To put it another way, Is the proposition of the ID Theorists really
about _design_ or is it about the manner of _assembly_? Would it be more
accurate and less confusing not to to call it a theory about Intelligent
Design, but rather a theory of Extra-natural Assembly?
Comments from proponents of ID are welcome.
-------------------
Thank you for your reply. I think you have grasped what I was trying to
get at. I was looking at the possible redundancy of using both the terms
"design" and "intelligent". Your term -- in my recollection, professors
always like to use new terms! :-) -- "Extra-natural Assembly" would seem
appropriate. Some might like the term "supernatural" better but others
might (again) suggest the term to be slightly loaded. ENA would be more
"neutral" -- not believing for one moment that anything can be neutral.
In any case, and whatever term is finally used or how ID is defined with
the most detailed precision there still remains the fundamental problem.
It is the problem upon which all other problems are derive. And that is,
What is the basic assumption or premise? W. Provine is correct on that.
Pagans will say one thing and Christians will say another. Pagans will
answer their own questions. Christians will answer their ONE GOD, who
asks them, "Who do you say that I am?" in NT lingo or, "choose for
yourselves whom you will serve" in OT lingo. When a Christian
astrophysicist or biologist studies her subject diligently she is
answering her God. When a pagan astrophysicist or biologist studies her
subject diligently she is answering her god. Each woman chooses which
way she will answer (follow).
As for me and my household, we will CHOOSE... (all together now!)
Christopher Morbey
PS. If the term ENA is chosen -- I don't think it is bad -- then the
question of "how" and "how much" will inevitably arise. More (or most)
basic is the nature of the distinction between Creator and creation.
This is crucially important because notions of freedom and necessity are
bound up here. So is "love", "sovereignty", "risk", "gratitude",
"responsibility". Oh, to be a student again!