Isn't ID simply a literal interpretation of Genesis? Shouldn't Hindu, native
American, ancient Greek, etc views on how the world was created also be
taught alongside it?
Zev
----- Original Message -----
From: "Abbott, Wynn" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, August 10, 2005 6:55 PM
Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] (Un)Intelligent Design (was [PSCI-COM] Content
filters)
Hi Martha,
I don't agree that the definition of Intelligent Design as religion is as
clear-cut as you imply - ID does infer a 'belief in and reverence for a
supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the
universe'....however, it is also a 'theory of the origin of life' - this is
science.
Certainly, when you study biology, chemistry or biochemistry - the more
philosophical aspects (questions...) incorporate the empirical teachings so
I fail to see how ID could be a solely religious idea. When I studied
Biochemistry, our courses on 'theories of the origin of life' covered
everything from organic matter arriving from outer space (on asteroids) to
organic matter 'evolving' from deep sea hydrothermal vents. Surely ID would
be added on somewhere along the line...
ID is a theory which impacts religion - I don't think it can be defined as a
religion in itself.
Thanks,
Wynn
________________________________
From: psci-com: on public engagement with science on behalf of Martha Holley
Sent: Wed 10/08/2005 15:36
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] (Un)Intelligent Design (was [PSCI-COM] Content
filters)
The theory of evolution is science: hypotheses are actively tested by
experiments, with the aim of disproving the hypothesis.
Intelligent design is religion: an attempt to make evolution an
easier pill to swallow for those people who believe that religious
doctrine is in conflict with science.
By all means, teach intelligent design in school, but not in science
lessons, only in religious studies lessons. Even then it should only
be given the time is deserves: we are not talking about a major new
world religion here, just a niche within a niche. Everyone has the
right to be exposed to different beliefs. But this is not science.
If ID is taught in a science classroom, you risk undermining the
entire scientific process and also completely confusing students
about what science even is!
Martha
>Hi All
>
>Yes, lets expose kids to both sides of the argument. If the arguemt is
>conducted fairly (and we can make deciding if it is or not part of the
>process) then evolution has noting to fear from the so called Intelligent
>Design hypothsis as this latter is so full of holes as to be basically
>meaningless. It can also, and this is my main point, be shown to be
>internally inconsistent as much of the supposed 'design' of organisms is
>anything but intelligent.
>
>As someone who earns a crust by (mostly) intelligent design of hands-on
>interactive exhibits and other things I find the 'Intelligent Design'
>hypothesis to be insulting as it is clearly advanced by people who do not
>know anything about how human intelligent designers work.
>
>Leaving aside the many examples of crass bad design in the human body, such
>as the shared gullet and windpipe, non repairing dentition, and the blind
>spot in the eye one of the most amazing things about all organisms is the
>amount of detailed 'design' they share across large groups of very
>different
>organisms.
>
>Designed artefacts don't have this characteristic - its quite common to
>find
>that different solutions to the same problem have no common components, and
>that in producing an improved vesrion of a particular product the designer
>has gone right back to basics and reworked the whole thing from scratch.
>So,
>two succesive models may bear the same name and come from the same
>manufacturer but they don't have any components above the nuts and bolts
>level in common. Good examples can be found in things like cars, where a
>late model Ford Escort (front wheel drive), has nothing physically in
>common
>with an early model Ford Escort (rear wheel drive) at all.
>
>Now as I understand things the living world isn't really like this at all -
>if it were then surely things like using mice as test-beds for human drugs
>would be much less successful than they are- and it seems to me that this
>similarity across huge ranges of species actually argues against there
>being
>a designer, at leats in any terms we can understand, because a designer
>would have been able to start from scratch to produce improved forms on
>several, if not many, occasions.
>
>Hope this is interesting and not too off the point
>
>Cheers for now
>
>
>Richard Ellam
>L M Interactive
>3 Winterfield Road
>Paulton
>Bristol
>BS39 7RF
>
>e: [log in to unmask]
>
>tel/fax 01761 412 797.
>
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