Duane Gish

[[Image:Duanegish.jpg|thumb|165px|The taxidermied corpse of the late Duane Gish (with [[Toupée fallacy|authentically bad toupée]]), as currently posed in the [[Institute for Creation Research |  ICR]]  lobby. Lifelike, no?]]
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{{cquote|Man, the caliber of the spokesman sure has ''gone down'' in the past several decades! <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Institute for Creation Research |ICR]] spokesman<nowiki>]</nowiki> Duane Gish has been fighting the teaching of [[evolution]] for much of that time.

Of course — ''in'' that time, we've discovered ''a million'' pieces of biological evidence, including [[genetics]]. Another ''million'' pieces of astronomical evidence, indicating [[Evidence against a recent creation|the age of the earth and the universe]]. A ''million'' pieces of geological evidence, including many [[transitional fossil]]s, and so-called "[[missing link]]"-pieces of the [[List of transitional forms#Non-human primate to human|evolution of man]]. ''ALL'' of which [[Branches_of_science_you_have_to_ignore_to_believe_in_young_Earth_creationism#In_summary|supports evolution]].

But is Duane swayin'? '''[chuckles]''' [[Willful ignorance|Not a chance]].|||[[Penn Jillette]], ''[[Penn & Teller: Bullshit!]]''<ref>''[[Penn & Teller: Bullshit!]]'', "''Creationism''" (S01E08)</ref>}}

'''Duane Tolbert Gish''' {{lived|1921|2013}},<ref>[http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/2013/03/06/Gish-home Answers in Genesis - Creation Debater Dr. Duane Gish Passes Away]</ref> a [[Biochemistry|biochemist]], became arguably best known as a [[Creationism|creationist]] who regularly engaged in [[debate]]s on the subject of creationism. Gish, once vice-president of the [[Institute for Creation Research]] (ICR), published at least 14 [[peer-reviewed]] academic papers, none related to [[evolutionary biology]] at all, and none originating after 1971.<ref>[http://pubs.acs.org/action/doSearch?action=search&author=Gish%2C+Duane+T. American Chemical Society's journals]</ref>  He wrote more than 15 books, including ''[[Deceit|Evolution, the fossils say no!]]'' (1972).  Gish received a PhD in biochemistry from Berkeley in 1953 and became well known for using his experience as a researcher as a stick in debates with [[evolutionists]], even though he had no relevant peer-reviewed papers.  He retired from his long-held position as a staff scientist at ICR ''circa'' 2005 CE.<ref>
[http://www.icr.org/article/1743/ ICR &mdash; Dr. Duane Gish Retires] - by John D. Morris, May 01, 2005.
</ref> 

Gish extensively discussed his [[belief]] that [[Chemistry|chemical]] [[evolution]] fails to address the question of [[abiogenesis]] and the [[origin of life]]. Gish initially regarded the [[Earth]]'s [[Age of the Earth|age]] as irrelevant to creationism, but later became convinced of a [[Young Earth creationism|Young Earth]], in line with other ICR members.

==Debating style==
{{main|Gish gallop}}
Gish notoriously used a rapid-fire approach during a debate, presenting [[argument]]s and changing topics very quickly and — in a manner ''intended'' to be extra impervious to reason — arguably wisely, considering none of his [[#Wrong, wrong, wrong!|individual statements]] would stand  up to closer scrutiny.

This approach, originally known as a proof by verbosity, has since been dubbed the "Gish Gallop".

Massimo Pigliucci, who debated Gish five times, noted that Gish ignored [[evidence]] contrary to his [[Religion|religious]] beliefs.{{Citation needed|reason=This seems pretty significant, but I can't find any reliable sources|date=July 2014}}

===Wrong, wrong, wrong!===
Gish was accused by [[evolutionist]]s of making several blunders in his creation science writings and debates.  

*Claiming there are no [[fossil]] precursors to the [[dinosaur]] ''Triceratops'', despite obvious precursors such as ''Protoceratops'' (you'd think its name would be a clue) being well-known since the 1920s and the ancient ''Yinlong'' being known since the 2000's.<ref>[http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/gish-rutgers.html Duane Gish and Creationism:  Richard Trott Critiques Duane Gish's Presentation at Rutgers University]</ref>  Gish made other similarly incorrect statements about the [[fossil record]], including [[Creationist claims|claims]] about [[transitional forms]], the fossil record for [[bird]]s and the status of ''[[Archaeopteryx]]''.<ref>[http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/gish-rutgers/gish-response.html Duane Gish and Creationism: Duane Gish's Response to Richard Trott]</ref><ref>[http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/gish-rutgers/spin-doctor.html Duane Gish and Creationism:  Richard Trott Rebuts Gish's Response]</ref> 
[[File:Skull evolution.png|center|thumb|920px|Skulls of successive (or near-successive, depending on the source) human evolutionary ancestors]]
*Claiming that Solly Zuckerman had access to modern [[knowledge]] of ''[[Australopithecus]]'' yet still stated they were not ancestors of ''Homo sapiens'' — Zuckerman's original conclusions were based on evidence available before the [[Australopithecus|Lucy]] fossil was discovered, revolutionising the field of physical [[anthropology]].
*Claiming that [[Homo neanderthalensis|Neanderthal]]s were [[Human|modern humans]], "fully human ''Homo sapiens'' just like you and me," which is false given the morphological difference between modern humans and Neanderthals. (Well, the "''homo sapiens''" part is false; Neanderthals ''were'' fully human, just not the same species of human as us).
*Claiming that evolution by [[natural selection]] is rendered impossible by the [[second law of thermodynamics]].<ref>[http://www.talkorigins.org/indexcc/CF/CF001.html TalkOrigins Claim CF001]</ref>
*Claiming that the dinosaur [[Not even wrong|''Parasaurolophus'' used its distinctive crest as a mixing chamber for breathing fire.]]<ref>[http://creationontheweb.com/content/view/5180 Was Leviathan a Parasaurolophus?]</ref>

==Abridged bibliography (of shame)==
* ''The Amazing Story of Creation: From Science and the Bible'' 
* ''Creation: acts, facts, impacts''
* ''Creation Scientists Answer Their Critics''
* ''Creationist Research 1964-1988''
* ''Dinosaurs: Those Terrible Lizards''
* ''Dinosaurs by Design''
* ''Evidence against Evolution''
* ''Evolution, the Fossils say No!''
* ''Evolution: the Challenge of the Fossil Record''
* ''Manipulating Life, Where Does it Stop?: Genetic Engineering''
* ''Speculations and Experiments on the Origins of Life''
* ''Teaching Creation Science in Public Schools''
* ''Up with creation!: ICR acts/facts/impacts, 1976-1977''
* ''Evolution: The Fossils Still Say No!

==See also==
*[[Ian Plimer]]
*[[Massimo Pigliucci]]

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060927095049/http://www.icr.org/research/index/research_biosci_gish/ Who is this guy?]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20020415020636/http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/ken_saladin/saladin-gish2/index.shtml The Saladin-Gish II Debate (1988)]
*[http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/cre-error.html Gish's errors in 'scientific' creationism]

==References==
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[[Category:Biochemists]]
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[[Category:Christian apologists]]
[[Category:Institute for Creation Research]]
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Categories: Biochemists, California, Christian apologists, Institute for Creation Research, Pseudoscience promoters