Uncommon Descent Serving The Intelligent Design Community

Geek CEO likes Dembski and Colson’s Design Revolution

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The Design Revolution: Answering the Toughest Questions about Intelligent Design

Mark Baisley, CEO of Slipglass, a cyber security product and services firm, is a fan of Bill Dembski and the late Charles Colson’s Design Revolution:

One of my absolute favorite geek books is The Design Revolution, written by mathematician and philosopher William Dembski in 2005. Dr. Dembski asserts that the scientific study of intelligent design will soon overtake Darwinism as the credible, prevailing theory for how life on Earth came to be. While giving Darwin his due, Dembski criticizes that, “Darwinism is, on its own terms, an overreaching and oversold scientific theory.”

It is important to understand that Intelligent Design is not Creationism. It is a field of scientific study that approaches the emergence of biological complexity without the aversion to deliberate planning. The book reads, “Intelligent Design attempts to understand the evidence for intelligence in the natural world. The nature and, in particular, the moral characteristics of that intelligence constitute a separate inquiry. Intelligent Design has theological implications, but it is not a theological enterprise. Theology does not own Intelligent Design. Intelligent Design is not an Evangelical Christian thing or a generically Christian thing or even a generically theistic thing.”- – “The lights of perverted science,” Townhall, May 7, 2012.

Of course Baisley is right. The study of design in nature is precisely that, the study of design in nature. Where it is, how it works.

That’s the difference between ID and theistic evolution (Christian Darwinism). ID theorists leave it to Biologos to argue that “God wouldn’t do it that way.”

Worse luck for Biologos then, if it turns out that God did do it that way. But not relevant to ID’s concerns.

Comments
Gregory @ #4 Perhaps the motto should be "Creationism is a legitimate lifestyle choice. Get over it." Seems to have worked in other areas...Jon Garvey
May 13, 2012
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"Is this because BioLogos/TE/EC is actually accepted in the (Roman Catholic) ‘mainstream’ while ‘intelligent design’ after 15-20 years of existence opposing neo-Darwinian evolution still is not?" That's like saying the organisers of Wimbledon (The All-England Tennis Club) don't believe in tennis. Do you really believe the Catholic Church doesn't believe the world was designed and that, by an omniscient, omnipotent God? Wake up, Christmas! Even the tiddlers, such as poor old Einstein, Bohr, Godel and Planck believed in that.Axel
May 13, 2012
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Worth repeating to 'the world'? "ID is creationism because it asserts nature has evidence of a creator." "The world is right in saying ID is creationism."Gregory
May 13, 2012
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If its about origins from a thinking being and its a criticism of evolution then it fits into the great creationist ideas in the world. ID is creationism because it asserts nature has evidence of a creator. All complicated stuff shows a creator its point. Creationism has a healthy and even dominate intellectual heritage. No need to run from its flag. It hasn't been proven wrong. The world is right in saying ID is creationism.Robert Byers
May 13, 2012
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As it turns out, I've been reading this same "Design Revolution" book in recent days/weeks. And I agree with Baisley, it is a 'geek book.' But wow, in the commentary first News reverts to decapitalising 'BioLogos' (whereas previously S/He captalised it). Second, there seems to be some felt reason to throw cackles and barbs at the BioLogos Foundation even on topics that have little or nothing to do with them. Is this because BioLogos/TE/EC is actually accepted in the (Roman Catholic) 'mainstream' while 'intelligent design' after 15-20 years of existence opposing neo-Darwinian evolution still is not? Bobbing at BioLogos just sounds so culture-war oriented...Gregory
May 13, 2012
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