The Intelligent Design Debate And The Temptation Of Scientism

The controversy over Intelligent Design (ID) has now continued for over two decades, with no signs of ending. For its defenders, ID is revolutionary new science, and its opposition is merely ideological. For its critics, ID is both bad science and bad theology. But the polemical nature of the debate makes it difficult to understand the nature of the arguments on all sides. A balanced and deep analysis of a controversial debate, this volume argues that beliefs about the purposiveness or non-purposiveness of nature should not be based merely on science. Rather, the philosophical and theological nature of such questions should be openly acknowledged.

The controversy over Intelligent Design (ID) has now continued for over two decades, with no signs of ending. For its defenders, ID is revolutionary new science, and its opposition is merely ideological. For its critics, ID is both bad science and bad theology. But the polemical nature of the debate makes it difficult to understand the nature of the arguments on all sides. A balanced and deep analysis of a controversial debate, this volume argues that beliefs about the purposiveness or non-purposiveness of nature should not be based merely on science. Rather, the philosophical and theological nature of such questions should be openly acknowledged.

On December 20, 2005, Federal District Court Judge John E. Jones III ruled that Intelligent Design was not science but an unconstitutional intrusion of religion into the school curriculum. His decision upheld contentions by parents in the Dover, PA, school district that school board members substituted personal religious beliefs for science. The ruling came despite calls by President George W. Bush for Intelligent Design to be taught as a theory alongside the theory of evolution. This hotly contested issue continues to grip the nation and spark intense debate. But what is Intelligent Design? Can Intelligent Design stand up to the rigors of scientific method? Or is it a nonscientific, faith-inspired interpretation of experience? This collection of essays addresses such questions and includes analyses from scientists, journalists, philosophers, and religious leaders and thinkers. This volume provides a variety of perspectives in the hope that readers will be better prepared to reach their own conclusions about the issues involved. Divided into five sections, the first section provides analyses of Judge Jones's decision. Section two includes a report on and a response to President Bush's call for Intelligent Design to be taught in schools. The third section outlines the origins of the debate, including excerpts from the classic works of Charles Darwin and theologian William Paley. Section four analyzes the scientific validity of Intelligent Design and includes statements from key scientific associations. The highly important concluding section asks whether religion and evolution are compatible. This essential volume features selections from: Elisabeth Bumiller, Matt Cartmill, Charles Darwin, Daniel C. Dennett, Barbara Forrest, Owen Gingerich, Stephen Jay Gould, John Paul II, Philip Kitcher, Ernan McMullen, Kenneth R. Miller, Nancey Murphy, William Paley, Robert T. Pennock, Holmes Rolston III, Michael Ruse, Alfred Tauber, Michael W. Tkacz, James Q. Wilson, and Carl Zimmer.

This book challenges the widespread assumption of the incompatibility of evolution and the biological design argument. Kojonen analyzes the traditional arguments for incompatibility, and argues for salvaging the idea of design in a way that is fully compatible with evolutionary biology. Relating current views to their intellectual history, Kojonen steers a course that avoids common pitfalls such as the problems of the God of the gaps, the problem of natural evil, and the traditional Humean and Darwinian critiques. The resulting deconstruction of the opposition between evolution and design has the potential to transform this important debate.

Leading intellectuals debate and explain the controversy over Intelligent Design in this text that explores the scientific, religious, and philosophical facets of the debate in a balanced, fair, and open-minded format.

This book investigates the nature and relevance of conjunctive explanations in the context of science and religion. It explores questions concerning how scientific and religious explanations for features of the world or phenomena within it relate to each other and whether they might work together in mutually enriching ways. The chapters address topics including the relationship between Darwinian and teleological explanations, non-reductive explanations of mind and consciousness, and explanations of Christian faith and religious experience, while others explore theological and philosophical issues concerning the nature and feasibility of conjunctive explanations. Overall, the contributions help to provide conceptual clarity on how scientific and religious explanations might or might not work together conjunctively as well as exploring how these ideas relate to specific topics in science and religion more generally.

A critique of religious dogma historically provides the basis for rational inquiry into the physical and social world. Critique of Intelligent Design is a key to understanding the forces of irrationalism that seek to undermine the natural and social sciences.

This nonideological analysis of the debate regarding intelligent design and evolution reveals the intentional distortions and unseen influences of modern media that skew the public's view of world events and controversial issues. The modern debate over the validity of the opposing intelligent design and evolution positions has continued for over 20 years and ended up in the courtroom more than once. Media Perspectives on Intelligent Design and Evolution seeks to present readers with an even-handed, unbiased explanation of the issues within this heated debate and show how the media subtly "frames"--or depicts--the dispute. Ideal as a reference text for high school and college students, this book examines the controversies in schools in Pennsylvania, Kansas, and Georgia; the major court decisions concerning the teaching of intelligent design in public schools; and the role of organizations such as the Discovery Institute and the National Science Teachers Association in the debate over intelligent design. Specific examples of how media such as network and cable news providers have portrayed the issue of intelligent design in schools demonstrate the powerful influence of media upon public opinion. - Provides brief biographical profiles on some of the key individuals in the debate regarding evolution and intelligent design, including philosopher William Dembski of Seattle's Discovery Institute and former Harvard paleontologist Stephen J. Gould - Presents primary documents and photographs that support the text, as well as a timeline of the intelligent design-evolution debate - Includes an annotated bibliography for suggestions on further reading