We kindly invite you to deepen your understanding of the scientific theory of Intelligent Design byspending some time on this important Annual Online International Summer Seminar on IntelligentDesign.
We would like to know whether you are ready and have time to participate in the Annual Online Discovery Institute Summer Seminar on Intelligent Design (COSTS Fully catered for). The course will enable you delve deeper into the field of Intelligent Design. Please note that this is an intensive course, time consuming and involves a lot of online self-training materials (reading materials and videos) and intensive live sessions for Questions and Answers. The seminar is scheduled as follows:
Format & Dates:
9th May – 9th July 2025 | Self-paced online course featuring special video lectures, readings, and more
16th May 2025 | Introduction to seminar directors and participants via Zoom
10th – 12th July 2025 | Online question & answer sessions with seminar faculty via Zoom
Please note that participants are normally drawn from several countries across the world and BioCosmos Africa is normally allocated very limited slots and only considers participants willing to sacrifice their time. At the end of the training, you will be awarded a certificate and also be able to participate in BioCosmos Foundation activities, competently teach and disseminate ID information.
If interested, kindly send your Name, Institution, Country, Email Address and Telephone Number to: info@biocosmosafrica.org and cc: info@biocosmoskenya.org; info@biocosmostanzania.org This information will assist us alert you as soon as the application is opened and enable Mr. Dag Kr. Norli, CEOBioCosmos Africa to draft for you a recommendation letter to use when applying so as to be considered for the seminar
You are also free to nominate some staff from your University interested in the seminar and would be instrumental in implementation of BioCosmos Foundation activities.
NOTE: The course content given below may vary slightly when the online portal opens
| SEMINAR SCHEDULE |
Unless otherwise noted, readings, videos, and lectures are all accessed through the DiscoveryU course platform. Readings and videos marked “Optional” are not required but may be beneficial for further study and reflection if you have time.
MAY 09-JULY 09: SELF-PACED ONLINE COURSE MODULES AT DISCOVERYU
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND GENERAL DISCUSSION BOARD
• Course Announcements
• General Discussion Board
UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION
• “A Brief History of Discovery Institute”
• Lecture: “The State of the Debate”
UNIT 2: BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT
• Teleological vs. Materialist View of Man and Nature
• Introduction to Intelligent Design
UNIT 3: DESIGN IN THE ORIGIN AND OPERATION OF THE UNIVERSE
• The Big Bang
• Cosmological Fine-Tuning
• Privileged Species and Planet
UNIT 4: DESIGN IN THE ORIGIN OF LIFE
• Evidence of Intelligent Design in the Origin of Life
UNIT 5: DESIGN IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATION OF LIFE
• Overview of ID in the Development of Complex Life
• Fossil Discontinuities in the History of Life and the Waiting Times Problem
• The Design of DNA
• Obstacles to Protein Evolution
• Why Only Design Explains the Origin of Animal Body Plans
• Challenges to the Tree of Life
UNIT 6: DESIGN IN HUMAN LIFE
• The Biology of Human Uniqueness
• Philosophy of Mind
• Mind, AI, and Informational Realism
• Darwin’s Impact on Society
• The Question of God
UNIT 7: DIGGING DEEPER (OPTIONAL TOPICS)
• The Multiverse and Cosmic Design
• Research in Astrobiology
• Population Genetics—The Edge of Evolution and Darwin Devolves
• Natural Selection Is Not Inventive
• A Design-Based Model to Explain the Pattern of Nature
• Application of Engineering to Biology
• Ontogenetic Information
• The Immaterial Genome
• Beauty
• Darwinian Ethics
LIVE ZOOM SESSIONS, JULY 10-12
• Welcome/Introductions
• Teleology vs. Materialism
• ID and Design Detection
• Origin of the Universe
• Privileged Planet and Species
• Origin of Life
• Case for Design in Biology
• Genetics and Epigenetics
• Common Ancestry
• Human Origins and Uniqueness
• Darwin’s Impact on Society
• The Question of God
• Ending Discussion/Wrap-Up
