Professor Martin Roth's philosophy course at Knox College this term, "Intelligent Design," combines evolution and design, in a study of a topic that is both thousands of years old and as current as today's headlines.

Roth says he has planned the course, which began this week, to "look at intelligent design on three levels: as an argument for the existence of God, as an alternative to evolution in science, and in the context of the current debate over evolution and religion."

At the same time, the direction of the course will depend on something that Roth says he can't determine in advance: "It is a discussion-oriented class and I want to see what topics the students are interested in, what they pick up on, which directions they want to go."

Following the first class meeting on November 29, several students said they're seeking a clearer understanding of the ideas behind the "evolution vs. Intelligent Design" controversy. "Anybody going into a career in natural science should understand both sides of the argument," said Nora Nelson, a first-year student from Geneva, Illinois, who is looking at majoring in biology.

Laura Villanueva, a junior from Chicago, said that the popular presentation of the debate has been incomplete. "The media oversimplify the issue, and I want a better explanation."

While evolution and intelligent design have been in the news recently, "intelligent design has a long history," Roth says. "The idea originated well before Darwin's work in the 1850s."

"You'll find the first expression of the design argument in Plato in ancient Greece. And one of the first direct attacks on design came 100 years before Darwin, with David Hume's 'Dialogues concerning natural religion' in the 1750s."

A member of the biology faculty and a local clergyman are scheduled as guest speakers in the class. A leading spokesman for the Intelligent Design position, Phillip Johnson, will speak at Knox in February 2006.

Seven students are enrolled in the course, which meets three hours a day, three times a week from November 29 through December 16. The course is taking place during Knox's December break, between fall term, which ended on Nov. 19 and winter term, which begins on January 3.

Founded in 1837, Knox is a national liberal arts college in Galesburg, Illinois, with students from 46 states and 43 nations. Knox's "Old Main" is a National Historic Landmark and the only building remaining from the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates.

Professor Martin Roth (left) and students in philosophy class, "Intelligent Design."

— Additional reporting by Jason Wakeland

Knox Philosophy Program

Martin Roth Faculty Profile

Martin Roth