I don't generally share my e-mails, but it seems this fellow (reach him at: kcpriest@aol.com) is keen to take on all comers. The subject line was as above, and here is the "challenge" he issued me yesterday evening:
"Dear Dr. Leiter:
"It is my understanding that you are an ardent defender of Darwinism.
"On behalf of Dr. Joseph Mastropaolo ["creation scientist": details here, and scroll down], I respectfully present you with the following challenge.
"The Life Science Prize
"The rules are like those for a prize sporting event: the winner takes all.
"Rules for the Life Science Prize
"1. The evolutionist puts $10,000 in escrow with the judge.
"2. The creationist puts $10,000 in escrow with the judge.
"3. If the evolutionist proves evolution is science and creation is religion, then the evolutionist is awarded the $20,000.
"4. If the creationist proves creation is science and evolution is religion, then the creationist is awarded the $20,000.
"5. Evidence must be scientific, that is, objective, valid, reliable and calibrated.
"6. The preponderance of evidence prevails.
"7. At the end of the trial, the judge hands the prevailing party both checks.
"8. The judge is a superior court judge.
"9. The venue is a courthouse.
"You must debate or default. If you default it clearly means that you agree that evolution exists only in your imagination.
"Please contact me without delay and we shall begin working out details of the debate.
"Sincerely,
Karl Priest"
I just don't need $10,000 that badly, but I would pay to attend this event if and when it gets scheduled.
UPDATE: Apparently, our creation scientists have been at this awhile: more details here.
ANOTHER UPDATE: A reader with a business background writes with some apt observations on this proposal:
"This wager is pure marketing. The idea is to sucker some biologist or philosopher of science into providing a public form for a discussion that should and does take place in the laboratories, the field and peer reviewed journals. This discussion, among experts, already has a clear winner. Yes, there are many details to be worked out and yes, at sometime another theory may(!) replace the modern consensus. But that will not happen in any superior court in any jurisdiction.
"Let's assume, and I think this is a big assumption, that some judge would allow the several years that would be required to present the facts and the beliefs in his or her court room and that some county in the US would be willing to pay for it. First, the terms of the wager are unclear about who would decide the case. It is not unusual for creationists to be unclear at important points. Let's further assume that the judge would be the 'judge'. The story comes out a little different (and worse) if there is a jury. It is unlikely that there is a superior court judge anywhere who could understand most of the technical details of the discussion. The judge would need to appoint a special master. Who would that be? Since this is a resolved issue among all but a very few qualified participants, it would be impossible to find an 'unbiased' master or a 'unbiased' judge that would be acceptable to both sides. Even if the 'case' got no further than this, the creationists would have met their goal. They would have 'demonstrated' the existence of a supposed controversy where none exists.
"Let's now assume that all this is taken care of, that the 'case' goes forward and the evolutionists win. I take the best and most likely possible outcome. The press would have covered the trial 'fairly,' intensively and without many details. They have a preference for non-news over news. So, for the period of the 'trial', creationism would be put before the public as being on an equal footing with science. 'Expert' pundits would be on television representing both sides. The verdict would be the anticlimactic end to a major sideshow.
"The creationists will have succeeded in placing their views on an equal footing with science and, but for a "secular" judge, would have won the case in the minds of many.
"This is known in marketing as branding. $10,000.00 for the publicity is a
very small price to improve the status and recognition of your brand."
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