[Apologetics] Intelligent Design

[Stuart D. Gathman]

On Tue, 13 May 2008 skorsman at theotokos.co.za wrote:

> Al-Ghazali said that one does more harm to a doctrine by defending it with a
> method not suited to it, than by attacking it with a method suited to it. A
> perfect example of such a harmful defense is the ID movement, or any other
> movement that might try to find God or intelligence through science.

While finding supernatural intelligence is problematic, detecting intelligence
in general is perfectly suited to science - which can't know whether the source
is supernatural.  Many secular pursuits depend on this, from archaeology
to criminology to SETI.  In fact, the leading secular solution to problems with
the evidence for Darwinian evolution on planet Earth, espoused by Watkins,
Crick, and even Dawkins, is Intelligent Design by aliens.  Their only real
objection to the ID movement is that they (with some justification) regard it
as "thinly disguised creationism".  The only substantive difference between the
ID theories of Dawkins and the ID movement is that Dawkins rules out
supernatural intelligence a priori, whereas the ID movement does not.  It is a
battle of religions.  Philosophical materialism on one side, and Christians,
skeptics, and agnostics on the other.

-- 
	      Stuart D. Gathman <stuart at bmsi.com>
    Business Management Systems Inc.  Phone: 703 591-0911 Fax: 703 591-6154
"Confutatis maledictis, flammis acribus addictis" - background song for
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