Re: What does D mean?

Moorad Alexanian (alexanian@UNCWIL.EDU)
Tue, 14 Apr 1998 15:43:46 -0500 (EST)

At 09:06 PM 4/13/98 -0400, Howard J. Van Till wrote:
>Moorad Alexanian writes:
>
>"Perhaps I am being too simple minded, but I thought IDer was epitomized by
>someone finding a watch and concluding that there is a watchmaker. It is
>the notion of a Creator which is usually implied when using the term IDer."
>
>Moorad, your response is a vivid llustration of the reason for my question.
>
>
>Notice how quickly you extrapolated from 'inelligent _designer_' to the
>idea of a '_maker_.' This is the point I have been trying to establish.
>What its proponents are calling a theory of 'intelligent _design_' is
>mostly a theory about how somethiing is _made_ or assembled or fabricated
>or manufactured.
>
>ID, as now promoted, is mostly a theory about 'extranatural assembly,' not
>about thoughtful conceptualization, or intention, or purpose or even
>design. Odd, isn't it?
>
>Furthermore, if ID were fundamentally a "notion of a Creator," as you have
>assumed, isn't it odd that Behe's book _Darwin's Black Box_, hailed by
>Christianity Today magazine as the Christian "book of the year" is so
>studiously careful to avoid making that inference to a Creator explicit?
>
>Howard Van Till

Dear Howard,

I have not yet read Behe's book. Our library has not yet received it. The
strategy I use when discussing such issues is to bring forth the assumptions
being made. You will be surprised how much comes out when one takes that
position. Sometimes is wise and more productive to not bring in our faith
when discussing issues with, say, atheists. We want to keep the discussion
in the plane of presuppositions and logical conclusions from such
assumptions. It seems from what I read in the list that Behe is saying that
some systems are far too complex to have evolved without purpose or
guidance. Is then a person hood behind that guidance or purpose? Of course,
one can say there is a big giant which is behind our world tinkering with
it. Therein comes our attempt to relate such a being with our other human
experiences and such reconciliation can be found in the Christian faith. But
strictly speaking an IDer could be such a jolly giant having nothing to do
with the God of Scripture. Of course, from an obvious design observed in
nature I concludes there is a Creator, the God of Scripture.

Take care,

Moorad