Jerry Allen Coyne (born December 30, 1949) is an American biologist, known for his work on speciation and his commentary on intelligent design. A prolific scientist and author, he has published dozens of papers elucidating the theory of evolution. He is currently a professor emeritus at the University of Chicago in the Department of Ecology and Evolution. His concentration is speciation and ecological and evolutionary genetics, particularly as they involve the fruit fly, Drosophila.[5] He is the author of the text Speciation and the bestselling non-fiction book Why Evolution Is True.[6] Coyne maintains a website also called Why Evolution Is True.[7] He self-identifies as a determinist of the incompatibilistic variety.[8]
He is concerned about a disconnect between what the public believes about evolution and what scientists believe about evolution. He states the value of studying evolution is in the true story of our origins and its value in restoring wonder in people.[citation needed]
In a 1996 critique of the theory of intelligent-design creationism, Coyne wrote his first large New Republic article on Of Pandas and People (a book review), which started a long history of writing on evolution and creationism.[13]
Coyne lists the following evidence for evolution, as detailed in his book and elsewhere:
Sequence similarity between species that are also observed as a time-dependent change in junk DNA
Transitional fossils provide rich evidence for evolution.[14]Charles Darwin predicted such fossils in 1859, and those later identified as such include:
Tiktaalik (transition between fish and amphibians)
Ichthyostega (transition between amphibians and reptiles)
Mammal-like reptiles (not classified one or the other)
Archaeopteryx (transition between reptiles and birds)
Ambulocetus (transition between land mammals and whales)[15]
Early human fossils with ape-like skulls
Series of terrestrial fossils between land animals and whales
The evidence not only includes these transitional fossils but the fact that they occur in the fossil record at times between their putative ancestors and their more modern relatives.
The Ecuadoran frog Atelopus coynei is named after Coyne. He collected the holotype in a swamp on a frogging trip to western Ecuador as a student in the late 1970s.
Atheism
Born to Jewish parents, Coyne considers himself a secular Jew,[16] and an outspoken proponent of atheism, metaphysical naturalism and the conflict thesis. He claims that religion and science are fundamentally incompatible, that only rational evaluation of evidence is capable of reliably discovering the world and the way it works, and that scientists who hold religious views are only reflective of the idea "that people can hold two conflicting notions in their heads at the same time". He has argued that the incompatibility of science and faith is based on irreconcilable differences in methodology, philosophy, and outcomes when they try to discern truths about the universe.
As well as evolution-related topics, his blog Why Evolution Is True[17] discusses atheism, the incompatibility of science and religion, science, and other topics. He has frequently participated in public forums and cross-fire debates with theists.
Pseudoscience critic
Coyne comments and responds to critics of science and evolution. In a recent rebuttal,[18] he clearly identifies his reasons for skeptical reasoning.
all scientific progress requires a climate of strong skepticism.
— J.A. Coyne, The New Republic
He offers criticism of creationists who appear closed minded by adhering to a literal Biblical view.[19] He questions the creationist concept of animals diverging only within kinds, which is in itself an admission of transitional intermediates between very different groups (i.e., whales and their terrestrial relatives) found throughout the fossil record.
we have many examples of transitional fossils between what anyone would consider different kinds: fish and amphibians (like Tiktaalik, which Nye mentioned), between amphibians and reptiles, between reptiles and mammals, between reptiles and birds, between land animals and whales, and of course, between early and modern humans, with early fossils showing intermediacy between the features of apelike ancestors and modern humans.
— J.A. Coyne, The New Republic
Coyne believes that both sides of such debates between evolutionists and young earth creationists could benefit from a better understanding of the fossil record and for modern tools such as Isochron dating. He considers that the inability of creationists to address these subjects fully suggests that "religion can poison one's mind so deeply that it becomes immunized to the real truth about the cosmos."[19]
Publications
Noteworthy scientific papers
Coyne's peer-reviewed scientific publications include numerous papers in Nature[20] and Science as well as recent publications from other journals.[21]
Coyne is a prolific author and commentator, with many hundreds of technical presentations, invited commentaries, and miscellaneous publications.[22]
Of particular focus are publications related to evolution, the origin of species, evolutionary genetics, and associated theories. This theme appears across Coyne's research and technical writing, especially in Evolution, the International Journal of Organic Evolution.[23][24]
Books
Coyne, Jerry A.; H. Allen Orr (2004-06-30). Speciation. Sinauer Associates Inc., Sunderland, Mass. ISBN0-87893-089-2.
Coyne, Jerry A. (2009-01-22). Why Evolution is True. Viking, New York (USA); Oxford University Press, Oxford (UK). ISBN0-19-923084-6. OCLC233549529.
