Archive for ‘Intelligent Design’
Seeking God in Science – An Atheist Defends Intelligent Design by Bradley Monton (Book Summary)
Book Summary by Jeff Stauffer
Bradley Monton is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Colorado, where he focuses in areas such as philosophy of physics, time, and religion. A self-pronounced atheist, Monton has taken an interesting position regarding the intelligent design movement: “Even though I’m an atheist, I think that some arguments for intelligent design are worth taking seriously.” In this book, Monton sets out to help define was intelligent design (ID) is, and asks questions such as, it is science, and should it be taught in schools.
Chapter 1: What is Intelligent Design, and Why Might an …
Read MoreTeleological Arguments
Teleological Arguments
Craig A. Smith (from the book, The Search)
These type of arguments are named for the Greek word teleos, which literally means “perfect.” For the ancient Greeks, something was “perfect” only when it fulfilled its intended purpose.
As you might guess then, teleological arguments attempt to show that various features of the universe can only be explained if we accept that they were intended for a particular purpose. In other words, teleological arguments show that various systems in the universe have been designed, with particular goals in mind, rather than springing into existence and evolving randomly.
People who work with teleological …
Read MoreCosmological Arguments
Cosmological Arguments
Craig A. Smith (From the book, The Search)
The term cosmological comes from the Greek word for the universe: cosmos. By universe, we are really referring to everything that exists in the physical realm, from the deepest depths of the earth to the farthest galaxy and everything in between. Basically, the cosmological argument works by attempting to show that the existence of the universe can only be explained by appealing to the actions of an intelligent, personal being (who we call God).
There are actually several different versions of the cosmological argument, but they all have certain basic features in …
Read MoreDe-Evolution
De-Evolution
By Craig A. Smith
I have been continually surprised by the Christian response to the idea contained in this brief article. On the one hand, some Christians seem to find the idea threatening, though I confess I do not understand why: I am a strict1 Creationist and find the theory of macro-evolution to be both theologically impermissible and scientifically incoherent.
On the other hand, many Christians are genuinely surprised by these ideas, having never heard anything quite like them. The very idea that this hypothesis is indeed novel is very perplexing to me. What I will outline in the following few paragraphs …
Read MoreSignature in the Cell – by Stephen C. Meyer
Book summary by Jeff Stauffer
Chapter 1: DNA, Darwin, and the Appearance of Design
In this opening chapter, Meyer introduces us to some of the topics to be discussed in greater
detail later on, as well as providing a brief account of how he started his involvement in the intelligent
design (ID) movement. With the advent of the discovery of the structure of DNA by James Watson and
Francis Crick in the 1950s, the “appearance of design” became a hotly debated issue. As the DNA
structure contained an immense amount of information, the science of DNA led to a widening interest in
information theory. This raises philosophical …
