Keeping My Eye on the ID Ball
by MikeGeneWhen you consider all the sideshows and all the hostility, what is it that allows me to keep my eye on the ID ball? What is it that drives this ID conceptualization? There are four considerations.
1. There are data from the world that, from my perspective, function as genuine clues for the design of life and these clues spawn a genuine suspicion. Some of this will be spelled out more in first volume of The Design Matrix.
2. I don't see any data that push me into accepting a non-teleological origin of life. You would think that with all the tremendous advances in the biological sciences over the last 50 years, tremendous leaps in abiogenesis studies would also track with the rest of science. And when a leading scientist seriously contemplates multiverses to explain the origin of life by chance, that does not instill confidence on the non-teleological perspective.
3. My experience with scientific critics over the years has taught me that very few people know how to think about the possibility of the design of life. When we filter away all the political posturing, the methods people envision entail a robust database about the designer(s) and/or a need to see evolution disproved. Beyond that, there's not much there. Thus, if there is anything to my suspicions, I will get only minimal help by consulting conventional experts and their work.
4. The topic itself is actually quite fascinating to me, as I have explained before. What's more, the ID conceptualization has opened doors, allowing me to make connections I might not have noticed before.
Taken together, this is more than enough reason to keep my eye on the ID ball.
September 13th, 2007 at 8:39 am
I agree with every point
I'm still baffled at myself because when I first came to the blog, I was among those who found the ID movement as a supernatural creationism. Not anymore.
Comment by dimasok — September 13, 2007 @ 8:39 am
September 13th, 2007 at 8:54 am
Hey Mike Gene,
Good points all.
But you'd better say something about all those rabbits who keep you honest and independent, or the Bunny Squad is going to come knocking at your office door.
And right behind them, a pair of roosters. You know the ones…
Comment by P A Nelson — September 13, 2007 @ 8:54 am
September 13th, 2007 at 9:49 pm
Hi Paul,
OK, here's the challenge. You now have to work the word 'bunny' into your upcoming debate with Michael Ruse.
And we expect a report.
Comment by MikeGene — September 13, 2007 @ 9:49 pm
September 13th, 2007 at 10:06 pm
Hi dimasok,
Thanks for sharing that. Out there in the so-called "˜real world,' ID is supposed to be supernatural creationism. But this is really the Mass Media version of reality that is driven by the type of sensationalism that sells newspapers and magazines. It's a world of cartoons. Out here in the cracks of reality, we know better, simply because we follow what is actually being claimed or proposed. Things are a little more interesting and stimulating than the mass media culture can ever imagine.
BTW, one of the neatest things about ID is that this little cyber-community is so tremendously diverse. Pay close attention and you'll find people from all ends of the political religious, and metaphysical spectrum. While few minds are ever changed, our realization (and even understanding) of different viewpoints is enhanced.
Comment by MikeGene — September 13, 2007 @ 10:06 pm
September 14th, 2007 at 12:47 am
"While few minds are ever changed, our realization (and even understanding) of different viewpoints is enhanced."
I wouldn't be so pessimistic. Anyone who makes the mistake of listening to what anyone else thinks will have their mind changed, we rarely recognize it at the time.
Comment by BenK — September 14, 2007 @ 12:47 am
September 14th, 2007 at 8:54 am
MG wrote:
OK — you're on.
PN
Comment by P A Nelson — September 14, 2007 @ 8:54 am
September 14th, 2007 at 10:02 am
Oh yeah, that rings so many bells! Indeed I've seen it happen to my formerly "recalcitrant" mind so many times
Comment by dimasok — September 14, 2007 @ 10:02 am
September 14th, 2007 at 5:49 pm
Hi Paul,
Remember, it's "bunny" and not "rabbit."
Pull it off, report back here, and I'll send ya a copy of the DM.
Comment by MikeGene — September 14, 2007 @ 5:49 pm
September 14th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
Hi Ben K,
Good point. There is usually a lag.
Comment by MikeGene — September 14, 2007 @ 5:50 pm
September 15th, 2007 at 6:41 pm
dimasook:
dimasook, I hope you count this as an asset of yours. I do! The world could do with a wider distribution of this sort of flexibility…
Comment by Lutepisc — September 15, 2007 @ 6:41 pm