Seattlest lives a neighborhood over from the University of Washington, and in our day to day lives we're kind of ambivalent about that fact, but every now and then we really think about it and we're happy to be in close proximity to such a large and distinguished house of knowledge. They teach stuff there, and more than that, they learn stuff. Science, language, the arts, and the inexorable forward motion of the human condition happening just a few streets over, 24/7!

We kind of see it as the anti-Discovery Center, the foil to Intelligent Design's hasty retreat to the Dark Ages. That's why it was so disconcerting to see an article in the UW Daily this week that indicated that several faculty members from the University of Washington had signed the Discovery Center's "Dissent From Darwinism" pledge.

The petition indicates scientists' skepticism of "random mutation and natural selection" to explain the origin of life, and calls for a "careful examination" of Darwinian theory.

"Careful examination" of Darwinian theory, yes. That's called science where we come from. You do it in a lab, not a church pew.

Well, things aren't as dire as the Daily article and even the list of signatures would have you believe. Of the ten people we could find on the list with "University of Washington" next to their names, four appear to be grad students who have since received their degrees and moved on and three are professors who are no longer employed by the university. The first three in the list below are still happily and gainfully under the employ of the University of Washington, and one of those seems like he wishes he never signed the damn thing.

-Scott Chambers of the Chemistry Department. According to the UW Daily he says ID "provides a broad, satisfactory framework for understanding the origin of the cosmos, and the origin, diversity and complexity of life on earth."

-George Gates from Otology-Neurotology. The Daily quotes Gates as saying, "I simply affirm that science and religion work in parallel magesteria and each has much to learn from the other," and "Most of creationism and ID are funded privately because they don't qualify as science," with the caveat that he is skeptical of ID and creationism.

-Elden Whipple is a professor in the Earth and Space Sciences department. Whipple was named Alumni of the Year by Multinomah Bible College in recognition of his commitment to the Lord.

-Lyle Jensen, who is not currently listed in the Biochemistry Department. Jensen told the Ohio school board, "While students should surely learn about the scientific strengths of evolution, they should also have the opportunity to learn about scientific weaknesses with the theory. I strongly urge you to retain the Critical Analysis of Evolution Lesson Plan so that Ohio students are objectively informed concerning the facts of biology and trained to be better scientists."

-Robert Marks is no longer with the UW Computer Science department. He was the faculty advisor to the Campus Crusade for Christ for fifteen years here before moving to Baylor.

-Bijan Nemati was with the Physics department, but doesn't appear to be currently employed by the University. He's mentioned a lot in this film review.

Suzanne Sawyer Vincent, Ann Gauger, Ronald S. Carson and Jarrod W. Carter look like they PhD'd themselves at the UW and signed on to the "Dissent from Darwin."

Here's the full list in god-fearing PDF format.