Re: [asa] Confusion about Science and ID

On Tue, Aug 12, 2008 at 6:19 PM, Nucacids <nucacids@wowway.com> wrote:
> Hi PvM,
>
>
>
> "Well said, the claim that science is incapable of determining if life
> was designed."
>
>
>
> Yes, if we think through the logic of Monod, science cannot determine
> whether or not life was designed. Thus, it is ironic that so many treat it
> as the authority on this issue.

And yet, Monod may very well be wrong. In fact, facts have shown him
to be wrong in case of general design where science can indeed poke
through Monod's argument. But I do not wish to conflate your portrayal
of Monod with his actual words because it seems so self evident that
his comments are false.

>
>
>
> "As even Dawkins admitted, there are forms of design
> which are more open to scientific inquiry than others,"
>
>
>
> I don't think Dawkins has given this any real thought. Has he explained how
> science would detect design? If not, his opinion is vacuous. If so, let's
> have it.

What if aliens visited us and told us? Seems straightforward and
simple enough. It does not take much thought to show why Monod's
position seems to be problematic.

>
>
> "so if the argument is that science cannot address the issue of design, then
> design is by definition outside scientific inquiry and thus
> supernatural."
>
>
>
> Faulty logic. You would have to establish the absurd notion that everything
> outside scientific inquiry is supernatural to make that argument. .

You say it is absurd. Fine. But the simple fact remains that if it is
natural, science can address it. It may be that science is ill
equipped at this moment to address it such as in case of multiverses
and yet it can formulate positive hypotheses of how even these elusive
multiverses may at least in principle be tested.

Surely if design where to be natural, science would be able, at least
in principle, to address it. We may lack sufficient data at this time,
but that's a far cry from a by definition unconstrained explanation.

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Received on Wed Aug 13 01:53:28 2008