Discovery Institute

An article about the Discovery Institute, a public policy think tank.

Logo of the Discovery Institute

The Discovery Institute is a non-profit public policy think tank based in Seattle, Washington. It is best known for its advocacy of intelligent design, a controversial view that challenges the scientific consensus on evolution.

History

The Discovery Institute was founded in 1990 by Bruce Chapman and George Gilder. Initially, the institute focused on a range of issues including transportation and technology policy. However, it gained significant attention in the late 1990s and early 2000s for its promotion of intelligent design.

Intelligent Design

The Discovery Institute promotes intelligent design.

Intelligent design is the proposition that certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection. The Discovery Institute's Center for Science and Culture is the main hub for its intelligent design advocacy.

Criticism and Controversy

The Discovery Institute's promotion of intelligent design has been met with significant criticism from the scientific community. Critics argue that intelligent design is a form of creationism and lacks empirical support. The Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District case in 2005 was a landmark trial that ruled intelligent design as a religious view, not a scientific theory.

Other Programs

In addition to intelligent design, the Discovery Institute engages in various other programs. These include:

• Cascadia Center: Focuses on transportation and regional development in the Cascadia region.
• Technology and Democracy Project: Addresses issues related to technology policy and its impact on democracy.

Related pages

• Intelligent design
• Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District
• Creationism
• Think tank