Kenneth R. Miller

Kenneth Raymond Miller
Born (1948-07-14) July 14, 1948
Nationality United States
Fields Biology
Institutions Brown University
Alma mater Brown University
University of Colorado at Boulder
Thesis The structure of the photosynthetic membrane (1974)
Notable students Craig Mello
Known for Criticism of creationism
Notable awards ASCB Public Service Award (2006)
Stephen Jay Gould Prize from the Society for the Study of Evolution (2011)
Laetare Medal[1] (2014)

Kenneth Raymond Miller (born July 14, 1948) is an American cell biologist and molecular biologist who is currently Professor of Biology and Royce Family Professor for Teaching Excellence at Brown University.[2] Miller's primary research focus is the structure and function of cell membranes, especially chloroplast thylakoid membranes.[2] Miller is noted as a co-author of a major introductory college and high school biology textbook published by Prentice Hall since 1990.[3] Miller, who is Roman Catholic, is particularly known for his opposition to creationism, including the intelligent design (ID) movement. He has written two books on the subject: Finding Darwin's God, which argues that acceptance of evolution is compatible with a belief in God; and Only a Theory, which explores ID and the Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District case as well as its implications in science across America.

Biography

Miller graduated from Rahway High School in Rahway, New Jersey before attending Brown University. At Brown, he received his Sc.B. in biology in 1970. He earned his Ph.D. in biology from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1974.[4] From 1974 to 1980, he taught at Harvard University. His research involves problems of structure and function in biological membranes, often involving electron microscopy. In May 2014, Miller received the Laetare Medal at the University of Notre Dame.

Textbook

Miller is the co-author (with Boston College neurobiologist and marine biologist Joseph Levine)[5] of a major introductory college and high school biology textbook published by Prentice Hall since 1990.[3] The current edition was published in 2010 by Pearson (which now owns Prentice Hall).[6] Initially, Prentice Hall approached Joseph Levine to write the textbook after reading an article he wrote in Smithsonian magazine; Levine, who is a former student of Miller's,[7] then recruited Miller as a co-author.[3] Miller and Levine have also co-written a college-level textbook published by the former D.C. Heath and Company, first edition in 1991, entitled Biology: Discovering Life.[6]

Science advocacy

Miller has voiced his support for what he calls "pro-science" candidates in politics. He has campaigned for school board and education candidates who support the teaching of evolution in Kansas and Ohio. In the science community, he has sought to elevate the understanding of scientists of the roots of the creationist movement, and to encourage the popularization of scientific concepts.

Miller has appeared in court as a witness, and on panels debating the teaching of intelligent design in schools. In 2002, the Ohio State Board of Education held a public debate between two scientists, including Miller, and two proponents of intelligent design.[8] He testified for the plaintiffs, but only as a fact witness (not as an expert), in Selman v. Cobb County, testing the legality of stickers calling evolution a "theory, not a fact" that were placed on the biology textbook Miller authored. In 2005, the judge ruled that the stickers violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.[9][10] This decision was vacated on appeal because of missing records of the previous trial. The case was remanded for additional evidentiary inquiry and new findings, and a list of factual issues that the court would probably want to address included as item 15 a reference to Miller's testimony regarding “the colloquial or popular understanding of the term [theory]” and the suggested question as to whether he has any qualifications to testify as an expert on the popular meaning of the word "theory".[11] The case was remanded back to the lower court and was eventually settled out of court. Miller was also the plaintiff's lead expert witness in the Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District, challenging the school board's mandate to incorporate intelligent design into the curriculum. The judge in that case also ruled decisively in favor of the plaintiffs.

In 2006 the American Society for Cell Biology gave him a Public Service Award.[12] The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) also recognized Miller for his contribution to the public education of evolution in the United States. Miller also appeared at the 2006 Dwight H. Terry Lectureship at Yale University, delivering his lecture "Darwin, God, and Dover: What the Collapse of 'Intelligent Design' Means for Science and for Faith in America." He won the 2008 AAAS Award for Public Understanding of Science and Technology.[13]

He also speaks at conferences, notably the Skeptics Society's Origins Conference in October 2008 with Nancey Murphy, Hugh Ross, Leonard Susskind, Sean Carroll, Paul Davies, Christof Koch, Donald Prothero, and Victor J. Stenger.[14] Miller has also spoken at the Veritas Forum on topics such as the relationship between science and religion and the existence of God.[15]

Miller is known for his appearances on the Comedy Central television show The Colbert Report.[16][17] Dr. Miller has also made many appearances on C-SPAN debating proponents of creationism and intelligent design. He has debated several supporters of intelligent design including biochemist Michael J. Behe.

He gave a Faraday Institute lecture in April 2009 on "God, Darwin and Design"[18] and appeared on the Today Programme arguing, "The issue of God is an issue on which reasonable people may differ, but I certainly think that it's an over-statement of our scientific knowledge and understanding to argue that science in general, or evolutionary biology in particular, proves in any way that there is no God."[19]

In January 2010 Miller was elected as a Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry.[20]

Bibliography

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Laetare Medal Recipients". http://archives.nd.edu. University of Notre Dame. Retrieved 31 January 2015. External link in |website= (help)
  2. 1 2 "Curriculum Vitae for Kenneth R. Miller" (pdf). Brown University. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
  3. 1 2 3 "Biology by Miller and Levine" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-11-10. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
  4. ↑ "Ken Miller: Molecular, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry". Brown University. 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
  5. ↑ http://www.mypearsontraining.com/pdfs/TG_MLBio_AboutAuthors.pdf
  6. 1 2 "About the Authors". Retrieved 2014-08-09.
  7. ↑ "Kenneth Miller - Evolution vs. Intelligent Design FULL". YouTube. 2011-10-24. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
  8. ↑ Ken Miller. "Goodbye, Columbus". Retrieved 2007-09-20.
  9. ↑ "Victory in Cobb County". National Center for Science Education. 13 January 2005. Retrieved 20 September 2007.
  10. ↑ "Judge: Evolution stickers unconstitutional". CNN. 14 January 2005. Archived from the original on 4 August 2007. Retrieved 20 September 2007.
  11. ↑ Selman, et al. vs. Cobb County Board of Education, 25 May 2006.
  12. ↑ Forrest, Miller to receive ASCB Public Service Awards. ASCB Newsletter, July 2006.
  13. ↑ AAAS Programme Book Color Insert after p. 64. Award presented 14 February 2009.
  14. ↑ "Origins Conference, October 3–4, 2008". Skeptics Society. 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-10.
  15. ↑ http://veritas.org/speakers/ken-miller/
  16. ↑ Firestone, Chaz (2007-09-20). "Prof. Ken Miller: life as science's media darling". Brown Daily Herald. Retrieved 2007-09-20.
  17. ↑ "Ken Miller on Science Friday and Colbert Report". National Center for Science Education. 13 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-18.
  18. ↑ Darwin Online listing
  19. ↑ News recap, Today Programme, BBC, 29 April 2009.
  20. ↑ "Sixteen Notable Figures in Science and Skepticism Elected CSI Fellows". Retrieved 2011-08-07.
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