***URGENT*** Skeptic Exchange will close down very soon unless you visit Area 51 and vote for it!
1

1

Is there any evidence to support Intelligent Design? Please post applicable links.

flag

5 Answers

2

An intimidating question and one that is problematic due to the assumed nature of the "intelligence's" existence. The entire pretext of a "Maker" ipso facto implies that existence itself is proof of the Maker and neceessarily must be intelligent design.

Notwithstanding this philosopical nay theological arguments, this website appears to contain many useful links:

http://tinpan.fortunecity.com/carpenters/690 (no it's not mine)

and this one is very passionate: http://www.intelligent-design-evidence.com

The strict argument for evidence appears to run as follows - anywhere where a gap in empirical knowledge exists is by default filled with the proposition "Intelligent Design effected this"

For example: the universe began with a big bang - where did the big bang come from - possibly a pre-existing collasped universe - where did this comes from - a big bang ...... ultimately matter existed in the first place from UNKNOWN - therefore gap in knowledge i filled by intelligent design.

The error in scientific conclusion here is that lack of knowledge does not cause the existence of intelligent design it merely retains a gap and hence there is no evidence for direct evidence of intelligent design except by omission and default.

Despite all of this we have to ask the question - even if there is a Maker and He effected Intelligent Design, who then is the Super Intelligent Designer of the Intelligent Designer?

link|flag
I was reading from the bottom up, so my comment on Awalmo's answer reiterates your question :) The point is crucial and illustrates the root of ID in creationism. The ID designer is a god of the gaps - we don't know, therefore god. "Looks designed", which is a subjective quality we as humans assign, and no alternative (in the opinion of proponents) therefore designer. It's not science, it's belief in the absence of evidence, ie. faith. – Skrivener Mar 7 at 2:51
2

The short answer is no. How ID (Intelligent Design) defines evidence and science is different from how the scientific method defines evidence and science. See http://www.intelligentdesign.org/whatisid.php The Discovery Institute's own definition of ID.

In comparison, there are many resources which define what science and evidence mean by the scientific method. Here is one. There are many others. http://www.visionlearning.com/library/module_viewer.php?mid=45

However, ID proponents argue that ID is correct simply because complex specified information (CSI) cannot self-assemble or spontaneously generate without a designer (for detailed ID arguments see Dembski, an ID proponent and CSI architect). The basic argument would seem to beg the question: Life is too complex to arise without a designer; the designer creates life through a supernatural specific complex assemblage of stuff (that stuff might be information, proteins, amino acids...you get the idea). Or, put another way: Complex organisms are too complex to evolve as is made clear by their complexity (what?). If this seems to be no argument at all...bingo!

This is a very very simplified critique of Dembski and other ID supporters' arguments; however, if you look to information theory (on which Dembski bases his incarnation of CSI), you will find his mathematical formula not to be related to a single concept in information theory. What he seems to be doing is complicating the simple "complexity requires a designer" argument to the point that most of us throw up our hands and say either "I'm not qualified to unpack this" or just to accept it at face value. Or, so would it would seem Dembski and ID supporters hope.

link|flag
1 
Good point - I did not know about the CSI concept, although I always find that psuedo-science seems to adopt abbreviations and acronyms which sound like popular known sayings. CSI being the TV show, I guess this makes stuff seem more plausible perhaps. – Travelling Show and Tell Man Feb 16 at 14:34
That's an interesting point about Dembski using the CSI abbreviation. Actually, though, CSI first aired in 2000, while Dembski published his CSI in 1998. However, he did take the idea of specified complexity from Biologist (and NASA associate) Leslie Orgel. Just as you say, to make his (Dembski's) stuff seem more plausible. good comment. – Awalmo Feb 16 at 23:23
This approach also falls into the logical loop of "who designed the designer." – Skrivener Mar 7 at 2:45
1

@Awalmo: I don't have enough rep to comment but a thought I'd leave a link to an essay on how information could be created by natural selection explained by Richard Dawkins. Basically the environment culls (some) noise out of the genome and what is left is (some) information on how to survive in that environment. It's a good read and Dawkins is careful to explain the information theory stuff in an accurate but approachable manner. I found it fascinating.

