From: John Burgeson (hoss_radbourne@hotmail.com)
Date: Sun Dec 15 2002 - 15:29:55 EST
Some time ago (I've been on an extended vacation), in response to a post by
George, I wrote:
>What I want to do is remove the debate (about ID) entirely away from
>discussions of the
>IDers themselves, what motivates them -- and just talk about the ideas.
>
>To limit the discussion only to OOLOE (Origin of Life on Earth) is to
>simply confine it to that part
>of the material world we know most about.
>
>An archaelogist finds a non-living item "X" and declares that it appears to
>have been created by an intelligence, and generally that claim is taken
>seriously for many items "X1, X2, ... " Sometimes, however, item X15 (for
>instance) is subsequently judged to have been created through inanimate
>natural causation. And reasonable scientists then debate that.
>
>A biologist finds a living item "Y" and declares that it appears to have
>been created by an intelligence. Generally that claim is NOT taken
>seriously
>for items "Y1, Y2, ..." even by IDers. But sometimes an IDer will take it
>seriously for item Y15 (for instance).
>
>So the division point seems to be between non-living items (or items that
>appear to be non-living) and living items, presumably on the basis that to
>create a living item of any sort is something beyond the ken of modern
>science and therefore ruled out a priori.
>
>I don't like a priori rules ( as you know) and so I cannot be comfortable
>with the division, at least as I have stated it.
George responded by continuing to discuss the IDers motivations and
incorrect (in his opinion) theology.
Once again I ask if we can talk about the science, and not about either the
theology or the motivations of Dembski, Johnson, et. al. I am sure that to
many those subjects are interesting; they are not interesting to me.
My question above was not, as I can detect, addressed since I posted it a
month ago. I think it is a lot more interesting than questions of IDers
theological beliefs or motivations. But perhaps, of course, only to me.
Burgy
www.burgy.50megs.com
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