not science, it’s a religious idea.

CPU: What’s the most compelling argument of those proponents of Intelligent Design?

BF: Their most compelling argument is that evolution is controversial inside the scientific community, and that Intelligent Design is an alternative scientific theory, and that it’s only fair for school-children to hear both. The problem with that argument is that it’s false. Evolution is not controversial in the scientific community. They lie. They simply say it’s an alternative theory, but it’s not. None of the scientists who promote Intelligent Design as a scientific theory use Intelligent Design in their own professional work as scientists. They have made not a single contribution to scientific knowledge.

CPU: How are you planning on making your arguments at the panel?

BF: Dr. Rankin will have to try to convince the audience that Intelligent Design is a scientific theory. What I do is get people information. This is a religious movement fueled by politics. They have high level connections. I’m going to point out those connections and talk about how politicians are using the Intelligent Design issue to pander to the public. I’m also going to talk about the religious right issues. That’s what makes this issue powerful—the connections to powerful figures on the religious right.