INTELLIGENT DESIGN (ID):

ID's BELIEFS
ID's ORIGIN.
OBSERVATIONS SUPPORTING ID

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Beliefs of supporters of of Intelligent Design (ID):

There are many beliefs currently held about basic origins of the earth itself, its geological features, its life forms, and the rest of the universe. The three main ones in North America are:

1. Creation science: This belief is taught by many of the religions of the world. There are probably about 500 variants in existence. In the version believed by most Christian, Jewish, and Muslim conservatives, the earth, its life forms and the rest of the universe are believed to have been created by God less than 10,000 years ago.
2. Naturalistic evolution: This is the classical theory of evolution. In it, the Earth, its life forms, and the rest of the universe evolved over a period of billions of years, driven by undirected natural forces without any input from a super-normal intelligence. Most supporters of ID reject this theory, because they accept evidence that just such an intelligence exists.
3. Theistic evolution: They evolved over a period of billions of years guided by God, who used evolution as a tool to effect change. Most supporters of ID accept this theory. In fact, ID is all about finding proof for some super-human intelligence. However, some ID'ers suggest that God may not be responsible for what we see around us. It may have been a super-intelligent life form -- some species of extra-terrestrials -- who visited earth billions of years ago, set evolution in motion,  and injected some of their own designs into various species.

Proponents of Intelligent Design (ID; a.k.a. Intelligent Design Creationism, IDC; Intelligent Design Theory, IDT, Neocreationism) assert that there are certain patterns, designs, and functions in the universe that could not have come into existence as a result of purely natural forces and processes or chance. When they come across something that they think might be intelligently designed. they apply a three-stage explanatory filter:

They conclude that some elements in the universe must have been specifically designed and implemented. In some cases, this leads logically to the existence of an intelligent entity with super-human ability and knowledge. By proving this, ID supporters attempt to refute a basic assumption of naturalistic evolution -- that the earth, its life forms and the rest of the universe came into existence as a result of natural forces. 

Some critics have pointed out what they feel is a fatal flaw in the logic of the three-stage filter. A fourth possibility exists: that the observation may be due to a law of nature that is currently not known or is not fully understood. For example, if the three-stage filter were applied in the 1^st century CE to the movement of the sun across the sky, one would conclude neither a law of nature nor chance was involved. It must have been due to a direct or indirect intervention by God. Thus, the astronomers of the day believed that God directed angels to push the sun across the sky.

No proof by a present law is not proof that no new law exists to be found in the future.

Origin of ID:

Many Christian theologians have argued that the presence of the universe proves the existence of God. They include Minucius Felix (3rd century CE), Basil the Great (4th c.), Moses Maimonides (12th c.), Thomas Aquinas (13th c.), Thomas Reid (18th c.), and Charles Hodge (19th c.). It remains one of the classical proofs of the existence of God. ₂

The roots of the current Intelligent Design movement are found in the writings of William Paley (1743-1805). In his 1802 book: "Natural Theology ; Evidences of the Existence and Attributes of the Deity. Collected from the Appearances of Nature," he used an analogy to prove the existence of God. ₃ He argued that if a person found a watch, she/he would assume that it had been made by a watchmaker. In the same way, the internal complexity of living things proves the existence of a Creator of all life. The world itself and the rest of the universe similarly prove that a designer existed. ₄ Some 184 years later, Richard Dawkins wrote a book "The Blind Watchmaker" in which he attempts to prove Paley wrong. He concludes: "All appearances to the contrary, the only watchmaker in nature is the blind forces of physics, albeit deployed in a very special way... it is the blind watchmaker." ₅

The current Intelligent Design movement began "with the work of Charles Thaxton, Walter Bradley, Michael Denton, Dean Kenyon, and Phillip Johnson. Without employing the Bible as a scientific text, these scholars critiqued Darwinism on scientific and philosophical grounds'  Among the first books in ID were:

More recently, scholars like Michael Behe, Stephen Meyer, Paul Nelson, Jonathan Wells, and...[William Dembski] have taken the next step, proposing a positive research program wherein intelligent causes become the key for understanding the diversity and complexity of life." ₂

Observations supporting ID:

The Center for Renewal of Science and Culture points to the following phenomena as indicators of intelligent design in the universe:

References used:

1. William A. Dembski, Ed., "Mere Creation: Science, Faith and Intelligent Design," InterVarsity Press, (1998), Page 94.

2. William Dembski, "The Intelligent Design Movement," Cosmic Pursuit, 1998-Spring. Online at: http://www.origins.org/offices/dembski/docs/bd-idesign.html

3. William Paley, "Natural Theology ; Evidences of the Existence and Attributes of the Deity. Collected from the Appearances of Nature," This book is occasionally available from the Amazon.com online book store

4. "Creationists hit capitol hill for congressional briefing," at: http://www.atheists.org/flash.line/evol10.htm

5. Richard Dawkins, "The Blind Watchmaker: Why the Evidence of Evolution Reveals a Universe Without Design," Read reviews or order this book safely from Amazon.com online book store

6. "About CRSC: Life after Materialism," at: http://www.discovery.org/crsc/about.html

7. Victor J. Stenger, "Intelligent design: Humans, cockroaches and the laws of physics," at: http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/cosmo.html