Intelligent Design is not Creationism

Intelligent Design is not Creationism is an interesting article explaining the origins of Intelligent Design. Here is his conclusion:

Thus, ID is not based on religion, but on scientific discoveries and our experience of cause and effect, the basis of all scientific reasoning about the past. Unlike creationism, ID is an inference from biological data.

Even so, ID may provide support for theistic belief. But that is not grounds for dismissing it. Those who do confuse the evidence for the theory with its possible implications. Many astrophysicists initially rejected the Big Bang theory because it seemed to point to the need for a transcendent cause of matter, space and time. But science eventually accepted it because the evidence strongly supported it.

Today, a similar prejudice confronts ID. Nevertheless, this new theory must also be evaluated on the basis of the evidence, not philosophical preferences. As Professor Flew advises: "We must follow the evidence, wherever it leads."

I fully agree that ID is not Creationism and that it comes from scientific observations. But that does not make it a scientific theory. What would ID predict? (Prediction is a fundamental element of a scientific theory.)  It seems to me that the only thing ID can predict is that we will find more things we can't explain. ID is not an unreasonable conclusion. I am just questioning whether it is a scientific one.

Comments

[Gil Stone]

Regardless of whether humanity truly evolved from blobs of jelly and monkeys, Creationists cannot prevail in the ongoing debate about our origins. Their position is fatally flawed. You see, the Creationist position fundamentally relies upon the premise that the Judeo-Christian Bible is the Word of God. If it’s not; if the Bible is just a book, then there is no Creationist position. Recently, a lawyer embarked upon a mission to become the greatest Christian on the planet. In his quest he made a profound discovery. He discovered that the Bible is unequivocally not the Word of God. His argument is compelling. After reading his thesis, I am both shocked and embarrassed that I spent my whole life as a Christian and a Creationist. And while his thesis does not invalidate the so-called theory of “Intelligent Design,” it absolutely dismantles the theory of Biblical Creationism. You can read his Thesis at http://www.indefenseofgod.com/

[Michael Kruse]

Hi Gil. Thanks for droping by. I won't have time to check out your link for several days. I do think it is important to recognize that is a wide spectrum of thought on creation and orgins. Not everyone who believes in creation is what is commonly being called "Creationist" or "Scientific Creationist." (i.e. 24 hour days of creation, earth created 6,000 years ago, flood theories, etc.) Peace!