Intelligent Design & Science

A PA judge has decided that Intelligent Design is a theology and does not match the scientific criteria for critical judgment. I can’t really disagree with this part of the judgment. Science is built on the basis of observation, theory and testing. Intelligent Design is not able to follow the same methodology. When we compare Intelligent Design with a bona fide example of scientific theory, the difference becomes truly apparent.

To make this comparison, we can examine Einstein and Lorentz’s Theory of Relativity. One of the best known applications of this theory is called the Time Dilation Theory.
The formula is The implications of this theory is that time can change. All of us live by the assumption that time moves at a constant rate. This formula says that an objects with a higher velocity experiences time at a slower rate. This effect only becomes measurable as objects get close to the speed of light (c or 186,000 miles/sec or 300,000 km/sec) – in the formula above.



Lets look at an example. Lets say Captain Kirk from the Starship Enterprise comes to a planet when he is 50 years old and he adds the planet’s 20 year old princess to his space babe collection. We assume that Dr. McCoy doesn’t get to treat the princess so she lives beyond her initial encounter with the crew of the Enterprise. After anxiously waiting 20 years on her planet, her Star Trekking Captain returns to her planet. All the while Captain Kirk has been traveling at 90% of the speed of light (0.9c) visiting other space babes. To qualify for Captain Kirk’s space babe collection, a woman must be 20 years younger than Captain Kirk. Enquiring minds want to know will she still be part of his collection and how old will James T. Kirk be?

We can calculate the answer with the Time Dilation Theory. As noted above, Captain Kirk is moving at 90% the speed of light. By the time dilation equation above, the years that have transpired for Captain Kirk are equal to 20 years * SQRT(1-.81) or a mere 8.7 years. So even though the space princess has spent 20 years anxiously waiting, Captain Kirk has only spent 8.7 years away by his watch. Therefore when Captain Kirk comes back he will be 58.7 years old. Unfortunately, the 40 year old Priness Lala will be cut from the squad and only eligible to date Dr. McCoy.

In spite of the woeful example, the Time Dilation theory is something that can be observed and tested. In recent years experiments been devised to verify the Time Dilation Theory Link. This is the basis of true science - observation, theory and testing. In contrast, Intelligent Design and Darwinian Evolution are really arguments about interpretation of past events. In other words what is the HISTORY of how plants, bacteria, mammals, etc. come into existence. In searching for history, we are like detectives who are investigating the a crime. We can draw on science for our evidence, but the different interpretations of the crime seen are not in themselves a science. Just like a crime, I can re-create the crime, find clues which indicate proof of a certain occurrence and develop models on what may have occurred. This is very different from the Theory of Time Dilation which can be rigorously tested and demonstrated. In my years of engineering and science background, I never observed an occasion where one theory of creation or evolution was required in the understanding of the physical laws and theories of chemistry, physics or biology.

Instead the theories of Creation and Evolution provide a faith based construct to help people to understand how the pieces came into being. For the pure secularist, a world can come into existence by itself without God. Looking at the number of Darwin symbols on cars, it is apparent that this is an emotional topic and a matter of faith for its adherents. The purple Kool-aid of this crowd is their faith in their version of creation history as “science”. My Physics professor, Dr. Yevik, said that anyone who truly loved science would learn Maxwell’s equations for their beauty Link . Just for fun on your next road trip count the number of Darwin symbols vs. the number of symbols for Maxwell’s equations. You will of course see many Darwin symbols because these individuals have an emotional attachment to a godless world. If you do happen to see a Maxwell equation symbol on a car say “Hi” to Dr. Yevik for me.

In Dr. Behe’s Darwin’s Black Box that explains Intelligent Design, Behe looks at several biological examples of “irreducible complexity”. These are biological constructs that Behe uses to demonstrate how necessary components of biology are derived from otherwise worthless parts. Behe’s point is that if the pieces have no worth outside of the whole, there is no pathway for Darwinism’s natural selection. Behe makes a good case, but just like with a detective reconstructing a crime scene, the scene is subject to other interpretations. The macro-evolutionist on reading Behe will respond with different anecdotal evidence and other possibilities on how the parts noted as “irreducible complex” could have evolved.

Since this is an argument of history, no matter how strong the evidence, people will arrived at different deductions and opinions. The debate will continue ad nauseam because there is no real way to test the overall validity of any theory. Science can only be used to provide anecdotal evidence on both sides. Each one of these slivers of evidence will be used by both sides to prove that their point is the one truly backed by science. Like any argument of History, most of the real battle is occurring within the minds of children. Schools and the media do not miss many opportunities to push Darwinian missionary material on children through the school curriculum and entertaining documentaries on ancient dinosaurs. Intelligent Design proponents are in the churches and are attempting to get their finger into the secular science curriculum.

In trying to recreate a history, there is a need for good and accurate evidence. Many people examine the fossil record and the universe looking for clues that will unlock facts regarding the creation of the earth and life. I think this is futile in view of what the Bible teaches us.

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. (Hebrews 11:3)

The verse explains that the world has been created by God in a way that will not allow mankind to figure out this history of creation. As Christians, we are left to understand that our belief in God’s creation rest in our faith. In fact this verse starts the beginning of the great dissertation of faith by the author of the Book of Hebrews. The verse also implies that if mankind does try to understand how the earth was created, they will arrive at the wrong conclusion because God has not left the evidence. In fact the rejection of God’s role in creation is predicted in the Bible.

Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: (2nd Peter 3:3-5)

God has already told us the answer. He is the Creator. Let us trust God and walk by faith. We should also take care that this verse also warns us that we may be walking in the last days before the return of the Lord.