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September 29, 2005
Draft of a letter to supporters of Intelligent Design
I am serious about trying to open a dialogue with supporters of Intelligent Design to try and get help in overcoming the problems I am having with some of the logic of their theories.
To that end I have drafted a letter which I will be sending to supporters of ID.
To whom it may concern,I have heard much in the press lately about Intelligent Design. I am myself a scientist, or at least a science graduate - I hold an honours degree in Applied Physics. I am always interested in new scientific theories, being an avid reader of New Scientist, back issues of Nature, Physics Today, and any other writing that comes to my attention.
I have heard arguments both for and against the concept of Intelligent Design. My interest was piqued in particular by the argument that the eye is far too complex an organism to have come about as a result of evolution. It is compelling and seems logical to theorise that the eye and other organs, perhaps even all life itself was brought about by an outside party.
While it appears logical on the face of it, there are some issues that arise. I understand that the theory of Intelligent design posits that evolution, as it is currently taught, is not only implausible but actually not grounded in good science and is in essence an incomplete notion rather than a hard scientific fact.
I stated before that I am a physicist by training and as such my grasp of the theory of evolution is pedestrian, never having studied it in any detail. I have read the voyage of the Beagle and the origin of the species but I understand that modern evolutionary theory has as much in common with Darwin's original theory as does modern physics with Gallileo's 'natural philosophy'.
As I stated before, it is my understanding that Intelligent Design is grounded on the fact that life did not evolve but was created by a designer of some unknown origin. This is fine and sensible - Intelligent Design, as a young science, does not attempt to set bounds on the nature of such a designer and as such focus the scope of its studies.
The main problem I have with this notion is when I take the notion and extrapolate, as is the nature of my training. If it is true that evolution has no part in the rise of life on our planet then for the same reasons it should have no part in the rise of life in any part of the Universe. This leads to a problem as you can see. If there was no evolution at any time or place anywhere in the universe then there could never have been a designer to initiate life on any planet, let alone our own. To be more to the point - where did the original designer come from?
I would love to know more about Intelligent Design, but I have come up against what is to me an insurmountable problem. I have stated already that I have only come lately to idea of Intelligent Design and as such I am sure that I have overlooked some aspect. I would be most indebted if you could either point me to some resources for further study or if you could take a little time to put me right in my no doubt confused notions.
I look forward to hearing from you.
sincerely
Mark Lennox
Comments
roc
interesting - http://www.actionbioscience.org/evolution/nhmag.html
Gearoid Tuohy
May be of help?
United States District Court of Pennsylvannia ruling by Judge John E. Jones at: www.pamd.uscourts.gov/kitzmiller/kitzmiller_342.pdf
Posted by dottie at September 29, 2005 10:37 PM
Comments
interesting - http://www.actionbioscience.org/evolution/nhmag.html
Posted by: roc at September 30, 2005 1:28 PM
May be of help?
United States District Court of Pennsylvannia ruling by Judge John E. Jones at: www.pamd.uscourts.gov/kitzmiller/kitzmiller_342.pdf
Posted by: Gearoid Tuohy at May 30, 2007 10:11 AM