The Panda's Thumb (weblog)
Encyclopedia
The Panda's Thumb is a weblog on the creation-evolution controversy
from a mainstream scientific perspective
. In 2006, Nature
listed it as one of the top five science blogs. It is written by multiple contributors, including Wesley R. Elsberry
, Paul R. Gross
, Nick Matzke
, PZ Myers
and Mark Perakh
, many of who also have complementary weblogs
at ScienceBlogs
. The blog takes its name from The Panda's Thumb, the pub of the virtual University of Ediacara, which is named after the book of the same name
by Stephen Jay Gould
, which in turn takes its title from the essay "The Panda's Peculiar Thumb", which discusses the Panda's sesamoid bone
, an example of convergent evolution
.
Early in the blog's operation, it was involved in controversy regarding a book by Francis Beckwith. This book defends the teaching of Intelligent Design
in schools. Lawrence VanDyke published a note in the Harvard Law Review
, praising the book. Brian Leiter
wrote a scathing criticism of this note on his blog. A response to Leiter's blog post appeared in the National Review Online, criticizing Leiter and reaffirming support for Beckwith's book. This response was written by Hunter Baker, who was identified as a "freelance writer in Texas". Baker is also a graduate student and teaching assistant for Francis Beckwith, the author of the book in question, and Leiter subsequently pointed this out on his blog. Kevin Drum, of the Washington Monthly, also reported on these events. He described the Panda's Thumb blog as having been started because of this controversy, although contributors to the blog have stated that this is incorrect.
Creation-evolution controversy
The creation–evolution controversy is a recurring cultural, political, and theological dispute about the origins of the Earth, humanity, life, and the universe....
from a mainstream scientific perspective
Scientific consensus
Scientific consensus is the collective judgment, position, and opinion of the community of scientists in a particular field of study. Consensus implies general agreement, though not necessarily unanimity. Scientific consensus is not by itself a scientific argument, and it is not part of the...
. In 2006, Nature
Nature (journal)
Nature, first published on 4 November 1869, is ranked the world's most cited interdisciplinary scientific journal by the Science Edition of the 2010 Journal Citation Reports...
listed it as one of the top five science blogs. It is written by multiple contributors, including Wesley R. Elsberry
Wesley R. Elsberry
Dr. Wesley Royce Elsberry is a marine biologist with an interdisciplinary background in zoology, computer science, and wildlife and fisheries sciences. He has become involved in the creation-evolution controversy.- Biography :...
, Paul R. Gross
Paul R. Gross
Paul R. Gross is a biologist and author, perhaps best known to the general public for Higher Superstition , written with Norman Levitt. Gross is the University Professor of Life Sciences at the University of Virginia; he previously served the university as Provost and Vice-President...
, Nick Matzke
Nick Matzke
Nicholas J. Matzke is the former Public Information Project Director at the National Center for Science Education and served an instrumental role in NCSE's preparation for the 2005 Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District trial...
, PZ Myers
PZ Myers
Paul Zachary "PZ" Myers is an American biology professor at the University of Minnesota Morris and the author of the Pharyngula science blog. He is currently an associate professor of biology at UMM, works with zebrafish in the field of evolutionary developmental biology , and also cultivates an...
and Mark Perakh
Mark Perakh
Mark Perakh , born in in Kiev, Ukraine, is a professor emeritus of Mathematics and statistical mechanics at California State University, Fullerton in Fullerton, California....
, many of who also have complementary weblogs
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
at ScienceBlogs
ScienceBlogs
ScienceBlogs is an invitation-only blog network and virtual community. It was created by Seed Media Group in 2006 to enhance the public understanding of science. , ScienceBlogs hosted 75 blogs dedicated to various fields of research. Each blog has its own theme, specialty, and author and is not...
. The blog takes its name from The Panda's Thumb, the pub of the virtual University of Ediacara, which is named after the book of the same name
The Panda's Thumb: More Reflections in Natural History
The Panda's Thumb is the second volume of collected essays by the Harvard paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould. The essays were culled from his monthly column "This View of Life" in Natural History magazine, to which Gould contributed for 27 years...
by Stephen Jay Gould
Stephen Jay Gould
Stephen Jay Gould was an American paleontologist, evolutionary biologist, and historian of science. He was also one of the most influential and widely read writers of popular science of his generation....
, which in turn takes its title from the essay "The Panda's Peculiar Thumb", which discusses the Panda's sesamoid bone
Sesamoid bone
In anatomy, a sesamoid bone is a bone embedded within a tendon.Sesamoids are found in locations where a tendon passes over a joint, such as the hand, knee, and foot. Functionally, they act to protect the tendon and to increase its mechanical effect. The presence of the sesamoid bone holds the...
, an example of convergent evolution
Convergent evolution
Convergent evolution describes the acquisition of the same biological trait in unrelated lineages.The wing is a classic example of convergent evolution in action. Although their last common ancestor did not have wings, both birds and bats do, and are capable of powered flight. The wings are...
.
Early in the blog's operation, it was involved in controversy regarding a book by Francis Beckwith. This book defends the teaching of Intelligent Design
Intelligent design
Intelligent design is the proposition that "certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection." It is a form of creationism and a contemporary adaptation of the traditional teleological argument for...
in schools. Lawrence VanDyke published a note in the Harvard Law Review
Harvard Law Review
The Harvard Law Review is a journal of legal scholarship published by an independent student group at Harvard Law School.-Overview:According to the 2008 Journal Citation Reports, the Review is the most cited law review and has the second-highest impact factor in the category "law" after the...
, praising the book. Brian Leiter
Brian Leiter
Brian Leiter is an American philosopher and legal scholar who is currently John Wilson Professor of Law at the University of Chicago Law School, and founder and Director of Chicago's new Center for Law, Philosophy, and Human Values and the editor of the Philosophical Gourmet Report. He taught from...
wrote a scathing criticism of this note on his blog. A response to Leiter's blog post appeared in the National Review Online, criticizing Leiter and reaffirming support for Beckwith's book. This response was written by Hunter Baker, who was identified as a "freelance writer in Texas". Baker is also a graduate student and teaching assistant for Francis Beckwith, the author of the book in question, and Leiter subsequently pointed this out on his blog. Kevin Drum, of the Washington Monthly, also reported on these events. He described the Panda's Thumb blog as having been started because of this controversy, although contributors to the blog have stated that this is incorrect.