Re: Is intelligent design testable?

From: John W Burgeson (burgytwo@juno.com)
Date: Thu Feb 01 2001 - 10:20:38 EST

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    Peter Rust wrote:

    "The IA candidates you mention are exactly what I meant by what I wrote
    in the parenthesis you quote (cf. also my comments to Dembski's points
    15 and 18). But I think these IA must themselves have been created by
    God (directly or through other IA or processes created and directed by
    God), so at the end of the line you can have none other than the
    Christian God.."

    While that is my position also, I don't see that it is anything more
    (to a non-Christian) than a theological statement. As such, I hold
    that it has no meaning as part of science. What is "at the end of
    the line" is, while of ultimate importance, not part of a scientific
    investigation.

    So -- I hold that ID ought not assume any "unembodied intelligence" as
    part
    of its thesis, but only an IA which, as far as its science goes, is part
    of nature.
    Dembski & Johnson disagree with me on this, of course, on the grounds
    that
    an unembodied intelligence cannot be ruled out a priori. Where we
    disagree
    is not on the truth of the above sentence, but whether the above sentence
    can properly
    be part of science, or is wholly subsumed under philosophy.

    Burgy
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