"Pratt Tribune" January 10, 2001

Todd Moody
LETTER: ID science theory not dogma

Following the fray in Kansas from afar, I'd like to respond to some of
Burt Humburg's recent statements about creationism and Intelligent Design.

First, Intelligent Design (ID) is the theory that some features of the
natural world are best explained as the products of intelligent design, rather
than unguided natural forces. To say that these features are "best explained"
means that ordinary scientific reasoning supports this inference, without
appeal to revelation or theological reasoning. This means that ID can say
that the evidence supports the design inference, but no more than that. It
cannot say that the designer is the God of the Bible or Shiva, or
Klingons.
It could be any or none of these; ID is silent and therefore neutral on
this question.

This is important because creationism was sharply, and correctly,
criticized for mixing theology with science. ID carefully refuses to make
this mistake. It is also absurd to criticize ID proponents for "secretly"
believing that the intelligent designer is God. The case for ID is not
tainted by their beliefs as long as it doesn't depend upon those beliefs. And the
whole point is that it doesn't.

One last point. It is ridiculous to complain that acceptance of ID puts an
end to scientific inquiry. Science doesn't work that way, and never has.
Acceptance of scientific theories is always provisional, and scientists
are always trying to overturn old theories and replace them with better ones.

Todd Moody, Ph.D
Department of Philosophy
St. Joseph's University Philadelphia

Oryginal:
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