Robert T. Pennock

Robert T. Pennock
NationalityAmerican
CitizenshipAmerican
Known forWitness at Kitzmiller v. Dover
AwardsOutstanding Service Award (American Institute of Biological Sciences)
Scientific career
FieldsPhilosophy of science, evolution, criticisms of creationism

Robert T. Pennock is a philosopher working on the Avida digital organism project at Michigan State University where he has been full professor since 2000. Pennock was a witness in the Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District trial,[1] testifying on behalf of the plaintiffs,[2] and described how intelligent design is an updated form of creationism and not science,[3] pointing out that the arguments were essentially the same as traditional creationist arguments with adjustments to the message to eliminate explicit mention of God and the Bible as well as adopting a postmodern deconstructionist language. Pennock also laid out the philosophical history of methodological and philosophical naturalism as they underpin to science, and explained that if intelligent design were truly embraced it would return Western civilization to a pre-Enlightenment state.[4]

  1. ^ Lebo, L (2005-09-29). "Witness bashes intelligent design; A philosopher of science said the controversial idea rejects science". York Daily Record.[dead link]
  2. ^ "No method to intelligent design, witness says". NBC News. 2005-11-28. Retrieved 2010-08-03.
  3. ^ "Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District; Trial transcript: Day 3 (September 28), AM Session, Part 1". Talk.origins. 2005-09-28. Retrieved 2010-08-03.
  4. ^ Slack G (2008). The Battle Over the Meaning of Everything: Evolution, Intelligent Design, and a School Board in Dover, PA. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. pp. 110–123. ISBN 978-0-470-37931-8.