On the assumption of design
Author:
Patrick Frank
DOI:
10.1080/1474670042000196649
Publication Frequency:
4 issues per year
Subject:
Religion & Science;
Formats available:
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(English)
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Abstract
The assumption of design of the universe is examined from a scientific perspective. The claims of William Dembski and of Michael Behe are unscientific because they are a-theoretic. The argument from order or from utility are shown to be indeterminate, circular, to rest on psychological as opposed to factual certainty, or to be insupportable as regards humans but possibly not bacteria, respectively. The argument from the special intelligibility of the universe specifically to human science does not survive comparison with the capacities of other organisms. Finally, the argument from the unlikelihood of physical constants is vitiated by modern cosmogonic theory and recrudesces the God-of-the-gaps.
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| Keywords: Anthropic principle; Design; Design filter; Design inference; Intelligent design theory; Irreducible complexity; Physical constants; Universe; William Paley |

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