INTELLIGENT DESIGNE
It is a scientific theory which holds that some features of the universe and living things are best
explained by the intelligent cause.
Intelligent Design (ID) theory postulates that the weight of evidence suggests that life on Earth
cannot have had a random origin, that is, an origin by chance alone. It must have been
intelligently designed. This was a response to Current evolution theories, which propose that the
verse was not designed, but Is rather the product of undirected chance.
ID proponents argue that, for life to originate by chance, The building blocks of life – cells –
must be quite simple. However, the development of the electron microscope and the resulting
growth of biochemistry since the 1930s show that the building blocks of life are in fact very
complex. ID Proponents argue that the relevant degree of complexity Could not and does not
develop by chance. An Intelligent Designer must have provided some organization
Key ID proponents are William Dembski, Michael Behe, Philip Johnson, and Jonathan Wells
Michael Behe
He was a professor of biochemistry at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, he began to doubt that
the bewilderingly complex machines that drive every cell of a Living body could arise by
chance. When he surveyed the literature on evolutionary biology, he did not find satisfactory
answers. In 1996, in his book Darwin’s Black Box he argued against Darwin’s theory of natural
selection by chance that it does not account for the complexity of cellular machines. He argued
that life is more appropriately seen as a product of Intelligent Design.
Behe introduced the concept of “irreducible complexity” to describe how a system cannot work
if any part is missing or malfunctioning. He argues that, without directed design, no irreducibly
complex
The concept suggests that certain biological systems are composed of multiple interacting parts,
all of which are essential for the system’s function. If even one part is removed, the system
ceases to function entirely
Behe uses the analogy of a mousetrap to explain irreducible complexity. A mousetrap has several
components such as the wooden base, spring, hammer, holding bar, and catch that must all be
present and correctly assembled for it to work. Similarly, Behe argues that biological systems
like the bacterial flagellum or the blood clotting cascade are irreducibly complex, meaning they
could not have evolved through gradual modifications because intermediate stages would be
non-functional. Behe claims that irreducibly complex systems require all their parts to appear
simultaneously, implying the involvement of an intelligent
William Dembski
Dembski argues that it is possible to determine whether the Design of the universe follows the
logic of principles of design as we understand them. We can usually identify artefacts made by a
human being. The situation is more complex, however, when we encounter an object such as a
living cell. The level of complexity invites the interpretation of design, but obviously human
beings did not design it.
Arguments against the intelligent design
Christian evolutionists. Christian evolutionists, believe that the God portrayed in the Bible
created the universe, but allowed it to unfold using the processes of evolution. They oppose ID
because it implies that God did not work entirely through Evolution.
Evolutionary biologists. Evolutionary biologists argue that life shows only apparent design, that
in reality the organization we see is the result of random mutation and natural selection.
Naturalistic evolution. Proponents of naturalistic evolution argue that design is not evident in
nature. We infer design because of our own prejudices as human beings. In reality, chance and
natural selection account for all the complexity that we actually see.