Intelligent Design

Answers in Genesis?

• Part I – Introduction
• Part II – Biblical Infallibility
• Part III – Creationism (Young Earth)
  
• Part IV – Intelligent Design
• Part V – Philosophy and Morality
• Part VI – Religion
• Part VII – Science
• Part VIII – Evolution
• Part IX – Conclusion

The arguments surrounding Intelligent Design and Evolution are everywhere. Ben Stein’s documentary “Expelled” has certainly brought a lot more people looking for information on the debate.

While I’m no scientist, I do have the experience of having faith in Young Earth Creationism as a child, and as an adult understanding that Evolution (Modern Synthesis) bests fits the evidence.

These days I understand you can believe the religious philosophy of a Creator and still be a good evolutionary scientist. But for better or worse this balanced view is not accepted by the most vocal and political form of Christianity the United States. Protestant Evangelical Neo-fundamentalists are the ones advocating Intelligent Design as a scientific, not religious, theory, mainly through a think tank called the Discovery Institute

By the Discovery Institutes own words (the Wedge Strategy), Intelligent Design theory is part of a larger goal of minimizing the influences of Naturalism and Moral Relativism in popular culture. This makes perfect sense, as Intelligent Design, Naturalism (Reductionism, Materialism, etc. ) and Moral Relativism are all PHILOSOPHY, not science. Modern Synthesis = Science; Intelligent Design = Philosophy.

In the series linked to above, I contrast science and philosophy, Intelligent Design and the Modern Synthesis, skepticism and spirituality . This is intended primarily as a personal commentary on this intense debate, but it can also be used as a study guide for those looking for basic information on a complex subject.

I’ve also included an incomplete list of references below, as I am too lazy to rigorously cite them:

Reference Material:

• How the Banana was designed, with Kirk Cameron
• The Discovery Institute
• The Discovery Institute’s Wedge Strategy
• My del.icio.us evolution links
• My WordPress “Creationism” tag
• My Amazon List: “A Bible Study for Critical Thinkers”
• Answers In Genesis.com
• Reasons To Believe.org
• Ben Stein’s “Expelled”
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligent_design
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_Earth_creationism
• http://www.creationmuseum.org/
• Origins of Order by Stuart Kauffman (Warning: serious science)
• Endless Forms Most Beautiful, by Sean Carroll.
  
• The Selfish Gene, by Richard Dawkins
• Marking the Watershed, By Francis Schaeffer
• Darwin’s Black Box
• Hidden Order, by John Holland
• Emergence, by Steven Johnson
• Chaos, By James Gleick