Intelligent Design

What Exactly Is The Theory of Intelligent Design?

So, what exactly is the Theory of Intelligent Design and how is it the same and how does it differ from the Theory of Evolution? After much research on this topic, this is my current understanding of some of those fundamental similarities and differences.

  1. Intelligent Design DOES support the idea of micro-evolutionary changes over time. What does this mean? Basically, it means that individual species DO evolve and change over time for the purpose of adapting to their environment. (For example, if placed in cold temperatures, sheep will develop more fur over time to help them stay warm.)
  2. Intelligent Design is SKEPTICAL of the macro-evolutionary ideas of the “origin of life” aspect of the “Theory of Evolution.” In other words, it is skeptical of the idea that species can change from one species (monkey) to another species (human.) It is also skeptical of the idea that we all started from a single cell in some sort of primordial soup, as proposed by evolutionary theorists.
  3. Intelligent Design CHALLENGES Natural Selection and undirected processes being sufficient enough to account for these changes over time, random variation & mutation.
  4. Intelligent Design researchers are looking for (and finding) evidence of DESIGN in nature, in our cells and in the fine-tuning of our Universe.
  5. DESIGN IN CELLS – appears to be coded through complex sequences of information (specified complexity). They are no more random than throwing 150 letters of the alphabet and having them mysteriously arrange themselves into sentences and paragraphs.
  6. NANOTECHNOLOGY – complex machinery in cells such as the bacterial flagellar motors, sliding clamps, turbines, mitochondria, etc. Exquisite machinery – high tech in low life (cells).
  7. ANTHROPIC FINE TUNING – of the Universe. There are many laws and constants in our world that are finely tuned precisely for life. Examples would be oxygen, carbon dioxide, expansion of the Earth, the distance of the Earth to the sun or moon, etc. If any ONE of them were “out of tune,” or “out of balance” to the smallest degree, life on Earth would not be possible. The fact that over 100 of them are ALL finely tuned, would appear to be virtually impossible without information (or instructions) of design. They describe it as different dials and parameters without much “wiggle room.” Any change in either direction for any one of these parameters would make life on Earth impossible. 
  8. Evolutionary Theorists believe that life “appears” to be designed. Intelligent Design theorists believe that life IS designed.
  9. DNA was discovered in the 1950s to have a double helix and complex sequences of amino acids, indicating purposeful DESIGN. To have a cell, you must have proteins and to have proteins, you must have information and instructions. ID theorists want to know, where does this information come from? They believe the only explanation is Intelligence. 
  10. JUNK DNA – and other aspects of our bodies (such as the blind spot) that were once thought to be without function, are now being found to have function and have a purpose.
  11. Intelligent Design DOES NOT support the Darwinian concept of “Common Descent.” In other words, they do not think we all evolved through natural selection with the random variation that started with a simple cell and “arranged itself” over time into complex human beings. Intelligent Design DOES NOT agree that human beings evolved from monkeys.
  12. Some aspects of NATURE have such complex design that it parallels some of the most complex mathematical formulas (such as fractals.)
  13. Darwin’s “UNIVERSAL COMMON DESCENT” aspect of his “Theory of Evolution” led to the practice of eugenics (the sterilization of “inferior” human beings.) His work also influenced Hitler’s ideas of the superiority of Germans and the inferiority of Jews, as well as other ideas that some races are superior to others. Intelligent Design proponents CHALLENGE these aspects of Darwin’s theory.
  14. The “Theory of Evolution” is being taught as “truth” in the academic school systems, even today.
  15. Darwin’s Theory of Evolution is based on the scientific method proposed by Charles Lyell called the “Inference of the Best Explanation” or the “Method of Elimination.” This means that if we cannot directly observe the “Cause,” we have to infer the cause based on what we already know to be true about our world. In other words, what causes are already known to produce certain effects?
  16. Intelligent Design uses the exact same scientific method, yet it has been ruled by the U.S. District Court in Pennsylvania at the Dover Trial of 2005 to be “Not scientific” and therefore, not allowed to be taught in the school systems. This was decided by a Federal Judge and not by a scientific expert in the field.
  17. Evolutionary theorists believe that MATTER was the FIRST CAUSE of the origin of life and Consciousness or INTELLIGENCE developed FROM MATTER.
  18. Intelligent Design theorists believe that CONSCIOUS INTELLIGENCE was the FIRST CAUSE of the origin of life and matter came FROM complex design instructions, code or information that could only come from this INTELLIGENCE based on what we already know about these effects.
  19. Intelligent Design is BASED on the scientific method, “The Inference of the Best Explanation” or the “Method of Elimination,” but has THEISTIC (belief in one God) implications.
  20. In order for something to qualify as “Designed,” Intelligent Design researchers have set the bar exceptionally high in order for their findings to be considered “significant” in their results. In order for this to happen, the chances of something appearing in this world by random occurrence must exceed 1/10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
    000000000000000000000000000000000000 (1 in 1 and 150 zero’s).

