User:TMDrew/Duane Gish

Duane Tolbert Gish (February 17, 1921 – March 5, 2013 ) was an American biochemist and a prominent member of the creationist movement. A Young Earth creationist, Gish was a former vice-president of the Institute for Creation Research (ICR) and the author of numerous publications about creation science. Gish was called "creationism's T. H. Huxley" for the way he "relished the confrontations" of formal debates with prominent evolutionary biologists, usually held on university campuses. A creationist publication noted in his obituary that "it was perhaps his personal presentation that carried the day. In short, the audiences liked him."

Early life and education
Gish, a twin, was born in White City, Kansas, the youngest of nine children. He served in World War II, attaining the rank of captain, and was awarded the Bronze Star. He earned a B.S. degree from UCLA in 1949 and a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of California, Berkeley in 1953. He worked as an Assistant Research Associate at Berkeley, and Assistant Professor at Cornell University Medical College performing biomedical and biochemical research for eighteen years, joining the Upjohn Company as a Research Associate in 1960.

Career
A Methodist from age ten, and later a Baptist, Gish believed that the Biblical creation story as interpreted by the young-earth creationist movement was historical fact. After reading the booklet Evolution, "Science Falsely So-called" in the late 1950s, Gish became persuaded that science had produced falsifying evidence against biological evolutionary theory and that various fields of science offered corroborating evidence in support of the Biblical creation story. He joined the American Scientific Affiliation (ASA), an association of Christian scientists, mistakenly assuming the group supported creationism. Through his affiliation at the ASA, Gish met geneticist and creationist, William J. Tinkle, who in 1961 invited Gish to join a newly formed anti-evolution caucus within the ASA.

In 1971, Gish became a member of the faculty at San Diego Christian College, working in its research division before accepting a position at the Institute for Creation Research (independent since 1981). He was the author of several books and articles espousing creationism, including his best-known work, Evolution: The Fossils Say No!, published in 1978. Gish initially "assigned low priority to the question of [the] age [of the Earth]".

Gish was viewed as the winner of his debates by friend and foe alike based on audience reaction. So profound was Gish's impact on the debate scene, that evolutionary websites posted articles stating not how to debate Creationists in general, but instead how to specifically debate Duane Gish. Dr. Henry Morris wrote of Dr. Gish, who had over 300 formal debates, "at least in our judgment and that of most in the audiences, he always wins."

One debate of his in particular is rather famous for the contrast in styles and approaches between the two participants: That event being the 1988 debate between Dr. Gish and Dr. Ian Plimer. During that debate, Dr. Gish remained polite and focused on the scientific evidence. His debate opponent (Dr. Plimer), however, resorted almost exclusively to personal attacks on Gish and other creationists. Plimer even donned a set of gloves, grabbed a live electric wire, and offered Gish a chance to electrocute himself.

Regarding the tone of debates, Gish stated, "The subject of origins, especially when cast in the context of an evolutionary versus a supernatural origin, is very contentious and obviously encourages an all out effort to destroy the opposition by whatever means available. We creation scientists nevertheless are shocked by the vicious unprincipled attack against our integrity and science. . . . I never attempt to challenge the integrity or good character of my opponents. But when subjected to this sort of abuse I do point out to the audience that to resort to such tactics is an admission that my opponent's position is weak."

At his death on March 5, 2013, Gish held the position of Senior Vice-President Emeritus at the ICR.

Gish Gallop
Opponents of Duane Gish have accused him of an unscrupulous technique they have named the "Gish Gallop." The technique is described as a machine-gun approach to debates. If the debater throws out enough arguments to overwhelm the opponent, it will be impossible for the opponent to respond to them all.