My sympathies to the Discovery Institute, I know how annoying this can be. After the Kitzmiller verdict I feel bad about this. I really do! Because, you know, I can empathize with the guys at the Discovery Institute. I mean, imagine that you have your own little thing, let’s give it a name like, I don’t know... well let’s just call it science for now. Let’s say you’ve got this gig and you’re calling it science and you and your friends who “do” science and teach science all have a set of rules describing what science is, how it is conducted, what can and cannot be considered science,... and you all call yourselves “scientists” to distinguish yourselves as people who perform or use science, and then a bunch of guys come along and say: “Hey! We’re scientists too! We have this concept called God that we use to explain the really difficult parts of our science.” And you say “But that’s not science. That isn’t a scientific explanation.” And they say: “Sure it is! You’re just defining science too narrowly. You need to expand the definition of science to consider things that God does...” “But” you reply, “we’ve already defined science and we can’t use God as an explanation because we can’t control or repeat God’s actions.” “Your definition of science is silly and incomplete. You need to include God! We’ll just give him a different name and nobody will notice.” Well, I think you know where that can lead, a lot of hurt feelings, some name calling, mocking and ridicule, and that was just in the judge’s ruling! (ba-dump-bump) Well it seems that the guys at the Discovery Institute are getting a taste of their own medicine today. No, not from the verdict, that’s probably wearing off by now, but it seems that a small school district in California has begun offering a course called “Philosophy of design” as an elective in philosophy. You’d think that would be a great place for “Intelligent Design”, I mean it being a philosophical and quasi-religious endeavor and not science and all. But it seems that the designer in this course isn’t quite intelligent enough for the guys at the DI. It’s just the God of Christianity. Casey Luskin, an attorney at the Discovery Institute, sent this letter to the school district’s Superintendent saying that creationism by God described in The Bible is not an example of Intelligent Design and that the school district should either: 1. Drop all the Creationist material in the course 2. Change the name of the course so as not to associate Intelligent Design with the God of The Bible or 3. Discontinue the course So, um... Karma, is that a scientific concept or what? Because I think I just saw a mighty fine example of it. ("Spasibo" to the Commissar for pointing this out.) Update: Ed Brayton (dispatches from the culture wars) points out that the Discovery institute has at least three contradictory reactions to the El Cajon class. The only blog inspired by a bumper sticker.