600 attend ISI debate at Oregon State

On May 22, about 600 students, faculty, and local observers attended ISI's Cicero's Podium debate series event at Oregon State University. The debate was on the topic, "Evolution vs. Intelligent Design: Scientific Assumptions in a Free Society." Dr. Michael Ruse of Florida State University defended the theory of evolution, while Dr. Cornelius Hunter of Biola University defended the intelligent design position.

I was at the event, and after the ISI 50th anniversary gala in 2003 held at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., I think this was the second most highly attended ISI event EVER. That means it might have been the most highly attended ISI event on a college campus. IMPRESSIVE. The Socratic Club at OSU was the host group on campus, while many other ISI students "got the word out" as well and attended the debate.

I really enjoy this debate series because it is just that - a debate. Both sides are presented and the entire audience is challenged to listen to both sides of a debate and come to their own conclusions. A great Q&A typically follows, as it did at OSU.

The Daily Baromoter at OSU, which is the main daily paper, published a great article about the event on the following day, which appeared on the front page as the leading story.