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To: Michael_Michaelangelo
Who sets the rules of science?

The answer should be obvious. Scientists (and philosophers of science) set the rules for what is science. This is as it should be. Consider if someone presented a text in Hebrew and claimed it as a previously unknown book of the Bible, who would decide if this claim is true? Who would decide if it were really the Word of God or not? Certainly not scientists, but rather clergymen and theologians. Defining science should be done by people who study it. The difference between accepting intellegence in things like SETI and in biology is that in the biology case, by accepting intelligence you are assuming the very phenomenon you are trying to explain. You are saying that intelligent human beings exist because of the design of some other intelligent being. This then begs the question of where did the other intelligent being come from. You either get an ad infinitum regression, ie. some other intelligent being number 3 designed intelligent being number 2, and intelligent being number 4 designed number 3, etc., or you arrive at God. The first case is absurd and the second is not science. Science, by definition of its methods, seeks testable physical explanations for physical phenomena. God certainly is not a testable, physical explanation. Indeed, that's what faith is all about, believing in God despite the fact that there's no physical evidence for such a belief. I am NOT arguing that intelligent design cannot possibly be true. Not all truth comes from science. I am simply arguing that ID does not belong in a science journal (or a science classroom for that matter).

20 posted on 09/17/2004 8:36:15 AM PDT by stremba
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To: PatrickHenry

Maybe one for the ping list???


22 posted on 09/17/2004 8:38:39 AM PDT by stremba
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To: stremba
I am simply arguing that ID does not belong in a science journal (or a science classroom for that matter).

Okay, you're a scientist, but why are you so arrogantly intolerant of hundreds of scientists who disagree with your position? I know over 300 scientists with Ph.D.s and M.D.s who are members of the ID Network, and they have put their names on the line affirming ID is science.


27 posted on 09/17/2004 8:52:04 AM PDT by GarySpFc (Sneakypete, De Oppresso Liber)
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To: stremba

Very well said, basically said verbatim my personal position on the subject, though I could never write it that well.


41 posted on 09/17/2004 9:28:46 AM PDT by DarkSavant (It's like a koala bear crapped a rainbow in my brain!)
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To: stremba
A scientific theory is tested and if found not to be false, then it is considered true. In other words, a theory does not have to be proven with 100% certainty to be true. It just has to be proven not to be false. A perfect example of this is the theory of evolution which has never been proven with 100% certainty to be true. Applying these same rules to the question of the existence of a creator God one must conclude that He does exist since He has never been proven with 100% certainty to not exist.
148 posted on 09/19/2004 7:48:34 PM PDT by Mulch
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