Creationism, Intelligent Design, Evolution or .... what?

gp1628 said:
I have a problem here. Has "Intelligent Design" thru this whole conversation been in line with the original posters definition that God directed Evolution? ... Im also for clarity, especially when arguing against something.
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I'm all for the idea of clarity, Gandalf, but I think that is part of the problem whenever this subject is raised. There is a great deal of assumption by both sides as to what the other actually means. Rather than exploring the depth and detail to flesh out any meaningful dialogue, the subject typically digresses into stereotypes and biases.

What is meant by the term "G-d?"

What is meant by the term "Intelligent?"

What is meant by the term "Design?"

What is meant by the term "Creation?"

What is meant by the term "Evolution?"

Like the proverbial clutch of Rabbis, ask any 6 and get 7 different answers.
 
What I mean is....
Intelligent Design covers more than just creation by God. I hate it when an Intelligent Design discussion is argued as if it was a Creationists argument. Thats like arguing a subject of "fruit" using "apples" as your basis.

Personally Im all for Evolution. "Fight the Design! Join the Evolution!"
Join the Evolution! : Odd Thotz : CafePress.com
but I do prefer the arguments to be specific.
Sheesh. The believers of science are sometimes hard to separate from the believers of a young earth from the way they preach their side of things.
 
gp1628 said:
What I mean is....
Intelligent Design covers more than just creation by God. I hate it when an Intelligent Design discussion is argued as if it was a Creationists argument. Thats like arguing a subject of "fruit" using "apples" as your basis.
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You have a valid point though, and that is why I tried to highlight it in the manner I did.

If something I read recently holds any merit, it seems "intelligent design" was invented as a legal ploy to insert creationist thinking into school texts, attempting to put an air of scientific validity to the creationist POV. That I feel is not forthright, if this story I read is true.

Having said that, I agree with you in concept, but then we must return to how exactly "G-d" is defined. In some sense acknowledgement of a universal intelligence provides a de facto grounds for the proof of G-d...depending how G-d is defined. Which is why I suspect atheists are generally so dismissive of the concept...but then people (atheists and believers alike) by and large have a cartoonish anthropomorph caricature in mind to define G-d, so there seems to be a knee-jerk response either way, both grounded in misconception. In my opinion.

gp1628 said:
Personally Im all for Evolution. "Fight the Design! Join the Evolution!"
but I do prefer the arguments to be specific.
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I actually do entertain a modified sort of intelligent design in my mind, quite unlike the typical picture drawn by, oh, say a young earth creationist. I think evolution is a part of the mechanism of creation, but I also think that evolution is poorly understood and not adequately explained or examined. I think there is more to it, much more, because there are too many exceptions to the "rules." And too many leaps of scientific faith required.

I prefer arguments to be specific as well, but it takes time and skill and knowledge to formulate specific and adequate arguments. Most people are quite happy to argue knee-jerk from their visceral emotions. It's so much easier to choose up sides, start the wave and chant "we're number one, we're number one..."

gp1628 said:
Sheesh. The believers of science are sometimes hard to separate from the believers of a young earth from the way they preach their side of things.
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AMEN! You're preachin' to the choir now!
 
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String Theory 1968—the idea that everything is made of tiny, vibrating strands of energy. This energy, a vibration holds the unifying world of the very large and the world of the very small together in pure consciousness.
 
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