What is Intelligent Design?

The phrase “Intelligent Design” in its broadest sense refers to a non-scientific teleological argument for the existence of god. A simplistic example is the argument that the universe, or a part within it, appears to be too complex, ordered or purposeful to have occurred without having been designed by god. ID is nothing more than an argument from ignorance in which god is invoked to fill in the gaps of scientific knowledge. As science has increased our understanding of the natural world, the role left for god has become exceedingly smaller, if not totally unnecessary.

 

Lying for Jesus? The Intelligent Design Movement

Introduction

 

On October 30, 31 2009, Shepherd Project Ministries and Focus on the Family will be sponsoring “The Legacy of Darwin Intelligent Design Conference: Intelligent Design vs. Naturalistic Evolution 150 years after The Origin of Species.”¹ Their presenters include Dr. Stephen Meyer and Dr. David West from the Discovery Institute, an organization whose goal is to replace modern science with “a science consonant with Christian and theistic convictions.”² Critics of the Discovery Institute (DI) call it the “Dishonesty Institute” for what they say are its disingenuous and overt misrepresentations of evolution, and for its censorship. Although the DI claims to promote free speech, multiple sources reveal that they attempted to censor videos on YouTube that were critical of them.³ Another presenter at “The Legacy of Darwin” is Dr. Michael Behe, a professor of biological science from Lehigh University. Dr. Behe incorrectly believes that “irreducibly complex” biochemical systems are evidence for ID (god). Furthermore, Dr. Behe's claim that ID is science is officially rejected by Lehigh University.⁴

 

Shepherd Project Ministries' goal is to educate people about ID vs. Evolution. In keeping with that goal, I will be writing a series of blog articles regarding this issue. These blogs will likely include:

 

What is Intelligent Design?

What are the objectives and tactics of the Intelligent Design Movement?

Why does the U.S. have “The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment?”

Logical fallacies of the IDM.

Does Darwin matter?

 

 

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Thomas Jefferson was a great man. Both liberal and conservative historians rank him as one of the top five Presidents of the United States. He was the principle author of the Declaration of Independence, and became the third President of the United States in 1801. His effigy has been immortalized on Mount Rushmore, the U.S. Nickel, and at the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C.. Despite his notoriety and success in nineteenth century America, his views of government and religion are in sharp contrast with those of twenty-first century evangelical Christian Americans.

While most Americans know the aforementioned achievements of Jefferson, far fewer remember him as the author of the Virginia Statue for Religious Freedom in which it states:

“...our civil rights have no dependence on our religious opinions, any more than our opinions in physics or geometry; that therefore the proscribing any citizen as unworthy the public confidence by laying upon him an incapacity of being called to offices of trust and emolument, unless he profess or renounce this or that religious opinion, is depriving him injuriously of those privileges and advantages to which in common with his fellow-citizens he has a natural right. ...”

Religious Freedom in America was no minor concern to Jefferson, for Jefferson was not a Christian. He wrote in a letter, "I am of a sect by myself, as far as I know." Indeed, Jefferson's independent spirit led him to an commit act that, in too many modern countries, would result in his execution – for he committed blasphemy by desecrating a holy symbol, the Word of God. His act of shredding his bible with scissors was not done out of malice, for Jefferson was a religious man, but was done in the pursuit of truth. A truth that did not accept biblical miracles, prophecy, angels, the divinity or resurrection of Jesus.

Professor Michael Reiss, the Royal Society's former director of Education in Britain, believes that science lessons in state schools should not omit things simply because they lack scientific support. Why does Professor Reiss want unscientific world views taught in science classes? Because he feels students who have creationist beliefs deserve respect.

Professor Reiss are you a nutter?

Should geography classes ban globes of the earth out of respect for students who believe the world is flat?

Twice a month the Colorado Springs City Council begins their meetings with prayer. Councilwoman Judy Noyes feels this can be offensive and would like to have prayer replaced with a moment of silence. Personally, I think having someone offer prayers before the City Council meetings start is a great idea. The City Council needs all the divine help that it can get. The question to ask is: Are they praying to the right gods? We want our city to be successful, prosperous, and well protected.

As promoters of rational thought and critical thinking skeptics frequently rely upon published scientific research findings. But did you know that most published research findings are wrong? How can that be, and what implications does that have for the general public?

American fundamentalist Christians are notorious for trying to force their religious beliefs upon public schools. Even our fundamentalist president tries his best to force his beliefs upon the public by vetoing bills that offend his personal morals and by controlling what can be published by government scientists. In an odd case of role reversal an Irish elected official is now the one promoting creationism and an American Congresswoman is actually attacking the religious right.

Apollo 14 astronaut Dr. Edgar Mitchell believes the earth has been visited by aliens from outer space. Not just once, but many times. In fact, I can only assume Dr. Mitchell is convinced that after traveling at least 30,000,000,000,000 miles through space at near the speed of light one of those alien craft had a pilot so amazingly incompetent that he/she/it crashed their super duper little flying saucer straight into planet earth. Where? Why at Roswell, of course. Maybe the poor little alien pilot fell asleep from exhaustion after dodging all those nasty asteroids, comets, and planetessimals and totally missed seeing our pale blue dot. Perhaps aliens really aren’t so intelligent after all.

Did you know the scientific method is nearly obsolete?  Now that scientists have access to petabytes of data scientists no longer need to hypothesize, model, or conduct tests. Correlation is more important than causation. It's amazing! Everything you ever learned about the scientific method is passé.

One of the hallmarks of skepticism is its use of critical thinking to provide a rational and non-biased evaluation of ideas. When a claim is made; such as, the invention of a cold fusion device or a perpetual motion machine, it has to be tested and also confirmed by independent sources. Until then, a skeptical attitude is prudent, if not required for rational thought. Scientific testing often leads to harsh and critical analysis. A scientist is not being hostile or arrogant when he tries to replicate an experiment and publishes results that contradict the original theory.