Philosophy Stack Exchange
Philosophy Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [intelligent-design]

15 questions
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If we encounter what appears to be an advanced extraterrestrial technological device, would the claim that it was designed be falsifiable?

Suppose we go to Mars and come across what appears to be a highly advanced technological device of extraterrestrial origin. Let's call this object X. Would the claim "X was designed" be falsifiable? That is, if we assume that the hypothesis "X was…
Mark
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Does Intelligent Design (ID) entail an infinite regress of designers, and if so, is that problematic?

We can arrive at an infinite regress of designers as follows: Suppose that X is so complex that it's considered to show evidence of design. Accordingly, we infer that an intelligent designer must be behind X. Let ID1 be this intelligent…
Mark
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How does the theory of evolution make it less likely that the world is designed?

The theory of evolution, in many people’s eyes, seems to be evidence against a designer God. But why? Some may point out to the fact that random mutations and natural selection help explain the diversity of organisms. However, why should this reduce…
thinkingman
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Is there a general theory of intelligence and design that would allow us to detect the presence of design in an object based solely on its properties?

There are many candidates for what could be considered to be an intelligent agent. Examples include humans, animals, aliens, AI (e.g. ChatGPT?), and supernaturalists would probably add angels, deities, God or gods, and similar candidates to the list…
Mark
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Does Intelligent Design fulfill the necessary criteria to be recognized as a scientific theory?

I am seeking a comprehensive and rigorous analysis of the concept of Intelligent Design (ID) in order to determine whether it meets the essential requirements to be considered a scientific theory. I am particularly interested in gathering insights…
Mark
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What are philosophical arguments for the position that Intelligent Design is nothing but "Creationism in disguise"?

I would like to start this question quoting one of the comments to this answer to the question Does Intelligent Design (ID) entail an infinite regress of designers, and if so, is that problematic?. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teach_the_Controversy…
Mark
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Do the defenses that science has implemented against a political attack undercut the ability to evaluate teleological science questions?

A political movement attempted to subvert the teaching of evolutionary science by miming the forms of science, and calling themsleves, first "Creation Science" and then "Intelligent Design", in order to smuggle religious teachings into science…
David Gudeman
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Is a purposeless design possible?

When analyzing an unknown object, one of the first things to consider is: "Is this natural or artificial (intelligently designed)?" As a scientist/engineer it is difficult to imagine a design that has absolutely no purpose. Does purpose provide a…
user64314
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What phenomena can give the appearance of design?

Here's a quote from Richard Dawkins: "Biology is the study of complicated things that have the appearance of having been designed with a purpose." My question is this. What types of phenomena can give the appearance of design? I know of 3: Design…
Ameet Sharma
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Do multiverse theories undermine intelligent design arguments mathematically?

It is well known that the probability of life arising in a universe of our sort is vanishingly small. Theists have used this fact to argue that life is designed by God. However, if there are an infinite number of parallel universes as part of a…
Frank McCain
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What is the response to this criticism of the fine-tuning argument?

So the fine tuning argument has been used to argue for theism, or the multiverse. The argument as I understand it goes something like this: We live in a universe with life. The physical constants of the universe if even slightly different would…
Ameet Sharma
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Is the design answer to fine-tuning sufficiently complete?

If the problem of "fine tuning for life" (SEP) is that the precise value of some constants (and laws) in physics seems necessary to the emergence of life in our universe but at the same time very improbable, and if it is deemed a response is…
Frank
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Does the emergence of language count as "intelligent design"?

Suppose language evolved through some kind of natural, iterative process... pre-linguistic humans or their ancestors developed over time. Does this count as "intelligent design" ? So would intelligent design advocates agree that a process like this…
Ameet Sharma
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Do all design arguments for god ultimately suffer from circularity?

The design argument when it comes to the adaptations that organisms have stems from “These features look like something God would want to design and seem improbable under naturalism” to “God must have designed this” The design argument when it comes…
thinkingman
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Do supernatural design arguments assume the conclusion?

Design arguments are meant to establish the existence of a designer. This often occurs due to some property that indicates a sort of design. However, in every instance we’ve ever made a legitimate design inference, we’ve already known that the…
thinkingman
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