Re: The Knock on ID

From: george murphy (gmurphy@raex.com)
Date: Thu Mar 08 2001 - 07:33:10 EST

  • Next message: Moorad Alexanian: "(no subject)"

        The statements below about "evolutionary logic" and "TE logic" are
    badly flawed, primarily because of repeated use of the loaded word
    "presume". The affect which is conveyed by this word is easily see from
    parts of a dictionary definition:
            "To take upon oneself without leave, authority or warrant..."
            "To anticipate with confidence, to presuppose ..."
            "To take or suppose to be true, or entitled to belief. without
    examination or proof ..."

            To say then that "evolutionary logic" or "TE logic" "presume the
    universe and earth are very old", e.g., is to say that this is simply an
    _a priori_ assumption made "without examination or proof."
    & of course this is nonsense, as the very references to radiometric
    dating &c show. What is "assumed" (a more neutral word than the loaded
    "presumed") is that the natural world displays some regularity and that
    a detailed investigation of phenomena allows knowledgeable people to
    make reasonable inferences about the time elapsed since the formation of
    certain things which we observe.

            There are other things wrong here but this should suffice for
    now.

    Shalom,

    George

    George L. Murphy
    http://web.raex.com/~gmurphy/
    "The Science-Theology Interface"

    Allen Roy wrote:

    > H V T commented recently on YEC and ID:
    > "The pattern is familiar:(1) Presume that evolution = Darwinism;(2)
    > Define Darwinism to include explicitly anti-theistic, naturalistic
    > propositions;(3) Allow no distinction between the scientific concept
    > of biotic evolution and the exploitive rhetoric of naturalism;(4)
    > Accept the rhetoric of the preachers of naturalism when they claim
    > that evolution warrants their naturalistic worldview;(5) Conclude that
    > any teaching favorable to evolution is the enemy of Christianity. I
    > find HVT's logic flawed. Here is the way it appears to
    > me: Evolutionary logic:(1) Presume that matter, energy, the world and
    > universe exist eternally, (based on the philosophy of
    > naturalism/materialism).(2) Presume the universe and earth are very
    > old, (based on vast distances in the universe, radiometric dating and
    > a corollary to Naturalism/materialism -- Actualism [i.e. Non-uniform
    > Uniformitarianism]).(3) Presume that the geologic record is very old,
    > (based on 2).(4) Presume that life originated on earth following
    > natural laws, (based on 1 and a corollary to naturalism/materialism --
    > Abiogenesis).(5) Presume that the Biosphere on earth is very old,
    > (based on 2 and 3).(6) Presume that the history of life on earth over
    > vast ages is recorded in the geologic record, (based on 5).(7)
    > Conclude that Evolutionism (genetic variation, applied over time, is
    > responsible for all life forms originating from a single source) is
    > evident in the geologic record, (based on 6).(8) Suppress knowledge of
    > the Naturalistic assumptions upon which Evolutionism is based, ( based
    > on 2 ).(9) Suppress knowledge of the Naturalistic assumptions within
    > which science is done, there by fallaciously presenting science as
    > unbiased in supporting Evolutionism.TE logic:(1) Presume that God
    > Created the world and universe, (based on the Bible).(2) Presume the
    > universe and earth are very old, (based on vast distances in the
    > universe, radiometric dating and Actualism [Naturalistic
    > Assumptions]).(3) Presume that the geologic record is very old, (based
    > on 2).(4) Presume that God originated life on earth, (based on the
    > Bible).(5) Presume that the Biosphere on earth is very old, (based on
    > 2 and 3).(6) Presume that the history of life on earth over vast ages
    > is recorded in the geologic record, (based on 5).(7) Assume that
    > Evolutionism (genetic variation, applied over time, is responsible for
    > all life forms originating from a single source) is evident in the
    > geologic record, (based on 6).(8) Ignore (remain willingly ignorant of
    > or rationalize away) the naturalistic assumptions upon which
    > Evolutionism is based, ( based on 2 ).(9) Ignore the cause and effect
    > of Naturalism to Evolutionism, (2, 3, 5, 6 and 7)(10) Imagine that
    > there is a distinction between Evolutionism and Darwinism.(11) Ignore
    > or rationalize away the rhetoric of the preachers of Naturalism upon
    > which Evolutionism is based.(12) Conclude that Evolutionism is God's
    > way of Creating ID logic: [not YEC, CC, or OEC](1) Presume that
    > evolution = Evolutionism = Darwinism [genetic variation, applied over
    > time, being responsible for all life forms originating from a single
    > source];(2) Allow for a vast distinction between the scientific
    > concept of genetic variation and Evolutionism;(3) Accept the truth of
    > the preachers of naturalism when they claim that Evolutionism is based
    > on their naturalistic worldview;(4) Recognize that Evolutionism is
    > explicitly anti-theistic because it is based on naturalistic
    > propositions;(5) Conclude that any teaching favorable to Evolutionism
    > is the enemy of Christianity and Creationism. Creationary Catastrophes
    > logic: [not YEC](1) Presume that God Created the world and universe,
    > (based on the Bible).(2) Presume the universe and earth are very old,
    > (based on the Bible [literary structure of Genesis and Fall of
    > Lucifer] supported by apparent vast distance of the universe)(3)
    > Presume that God originated life on earth, (based on the Bible:
    > Creation Week).(4) Presume that the Biosphere on earth is "young",
    > (based on 3).(5) Presume that the fall of man precipitated the
    > beginning of death among mankind and the animal world [possibly
    > excluding insects], excluding plants, (based on the Bible)(6) Presume
    > that the geologic record displays (for the most part) the catastrophic
    > event called Noah's Flood, (based on the Bible and scientific
    > observation).(7) Presume that the life forms existing on earth prior
    > to the Flood are recorded in the geologic record, (based on 6 and
    > scientific observation).(8) Conclude that genetic variation within
    > created kinds is responsible for all life forms evident in the
    > geologic record and living today, (based on 3, 6 and scientific
    > observation). YEC logic:(1) Presume that God Created the world and
    > universe, (based on the Bible).(2) Presume the universe and earth are
    > very young, (based on the Bible).(3) Presume that God originated life
    > on earth, (based on the Bible: Creation Week).(4) Presume that the
    > Biosphere on earth is "young", (based on 3).(5) Presume that the fall
    > of man precipitated the beginning of death among mankind and the
    > animal world [possibly excluding insects], excluding plants, (based on
    > the Bible)(6) Presume that the geologic record displays (for the most
    > part) the catastrophic event called Noah's Flood, (based on the Bible
    > and scientific observation).(7) Presume that the life forms existing
    > on earth prior to the Flood are recorded in the geologic record,
    > (based on 6 and scientific observation).(8) Conclude that genetic
    > variation within created kinds is responsible for all life forms
    > evident in the geologic record and living today, (based on 3, 6 and
    > scientific observation) Allen RoyMember MENSA



    This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Thu Mar 08 2001 - 07:33:55 EST