in regard to the broader socio-political reason the ID film producers
chose the SI for their premier, do note the following news article from
Iowa.
as others may have already observed, so-called Intelligent Design is an
ideological expression of the religious right.
gee, I wonder who runs the Smithsonian?
-L.D.
-------
(From the Ames, Iowa Tribune)
Assistant professor premiers film at Institute
The work of an Iowa State University assistant professor has made its
way into the Smithsonian Institute.
A 60-minute documentary titled "The Privileged Planet: The Search for
Purpose in the Universe" will premiere at the Smithsonian's National
Museum of Natural History on June 23. The film is based on a book
co-authored by Guillermo Gonzalez, an ISU assistant professor of
astronomy and physics.
"I am very pleased that it is going to be shown at such an important
locale," Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez's theory in "The Privileged Planet" creates a link between the
design for life and scientific discovery. The rare qualities that make
a planet habitable also provide the best overall conditions for
observing the universe around us, he explains.
For example, the transparency of the atmosphere that allows people to
see distant stars and galaxies is a result of the high oxygen content
of the atmosphere, a condition that also is needed for complex life.
The book also discusses how our place in the cosmos is designed for
discovery, Gonzalez said, noting the way perfect eclipses can be seen
from earth.
"It's not just a coincidence that there is life on earth and that we
can observe eclipses," Gonzalez says. "Those two are actually
intimately linked."
The book was co-authored by Jay Richards, the vice president and a
senior fellow of the Discovery Institute, a public policy think tank in
Seattle. Within the institute, Richards works for the Center for
Science and Culture, a research fellowship program that supports and
promotes research regarding evidence of design and purpose in the
universe.
While the theory does argue for intelligent design, it is not an
argument for or against Darwin's theory of evolution.
"It has absolutely nothing to do with biological evolution," Richards
said. "We are talking about the things that you need to produce a
habitable planet, which is a prerequisite for life. It doesn't tell you
anything about how life got here."
The Smithsonian's co-sponsorship of the film does not mean the museum
endorses the ideas expressed in the film, according to the Web site. An
event held at the Smithsonian cannot be a personal event, fund-raising
event or an event of a religious or partisan political nature,
according to the Smithsonian's special events policy.
Following the premiere, the documentary is planned to run on Public
Broadcasting Stations across the country.
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