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'''James Clerk Maxwell''' (1831-1879) was an Scottish-born physicist who advanced the theory of [[electricity]] and [[magnetism]], and also the kinetic theory of gases.  

'''James Clerk Maxwell''' (1831-1879) was an Scottish-born physicist who advanced the theory of [[electricity]] and [[magnetism]], and also the kinetic theory of gases. He was an evangelical Christian who was skeptical about Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection.

In his youth, Maxwell enjoyed [[geometry]], and wrote a paper on [[ellipse]]s at the age of 14.  While he was not the top student in his class in mathematics, he continued his geometric approach and applied it with great success to [[physics]].  Maxwell is considered one of the greatest physicists ever.   

In his youth, Maxwell enjoyed [[geometry]], and wrote a paper on [[ellipse]]s at the age of 14.  While he was not the top student in his class in mathematics, he continued his geometric approach and applied it with great success to [[physics]].  Maxwell is considered one of the greatest physicists of all time.   

From the way in which changes in a [[magnetic field]] produce electric fields, and the way in which changes in electric fields produced magnetic fields, Maxwell deduced a set of equations that describe them, [[Maxwell's Equations]], in 1861.  The equations predicted the possibility of electromagnetic waves. Other scientists looked for and detected these waves, which led both to the development of radio communication and to the discovery that light is a kind of [[electromagnetic wave]].

From the way in which changes in a [[magnetic field]] produce electric fields, and the way in which changes in electric fields produced magnetic fields, Maxwell deduced a set of equations that describe them, [[Maxwell's Equations]], in 1861.  The equations predicted the possibility of electromagnetic waves. Other scientists looked for and detected these waves, which led both to the development of radio communication and to the discovery that light is a kind of [[electromagnetic wave]].

:The only laws of matter are those that our minds must fabricate and the only laws of mind are fabricated for it by matter.<ref>http://thinkexist.com/quotation/the_only_laws_of_matter_are_those_that_our_minds/323604.html</ref>

:The only laws of matter are those that our minds must fabricate and the only laws of mind are fabricated for it by matter.<ref>http://thinkexist.com/quotation/the_only_laws_of_matter_are_those_that_our_minds/323604.html</ref>

These quotations demonstrate Maxwell's rejection of the theory of evolution, despite pressure in [[England]] for acceptance of the theory.  While Maxwell was not a biologist, was the leading English-speaking scientific mind of his time.  Elsewhere Maxwell derisively referred to the theory of evolution as "speculations", and noted these speculations were absurd at the molecular level ([[Michael Behe]] made an analogous point in the new field of molecular biology over 100 years later):

These quotations demonstrate Maxwell's rejection of the theory of evolution, despite pressure in [[England]] for acceptance of the theory.  While Maxwell was not a biologist, he was the leading English-speaking scientific mind of his time.  Elsewhere Maxwell derisively referred to the theory of evolution as "speculations", and noted these speculations were unconvincing at the molecular level. ([[Michael Behe]] made an analogous point in the new field of molecular biology over 100 years later):

:The molecules of the same substance are all exactly alike, but different from those of other substances. There is not a regular gradation in the mass of molecules from that of hydrogen, which is the least of those known to us, to that of bismuth; but they all fall into a limited number of classes or species, the individuals of each species being exactly similar to each other, and no intermediate links are found to connect one species with another by a uniform gradation.

:The molecules of the same substance are all exactly alike, but different from those of other substances. There is not a regular gradation in the mass of molecules from that of hydrogen, which is the least of those known to us, to that of bismuth; but they all fall into a limited number of classes or species, the individuals of each species being exactly similar to each other, and no intermediate links are found to connect one species with another by a uniform gradation.