Coyne writes prolifically on his website at Why Evolution Is True, posting several times on most days. Topics range from debunking creationist theories, promotion of reason and scientific inquiry, commentary on interesting academic papers and scientific research, to fine food and his love of cats. As of April 2016[update] more than 40,000 readers follow the website.
^Jerry A. Coyne; H. Allen Orr (1 January 2004). Speciation. Sinauer Associates, Incorporated Publishers. ISBN978-0-87893-089-0. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
Coyne JA, Poeppel D, Brown M, Solomon S, Wang MW, et al. (29 July 2009). "A break from the bench". Nature. 460 (7255): 574–577. doi:10.1038/460574a. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
Coyne, J. A.; Elwyn, S. (2006). "Does the desaturase-2 locus in Drosophila melanogaster cause adaptation and sexual isolation?". Evolution. 60: 279–291. doi:10.1554/05-008.1.
Coyne, J. A.; Elwyn, S. (2006). "Desaturase-2, environmental adaptation, and sexual isolation in Drosophila melanogaster". Evolution. 60: 626–627. doi:10.1111/j.0014-3820.2006.tb01143.x.
Watson, E.; Rodewald, E.; Coyne, J. A. (2007). "The courtship song of Drosophila santomea and a comparison to its sister species D. yakuba". Eur. J. Entomology. 104: 145–148. doi:10.14411/eje.2007.020.
Noor, M. A. F.; Coyne, J. A. (2007). "Speciation in the new millennium: What's left to know? Israel J. Ecol". Evolution. 52: 431–441. doi:10.1560/ijee_52_3-4_431.
Hoekstra, H. E.; Coyne, J. A. (2007). "The locus of evolution: evo devo and the genetics of adaptation". Evolution. 61: 995–1016. doi:10.1111/j.1558-5646.2007.00105.x.
Coyne, J. A. 2008. Short guide: sympatric speciation" Curr. Biol 17:r787-r788.
Drosophila 12 genomes consortium. (many authors, including myself). 2008.
Evolution of genes and genomes on the Drosophila phylogeny" Nature 450:203-218.
Coyne, J. A.; Kay, E. H.; Pruett-Jones, S. (2008). "The genetic basis of sexual dimorphism in birds". Evolution. 62: 214–219. doi:10.1111/j.1558-5646.2007.00254.x.
Matute, D. R.; Novak, C. J.; Coyne, J. A. (2009). "Temperature-based extrinsic reproductive isolation in two species of Drosophila". Evolution. 63: 595–612. doi:10.1111/j.1558-5646.2008.00588.x. PMID19087181.
Matute, D. R.; Butler, I. A.; Coyne, J. A. (2009). "Little or no effect of the tan locus on pigmentation levels in viable female hybrids between Drosophila santomea and D. melanogaster". Cell. 139: 1181–1188. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2009.10.033.
Matute, D. R.; Coyne, J. A. (2010). "Intrinsic reproductive isolation between two species of Drosophila". Evolution. 64: 903–920. doi:10.1111/j.1558-5646.2009.00879.x.
Matute, D. R.; Butler, I. A.; Turissini, D. A.; Coyne, J. A. (2010). "A test of the snowball theory for the rate of evolution of hybrid incompatibilities". Science. 329: 1518–1521. doi:10.1126/science.1193440. (Subject of News & Views in Nature doi:10.1038/news.2010.476)
Butlin, R. K.; Saura, M.; Charrier, G.; Jackson, B.; André, C.; Caballero, A.; Coyne, J. A.; Gallindo, J.; Grahame, J. W.; Hollander, J.; Kemppainen, P.; Martínez-Fernández, M.; Panova, M.; Quesada, H.; Johannesson, K.; Rolán-Alvarez, E. (2013). "Parallel evolution of local adaptation and reproductive isolation in the face of gene flow". Evolution.
^Selection of recent miscellaneous commentaries and publications
Matute, D.; Turissini, D.; Coyne, J. A. (2011). "Response to comment on "A test of the snowball theory for the evolution of hybrid incompatibilities". Science. 333: 1576. doi:10.1126/science.1203149.
Q&A with Jerry Coyne (along with Mohamed Noor) Sep 11, 2012 on YouTube, 30 minutes. ( Page will play audio when loaded)
Meet the Amazing TAMers: Jerry Coyne Part 1 on YouTube(interview by Joel Guttormson, Outreach and Event Coordinator for the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science) Dec 16, 2013, 8 minutes. ( Page will play audio when loaded)
Meet the Amazing TAMers: Jerry Coyne Part 2 on YouTube(interview by Joel Guttormson, Outreach and Event Coordinator for the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science) Dec 16, 2013, 4 minutes. ( Page will play audio when loaded)
Meet the Amazing TAMers: Jerry Coyne Part 3 on YouTube(interview by Joel Guttormson, Outreach and Event Coordinator for the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science) Dec 16, 2013, 7 minutes. ( Page will play audio when loaded)