A high-profile scientist will add to the body of rhetoric at Iowa State opposed to Intelligent Design on Thursday with a lecture, “Why Intelligent Design is not science.”

Robert Hazen said the origin of life did not happen all at once, but is a complex, natural process.

“The origin of life was a sequence of steps,” he said.

Hazen is the Clarence Robinson professor of earth science at George Mason University and a scientist at the Carnegie Institution of Washington’s Geophysical Laboratory. He has authored 16 books, his most recent titled “Genesis: The Scientific Quest for Life’s Origin.”

Hazen said he does not want people to resort to creationism to explain the origin of life, but rather see that it is consistent with the laws of physics and chemistry. He said people in “earlier times” pointed to God as the answer for gaps in the universe.

Scientists care about the spiritual side of not knowing, Hazen said, but are curious to find those answers instead of pointing to God first.

“There’s a biblical story that has great power and beauty as poetry,” he said.

Hazen also said he was led to his current beliefs about the origin of life when he started teaching undergraduate science.

“Here’s the funny thing: Scientists are most excited when there’s a gap in our understanding,” he said.

Hazen added that there haven’t been any major rulings about Intelligent Design since a Pennsylvania judge ruled that teaching it was unconstitutional, but is sure there will be more.

“I’m sure there will be more cases, because those people who are passionate about Intelligent Design won’t give up,” he said.

Guillermo Gonzalez, assistant professor of physics and astronomy and supporter of the Intelligent Design argument, said he thinks this lecture will be propaganda for those who attend. He said that, based on the title of the lecture alone, Intelligent Design is misrepresented.

“Sounds to me like they’re going to get a distorted view of Intelligent Design,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez said the belief of Intelligent Design is not based on faith or religion.

“I believe Intelligent Design is a legitimate science,” Gonzalez said. “[It is] based on observations [and] evidence of nature, and it is testable.”

Gonzalez said he thinks the lecture will not be very useful, and people should read books by proponents of Intelligent Design to understand what it really is.

Hector Avalos, associate professor of religious studies, said Hazen was chosen to speak at Iowa State because he will explain why an overwhelming number of scientists do not believe Intelligent Design to be science.

“I thought he would be a good speaker since he was already speaking out on Intelligent Design,” Avalos said.

He said the lecture is meant to be educational for those who attend.

“We are hoping for a cross section of the community,” he said.

James Colbert, associate professor of ecology, evolution and organismal biology, said he hoped that everyone in Ames would come to the lecture, because Intelligent Design is an important issue that impacts everyone, not just those interested in biology.

“There’s a great deal of misunderstanding amongst the public – amongst college students – about what science really is and what science can really do,” he said.

Colbert teaches an introductory biology course in which evolution is a main topic discussed.

Hazen’s lecture will begin at 8 p.m. Thursday in the Sun Room of the Memorial Union.