Kirk K. Durston

Kirk K. Durston (born 1954) is a Canadian scientist and philosopher, with undergraduate degrees in both physics and mechanical engineering, as well as a graduate degree in philosophy and a doctorate in biophysics from the University of Guelph. He has publications in journals of both science and philosophy.

Currently, his primary, scientific focus is on the development of a k-modes computational method for analyzing large arrays of protein sequences to detect the most critical interdependencies within a protein sequence or structure. This is important for developing novel pharmaceuticals and medicines. He also continues work in the functional information required to encode biopolymers, with emphasis on protein families and domains.

The application of this research arises out of the observation that statistically high levels of functional information appear to be a unique effect produced only by rational minds, so it may be key in developing a scientific method to detect effects that required intelligence to produce, with broad application to forensics, archaeology, and genetics.

Durston’s published work in journals of philosophy center on the cause-and-effect complexity of history and its implications for the problem of evil and suffering. Essentially, the consequential complexity of history, where each event produces an exponentially increasing number of consequences affecting an increasing number of causal chains, result in the neutralization of arguments from evil for atheism and leave people in a position of agnosticism regarding what a deity should or should not permit in this world.

Durston’s personal website, Quest, contains short articles laying out his thoughts on some of the deeper questions in life, from philosophical, scientific, and theological perspectives. On a more popular level, he has a YouTube channel, KirkDurstonQuest, which also includes reaction videos and livestream recordings.

Durston has been married for over four decades, has six married children, and an increasing number of grandchildren. His interests include nature photography, amateur astronomy, historical artifacts, remote wilderness canoe and hiking trips, 19th century English literature, and theology.

Links:

YouTube channel, KirkDurstonQuest:
https://www.youtube.com/c/KirkDurstonquest

Website Quest:
https://www.kirkdurston.com/