Many critics of intelligent design think I got into ID because I'm a right wing fundamentalist who takes Genesis literally and wants to see its 6-day creation as mandatory teaching in the public school science curriculum. WRONG! Here's the real story.

Back in the mid-80s, Sahotra Sarkar and I were grad students at the University of Chicago, he in philosophy, I in mathematics. One day, at the International House (a 500-room dorm for grad students on the UofC campus), we were discussing what it would take to bring down Darwinism. He remarked rather off-handedly that it would take a "revival of William Paley." "Hmm, Paley," I mused.

Suddenly, I had my life's mission. Even though I was raised in a largely secular home with a biologist father who taught evolutionary biology and who was fond of reminding me that our ancestors swung from trees, I decided what better way to make a name for myself than to bring down the most popular and infamous theory in science.

My plan quickly fell into place:

• I would concoct a specious mathematical theory of design detection that critics of evolution could use as a weapon against Darwinism.


• I would network with right-wing fanatics for whom a recrudescence of Paley could be a tool for their political agenda.


• And finally, I would cash in on the celebrity associated with bringing down Darwin.

On this last point, let me just say that intelligent design has been very, very good to me.

Well, I'm glad I finally got this off my chest. So thank you Sahotra and all you valiant defenders of Darwinism for the fame and fortune you've made possible for me. I could never have done it without you.