Quotes by Michael Behe

About Michael Behe:

Michael J. Behe is an American biochemist, author, and intelligent design (ID) advocate. He serves as professor of biochemistry at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania and as a senior fellow of the Discovery Institute's Center for Science and Culture. Behe is best known for his argument for irreducible complexity (IC), which argues that some biochemical structures are too complex to be explained by known evolutionary mechanisms and are therefore probably the result of intelligent design. Behe has testified in several court cases related to intelligent design, including the court case Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District that resulted in a ruling that intelligent design was religious in nature.
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Throughout history there have been many other examples, similar to that of Haeckel, Huxley and the cell, where a key piece of a particular scientific puzzle was beyond the understanding of the age.

Michael Behe

It is a shock to us in the twentieth century to discover, from observations science has made, that the fundamental mechanisms of life cannot be ascribed to natural selection, and therefore were designed. But we must deal with our shock as best we can...

Michael Behe

Although Darwin was able to persuade much of the world that a modern eye could be produced gradually from a much simpler structure, he did not even attempt to explain how the simple light sensitive spot that was his starting point actually worked.

Michael Behe

As can be seen even by this limited number of examples proteins carry out amazingly diverse functions.

Michael Behe

Biology has progressed tremendously due to the model that Darwin put forth. But the black boxes Darwin accepted are now being opened, and our view of the world is again being shaken.

Michael Behe

But sequence comparisons simply can't account for the development of complex biochemical systems any more than Darwin's comparison of simple and complex eyes told him how vision worked.

Michael Behe

By irreducibly complex I mean a single system composed of several well-matched, interacting parts that contribute to the basic function, wherein the removal of any one of the parts causes the system to effectively cease functioning.

Michael Behe

In many biological structures proteins are simply components of larger molecular machines.

Michael Behe

In order to say that some function is understood, every relevant step in the process must be elucidated.

Michael Behe

It was only about sixty years ago that the expansion of the universe was first observed.

Michael Behe

Since natural selection requires a function to select, an irreducibly complex biological system, if there is such a thing, would have to arise as an integrated unit for natural selection to have anything to act on.

Michael Behe

Skin is made in large measure of a protein called collagen.

Michael Behe

The basic structure of proteins is quite simple: they are formed by hooking together in a chain discrete subunits called amino acids.

Michael Behe

A man from a primitive culture who sees an automobile might guess that it was powered by the wind or by an antelope hidden under the car, but when he opens up the hood and sees the engine he immediately realizes that it was designed.

Michael Behe

We are not inferring design to account for a black box, but to account for an open box.

Michael Behe

In the 19th century the anatomy of the eye was known in great detail and the sophisticated mechanisms it employs to deliver an accurate picture of the outside world astounded everyone who was familiar with them.

Michael Behe

Proteins are the machinery of living tissue that builds the structures and carries out the chemical reactions necessary for life.

Michael Behe

Thus it seemed to Haeckel that such simple life could easily be produced from inanimate material.

Michael Behe

In Darwin's time all of biology was a black box: not only the cell, or the eye, or digestion, or immunity, but every biological structure and function because, ultimately, no one could explain how biological processes occurred.

Michael Behe

The question of how the eye works - that is, what happens when a photon of light first impinges on the retina - simply could not be answered at that time.

Michael Behe

Author Bio

  • NameMichael Behe
  • DescriptionAmerican biochemist, author, and intelligent design advocate
  • AliasesMichael J. Behe
  • BornJanuary 18, 1952
  • CountryUnited States Of America
  • ProfessionBiochemist