I submit the following to the listserve for comment.
Keith
_________________________________________________________________________
>Design as a Research Program
>14 Questions to Ask About Design
>
>William A. Dembski
>Discovery Institute
>2000-06-13
>
>Contrary to popular accusations by critics, intelligent design theory
>suggests a number of questions that can be pursued as part of a research
>program. The following are fourteen such questions. Notice that questions 1
>- 13 can be pursued without considering question 14, Who is the designer?
>Thus it is clear that design can and does have a number of empirical
>implications and can be discussed and debated quite apart from questions
>about the identity and nature of the designer.
>
>For more information on objections to design, see the appendix of
>Intelligent Design: The Bridge between Science and Theology by William
>Dembski
>
>
>1. Detectability Problem --- How is design detected?
>
>2. Functionality Problem --- What is a designed object's function?
>
>3. Transmission Problem --- How does an object's design trace back
>historically? (search for narrative)
>
>4. Construction Problem --- How was a designed object constructed?
>
>5. Reverse-Engineering Problem --- How could a designed object have
>been constructed?
>
>6. Perturbation Problem --- How has the original design been modified
>and what factors have been modified?
>
>7. Variability Problem --- What degree of perturbation allows continued
>functioning?
>
>8. Restoration Problem --- Once perturbed, how can original design be
>recovered?
>
>9. Constraints Problem --- What are the constraints within which a
>designed object functions well and outside of which it breaks?
>
>10. Optimality Problem --- In what way is the design optimal?
>
>11. Ethical Problem --- Is the design morally right?
>
>12. Aesthetic Problem --- Is the design beautiful?
>
>13. Intentionality Problem --- What was the intention of the designer?
>
>14. Identity Problem --- Who is the designer?
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
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>The Institute is dedicated to exploring and promoting public policies that
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>For more information e-mail views@discovery.org or browse Discovery's
>website at http://www.discovery.org.
>
Keith B. Miller
Department of Geology
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS 66506
kbmill@ksu.ksu.edu
http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~kbmill/
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