Few things seem to work some scientists into a frenzy more than the words "Intelligent Design."
Why isn't Intelligent Design science?
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You may have heard of the theory of Intelligent
Design.
It holds that certain features of the universe
and of living things are best explained by
an intelligent cause, not an undirected
process such as natural selection.
Seems simple enough.
And yet the passion with which many scientists
attack the theory known as Intelligent Design-
and attack its proponents as well-is quite
a curiosity.
It would be one thing if the attackers simply
disagreed with the theory.
But at the heart of most attacks is a single,
crucial claim:
"Intelligent Design is not science."
But why not?
What is it about the claim that life may exhibit
signs of intelligent design that takes it
outside of the realm of science?
If Intelligent Design research cannot be a
scientific endeavor,
then what about SETI-the Search for Extra-Terrestrial
Intelligence?
The effort counts such scientific luminaries
as Carl Sagan and Frank Drake among its founders
and promoters.
SETI uses radio telescopes to scan the skies
listening to the random noise of the universe
in the hopes that something non-random can
be noted,
indicating a possible intelligence behind
its origin.
If the search for indications of intelligence
isn't science, why is SETI scientific?
Consider archaeology.
If Bill and Ted are two working archeologists
and Bill says,
"Hey, Ted!
Look at this ancient stone tool I just discovered!"
Should Ted respond,
"Bill, you know we can't scientifically recognize
intelligent causation.
How do you know that isn't just a rock?"
Should Bill and Ted discover Stonehenge,
would concluding that its massive stones were
intelligently arranged there take them out
of the realm of science?
Must they only investigate how the massive
stones could have naturally grown into such
an amazing configuration?
Or how they mysteriously-and altogether unintelligently-dropped from the sky to land so conveniently?
Would suggesting that Stonehenge was actually
designed by minds with intelligence cause
Bill and Ted to be stripped of their status
as scientists?
In fact, when a forensic scientist examines
a dead body and determines that the individual
did not die of natural causes but died as
a result of murder,
should we strip him of the title "scientist"
because he has made a determination of intelligent
action?
Some have suggested that Intelligent Design
isn't empirically testable enough to be science.
But many of the most popular scientific theories
of the day-such as the multiverse theory and
string theory in physics-
have proven to be far more devoid of empirical
evidence than the theory of Intelligent Design.
Why are they considered scientific and Intelligent
Design theory is not?
You may have read recently about popular scientists
such as Richard Dawkins, Brian Greene,
and Neil DeGrasse Tyson gushing about the
theory that our universe may be a computer
simulation created by a higher intelligence.
Scientific American wrote,
"The idea that the universe is a simulation
sounds more like the plot of 'The Matrix,'
but it is also a legitimate scientific hypothesis."
But if this is a "legitimate scientific hypothesis,"
why isn't Intelligent Design?
Others say claim that, by opening up the possibility
that the ultimate source of life may be beyond
scientific consideration, Intelligent Design
is not scientific.
But what about the theory of Panspermia-the
theory that simple life first came to earth
from space.
It's been advocated by scientific mainstays,
such as Fred Hoyle and Chandra Wickramasinghe.
Nobel prize winner Francis Crick, co-discoverer
of the structure of the DNA molecule, even
theorized that early life was sent to earth
by advanced, intelligent, alien civilizations.
Why do scientists like Crick get a pass when
Intelligent Design theory gets shown the door?
The reasons given to reject Intelligent Design
as science would cause us to reject any number
of scientific ideas, as well.
In fact, comparing Intelligent Design to Evolution,
atheist Thomas Nagel wrote, "Either both of
them are science, or neither of them is."
When one truly steps back and looks at the
evidence, it is hard to find reasons for rejecting
Intelligent Design as science other than fear,
ignorance, or ideological bigotry.
And I don't know about you, but I don't find
any of those reasons very scientific.
I'm Wallace Smith for Tomorrow's World Viewpoint.
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