Ben Stein's Expelled

Ben Stein has written a blog entry on the new movie 'Expelled,' which chronicles the problems of higher academicians who subscribe to Intelligent Design. He writes:

Choosing to believe in but one scientific theory that effectively negates the whole notion of an intrinsic intelligence, a higher power, an intelligent designer – is fine, if pessimism is what floats your boat.

But that is your choice – or at least it should be a “choice” - for there is ample scientific evidence accumulating under the theory of Intelligent Design that presents an equally compelling – and much more optimistic scientific perspective on life’s “origins.”

And what evidence might that be? Accumulating where? I am not quite sure why he finds evolution gloomy. I find it exciting and full of mystery. Stein has also bought into the age-old mistake (of which I have blogged) that when Darwin wrote The Origin, he was talking about human races. He wasn't. To him, a race was a species. We just did not know what a species was at that point.

Pharyngula is not amused. Neither is Josh Rosenau, but for different reasons.