BIO-Complexity

[[File:BIO-Complexity-logo.gif|thumb]]{{crenav}}{{DISPLAYTITLE:''BIO-Complexity''}}

'''''BIO-Complexity''''' is an open access journal published by the weirdly named [[Biologic Institute]], a lame front for [[creation science]]. The journal "aims to be the leading forum for testing the scientific merit of the claim that [[intelligent design]] (ID) is a credible explanation for life".<ref>[http://bio-complexity.org/ojs/index.php/main/about/editorialPolicies#purposeAndScope Editorial Policies: Purpose and Scope] ''BIO-Complexity''</ref> Good luck with that!

== The articles ==

The first two articles<ref>[http://bio-complexity.org/ojs/index.php/main/article/view/BIO-C.2010.2 Reductive Evolution Can Prevent Populations from Taking Simple Adaptive Paths to High Fitness] by Gauger, A. K. et al. ''BIO-Complexity'' 2010(2): 1-9.</ref><ref>[http://bio-complexity.org/ojs/index.php/main/article/view/BIO-C.2010.1 The Case Against a Darwinian Origin of Protein Folds] by Axe, D. D. ''BIO-Complexity'' 2010(1): 1-12.</ref> exploit ambiguities in biochemical mechanisms in the typical "[[argument from ignorance|God of the gaps]]"-type argument, and neither provides evidence for an [[intelligent designer]]; neither even mentions a designer in the respective papers.<ref>A review of the first article may be found [http://www.antievolution.org/cgi-bin/ikonboard/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=14;t=6300;st=5700#entry170260 here]</ref> Both articles have authors from the Biologic Institute's editorial board<ref>Douglas Axe and Ralph Seelke: [http://bio-complexity.org/ojs/index.php/main/about/editorialTeam Editorial Team of ''BIO-Complexity'']</ref> (which also includes ID leaders [[William Dembski]] and [[Michael Behe]]). The [[Discovery Institute]] lauded the journal's formation, implying that intelligent design papers were ideologically blocked from publication.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100504140535/http://www.evolutionnews.org/2010/05/biocomplexity_a_new_peerreview.html ''BIO-Complexity'': A New, Peer-Reviewed Science Journal, Open to the ID Debate] Archive.org copy from May 4, 2010</ref>  

== Criticism ==

Despite the intention to have one article per month, it took from May 2010 until December 2010 for another article to be published (by [[William Dembski]], a member of the editorial team).  Only one article was published in 2011, and three total are by [[Douglas Axe]]. For 2012, the Panda's Thumb blog points out:<ref>[http://pandasthumb.org/archives/2012/12/the-sterility-o.html The Sterility of Intelligent Design] by Jeffrey Shallit (December 11, 2012 14:30 MST) ''Panda's Thumb''.</ref>
{{cquote|…the 2012 volume contains exactly two research articles, one “critical review” and one “critical focus”, for a grand total of four items. The editorial board has 30 members; they must be kept very busy handling all those papers.}}

Despite its lackluster performance, the journal proclaimed, "Over 2,000 PDFs downloaded… In its first two months, BIO-Complexity has attracted a large readership."<ref>[http://bio-complexity.org/ojs/index.php/main/announcement/view/3 Over 2,000 PDFs downloaded] Accessed 9 September 2010, and 29 November 2016.</ref>  The journal was panned in a review by [[young earth creationism|young earth creationist]] and [[baraminology|baraminologist]] Todd C. Wood:<ref>Wood, Todd C.  [http://toddcwood.blogspot.com/2011/04/protein-evolution-in-bio-complexity.html "Protein evolution in BIO-Complexity."]  Todd's Blog. 13 April 2011.  Accessed 10 July 2011.</ref>

{{cquote|In the larger scheme of things, I am sensing a discouraging pattern to ''BIO-Complexity'' publications. As I quoted above, the journal is supposed to be about "testing the scientific merit of the claim that intelligent design (ID) is a credible explanation for life," which is a great goal. But this is the fifth paper published by ''BIO-Complexity'', and it's the fifth paper that focuses on perceived inadequacies of evolution. So when are we going to test "the scientific merit of the claim that intelligent design (ID) is a credible explanation for life?"}}

If a young earth creationist doesn't like it, who does?

==External Links==
* The [http://bio-complexity.org/ojs/index.php/main/index home page] for the journal
* A [http://pandasthumb.org/archives/2014/12/groundless-annu.html review of the 2014 volume]

==References==
{{reflist|2|90%}}

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[[Category:Pseudoscience]]
[[Category:Propaganda]]
[[Category:Pseudojournals]]
[[Category:Discovery Institute]]

Categories: Pseudoscience, Propaganda, Pseudojournals, Discovery Institute