God, the Devil, and Darwin: A Critique of Intelligent Design TheoryOxford University Press, 08.01.2004 - 296 Seiten In the last fifteen years a controversial new theory of the origins of biological complexity and the nature of the universe has been fomenting bitter debates in education and science policy across North America, Europe, and Australia. Backed by intellectuals at respectable universities, Intelligent Design Theory (ID) proposes an alternative to accepted accounts of evolutionary theory: that life is so complex, and that the universe is so fine-tuned for the appearance of life, that the only plausible explanation is the existence of an intelligent designer. For many ID theorists, the designer is taken to be the god of Christianity. Niall Shanks has written the first accessible introduction to, and critique of, this controversial new intellectual movement. Shanks locates the growth of ID in the last two decades of the twentieth century in the growing influence of the American religious right. But as he shows, its roots go back beyond Aquinas to Ancient Greece. After looking at the historical roots of ID, Shanks takes a hard look at its intellectual underpinnings, discussing modern understandings of thermodynamics, and how self-organizing processes lead to complex physical, chemical, and biological systems. He considers cosmological arguments for ID rooted in so-called "anthropic coincidences" and also tackles new biochemical arguments for ID based on "irreducible biological complexity." Throughout he shows how arguments for ID lack cohesion, rest on errors and unfounded suppositions, and generally are grossly inferior to evolutionary explanations. While ID has been proposed as a scientific alternative to evolutionary biology, Shanks argues that ID is in fact "old creationist wine in new designer label bottles" and moreover is a serious threat to the scientific and democratic values that are our cultural and intellectual inheritance from the Enlightenment. |
Inhalt
The Evolution of Intelligent Design Arguments | |
Darwin and the Illusion of Intelligent Design | |
Science and the Supernatural | |
The Biochemical Case for Intelligent Design | |
The Cosmological Case for Intelligent Design | |
Conclusion Intelligent Designs on Society | |
Glossary | |
Andere Ausgaben - Alle anzeigen
God, the Devil, and Darwin: A Critique of Intelligent Design Theory Niall Shanks,Richard Dawkins Eingeschränkte Leseprobe - 2004 |
God, the Devil, and Darwin: A Critique of Intelligent Design Theory Niall Shanks Eingeschränkte Leseprobe - 2004 |
God, the Devil, and Darwin: A Critique of Intelligent Design Theory Niall Shanks Eingeschränkte Leseprobe - 2007 |
Häufige Begriffe und Wortgruppen
adapted alleles animals anthropic coincidences argument from design atoms behavior Behe Behe’s believe Bénard cells big bang biochemical systems biological biologists CairnsSmith causal cells changes chapter Christian claim components context cosmological creation science creationists Darwin Darwinian Dembski developmental discussion Earth effects entropy environment evidence evidential evolution evolutionary biology evolved examine example existence explain functional gene genetic heat human hurricane hypothesis idea important intelligent design movement intelligent design theory interactions irreducible complexity irreducibly complex irreducibly complex systems issues laws of thermodynamics machine matter methodological naturalism methodological naturalist modern science molecules moral motions mousetrap multiverse mutation natural causes natural selection objects observed origins Paley pathway pattern perhaps physical planet proteins rabbits reaction reason redundant complexity religion religious reproductive result scientific scientists Second Law self social spacetime speciation species structures supernatural causes supernatural design supernatural intelligent design theology theorists things universe wedge strategy