Re: [asa] RE: (the answer) fun- an evolution riddle

> Both of these points are something that YEC's would likely rebuke. They
> say the VW is evidence of "intelligent design" and the same should therefore
> apply to more complex systems such as microbiological machines. However,
> this test question I just gave may point out the opposite- just as
> biological systems arise through evolution, so do cars (or watches- maybe
> that would be a better picture since it would relate to Paley's argument).
> In this way, evolution just swallowed-up the intelligent design hypothesis.

Or the reverse just happened. The moment you argue that human artifacts and
living systems come about in somehow the same way, you're also bolstering
the argument that 'unguided evolution' may be anything but. YECs may not be
able to accept billions of years of evolution - very many ID proponents,
however, can. But a Dawkins-style 'evolutionist' (I dislike the word, but it
drives the point home here) cannot accept even the possibility that living
systems or evolutionary history is the result of any kind of external or
agent-centric design. Yet that door is kicked wide open by highlighting such
comparisons. It doesn't force a conclusion of agency... but suddenly
evolution is very capable of accomodating such a view without difficulty.

I've suspected that that's why some of the more atheistic critics of ID
often act as if ID proponents are really YEC proponents. YECs typically want
to deny evolution took place. Many ID proponents want to accept evolution
took place, but (along with, perhaps, some TEs) that evolution itself is
design-laden from top to bottom. The former view leaves natural history /
natural science untouched, because it's essentially a denial. The latter
stakes a claim in those areas. And if evolution can accomodate atheistic and
theistic perspectives equally (or worse, possibly the latter more
convincingly)... well, a lot of people will be disappointed.

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Received on Sun Jan 11 15:29:17 2009