  1. The Theory of Evolution is BASED on the scientific method, “The Inference of the Best Explanation” or the “Method of Elimination,” but has MATERIALISTIC or (sometimes) ATHEISTIC (no belief in God) implications.
  2. Some Evolutionary Theorists consider themselves to be Theistic Evolutionary Theorists (the belief that “God” started the world in motion and then left it to evolve for itself.)
  3. Because Intelligent Design has theistic implications and is friendly to those who have a spiritual and religious belief in God, it is portrayed as “promoting religion as science” and is referred to as “pseudoscience” (mistakenly regarded as science) by some evolutionary theorists. Intelligent Design theorists strongly disagree and state that their theory is based on science.
  4. Fossil records indicate that there was a large “explosion” of variations of life form during what is known as the Cambrian Explosion, supporting the Theory of Intelligent Design.
  5. Intelligent Design theorists do NOT claim to know WHO this INTELLIGENCE is, although many (if not most) of them admit that they BELIEVE this INTELLIGENCE is God. But these are IMPLICATIONS of Intelligent Design, not the scientific basis of Intelligent Design. Some ID theorists propose other implications for the source of this intelligence, such as aliens from other planets.
  6. Research for the Theory of Evolution is backed by federal aid and grants because it is taught in public school systems. These federal grants come from your tax dollars.
  7. Research for the Theory of Intelligent Design is backed by donations given to the Discovery Institute since Intelligent Design researchers do not receive any federal aid or grants from the government.
  8. Several Intelligent Design researchers have been fired from the Academic Public School Systems for supporting or even mentioning the Theory of Intelligent Design. Many others have left voluntarily. The same thing goes for journalists. Many ID proponents feel that these tactics violate “Academic Freedom” in our school systems.

 

Intelligent Design researchers have no problem with putting their research to the tests of duplication and replication and are open to serious debate. They view themselves as being serious scientists who are interested in the “Truth.”

To Watch An Introductory Video
About Intelligent Design
Listen to Dr. Stephen C. Meyer, Ph.D. below

However, because their research is not allowed in the school systems, they have been forced to take a different path.  This is how the Discovery Institute in Seattle Washington came into being.

Many others have claimed that Intelligent Design research is not “peer reviewed,” and therefore “not science.” According to many prominent design theorists, this is simply false. Several of their articles were in fact “peer reviewed” and published, causing some of them to lose their jobs.

 

Other articles never made it to publication in specific scientific journals and magazines. The reasons for this are a matter of opinion.  Some evolutionary scientists state that this is happening because Intelligent Design is a threat to what they regard as “true science.” Others believe it to be a threat to a hidden agenda, and still, others believe this is happening out of fear of jeopardizing their careers.

So why is there such a strong SUPPRESSION of the BASIS of Intelligent Design? As Stephen Meyer mentions in the video above, he believes it is because Intelligent Design has positive, faith-affirming IMPLICATIONS which is erroneously portrayed as being “against science.”

The debate, states Meyer, is more about an underlying world view about the very nature of science. But Intelligent Design proponents cannot emphasize enough that it is important to distinguish the BASIS of science from the IMPLICATIONS of science.  Just as Intelligent Design has faith-based implications, Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection caused by random variation and mutation can just as easily be seen as having anti-faith implications.

If you support the work of Intelligent Design researchers, please consider donating to their research here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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