In talking to Christian groups, I frequently find people who are shocked that I don’t support ID. “How can you not believe the universe is designed?” they ask. My answer is that I don’t accept ID precisely because I believe that the universe is designed. However it is disguised, however many chapters of mathematical formulas are provided, however many pious statements are made (whenever someone is not trying to pretend this is not theology), ID does not prove, and is not attempting to prove that the universe is designed. It is, in fact, attempting to prove that some elements are more designed than others, i.e. when we deal with specified complexity as a test of design, it means that we distinguish things that could happen randomly, and things that happen by design. Right or wrong, evangelical Christians are generally very uncomfortable with things that happen randomly. They are not looking for Paley’s watch on the seashore to prove that the watch is designed, but rather to prove that everything is designed.
That's a perspective I don't see too often. Very interesting.
3 comments:
For clarification's sake, may I ask which part of that perspective you don't see too often?
Oh, btw, DD - I tried following the link to the specific post you took this excerpt from an, though it led me to an extremely interesting post, it wasn't the one you were referencing...
I've fixed the link, thanks. As for your second question, I was most interested by the idea that ID is bad theology, not just bad science.
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