link|flag
Thanks, I'll be heading for that link tonight. – Awalmo Feb 17 at 23:19
0

My personal feelings on this matter are thus: Science cannot be used to explain faith, or in some circles, "intelligent design." Science is based on testable, reproducible facts. Anyone that has "faith" cannot give you "faith," cannot hook themselves up to a computer to measure their "faith." I think that in some instances, some scientists have tried to make the point that because there is no measurable evidence to support it, there cannot be a maker, and all of this happened by accident. To fight back, those behind intelligent design say that science is flawed by nature (as it is an outgrowth of human intelligence) and thus is not to be trusted.
Neither opinion (and I do mean OPINION) appeals to me, since science should not try to explain religion (there are other phenomenon that science cannot explain), as someone's faith is a personal thing. If you believe in such things, faith is a gift given from on high, to those who seek after it. By the same token, intelligent design proponents should not try to explain or devalue science. First of all, you cannot argue with the facts. Second of all, trying to argue with facts that are plain to many other people makes you look extremely foolish. What am I trying to say here? I know that there is a God. Do I have any specific, measurable evidence to back that up? Of course not - just a feeling in my heart that I know he is there. Do I "believe" in science? Of course I do - I have a degree in Human biology, and a degree in general chemistry, and am currently in medical school. So I just think that these two completely different entities should remain separate. Like church and state. Just my two cents... ;)

link|flag
But Intelligent Design is an attempt to do just that. It tries to explain (pseudo-)scientifically creationism. Whether you believe that there is a god is your own choice, but ID or evolution is not a question of opinion, it comes down to evidence and facts. – Mark Z. Feb 16 at 11:25
"science should not try to explain religion" Why? If it manifests in the natural world then science is applicable to examining it. If it does not, then it has no application to reality, and has as much or little value as any other fiction and no reason to consider it further. "there are other phenomenon that science cannot explain" Really? Please post them as questions on here. "someone's faith is a personal thing." Not really. Anyone's beliefs, flawed or otherwise, affect their social behavior, political choices, educational decisions, advocacy, etc. You have the right to believe [contd] – Skrivener Mar 7 at 2:36
as you choose, regardless of reason or evidence if that be the case, but your belief is not above criticism, nor is it something that will affect you and only you. Religious beliefs are not above criticism, however sacred they may seem to the believer, and to hold them above examination is to invite ignorance in every other area of human knowledge. – Skrivener Mar 7 at 2:39
-1

FAQ: Does intelligent design make predictions? Is it testable?

The Short Answer: Yes. Intelligent design theory predicts: 1) that we will find specified complexity in biology. One special easily detectable form of specified complexity is irreducible complexity. We can test design by trying to reverse engineer biological structures to determine if there is an "irreducible core." Intelligent design also makes other predictions, such as 2) rapid appearance of complexity in the fossil record, 3) re-usage of similar parts in different organisms, and 4) function for biological structures. Each of these predictions may be tested--and have been confirmed through testing!

link|flag
Irreducible complexity is a god of the gaps argument. "Ooh, look at this shiny thing! It's so complicated, I can't see any way to make it in useful pieces gradually, therefore a designer did it!" It ignores the own ignorance of the poser - just because you don't know how something happened doesn't mean it was god, aliens, or a unicorn from venus that did it. It just means YOU DON'T KNOW (YET)! Try looking at #19 here: friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/24/… That's not even considering the failure of specific examples for irreducible complexity so far proposed. – Skrivener Apr 4 at 16:33
"ID is not proposing “God” to paper over a gap in current scientific explanation. Instead ID theorists start from empirically observed, reliable, known facts and generally accepted principles of scientific reasoning:" Read more at #39 here: uncommondescent.com/faq/#Godgaps – Name Apr 5 at 15:20
Stack Excahnge is not a forum or message board. Answers should be well research and sources cited where possible. If there is an explanation on another site please summerise it in your answer in addition to just providing links. Refer to the skepticexchange.org/faq – rjstelling Jul 10 at 19:23

Your Answer

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.