Michael Behe, that Don Quixote of "intelligent design" who never tires of tilting at windmills of "fatal flaws" in evolutionary theory that he think he's identified, did quite a bit of tilting at HIV in his book.
Watch his blathering taken down by a pre-graduate student named Abbie. It's so good it's been republished at Panda's Thumb.
Enjoy.
The commenters over at the Panda's Thumb mentioned Behe's appearance on The Colbert Report, so I had to watch it.
I loved Abbie's post! If I weren't happily married, I would have to get divorced, just so I could propose to that Abbie. What a beautiful mind!
Behe looked and sounded like a clown on Colbert, which makes sense, as Behe is like the Colbert of the ID movement. He acts and talks one way, but he can't really believe in the inane drivel he spews, can he?
Has Behe taught any undergrads that have done anything useful?
Enjoy a lot. That's one of the best takedowns of a creationist argument that I've seen in years.
The ignorance surrounding evolution is just astounding sometimes. Most creationists wouldn't be convinced of evolution if an HIV virus evolved into an ape right before their eyes. The problem is that IDers can wax eloquent about their theories in the vernacular while any scientific refutation requires some level of education. Maybe that's why they don't want evolution taught in schools.
Thanks, Orac :) Im very glad you all enjoy it!
You all can see for yourself exactly how often and how firmly Behe states that there are no new genes and no new protein-protein interactions if you thumb through 'EoE' at a bookstore. Page 137-ish forward. I think that makes Vpu even funnier.
Now now, noted Nobel prize winner Yasser Arafat said that evolution is a lie, so maybe there's something to it all, right? I mean, Nobel Prize winners are experts on absolutely everything, right? Right?
I saw Behe's performance on Colbert just a moment ago. Poor man--he should feel so very embarrassed, yet cannot.