Judy Johnson's Proseminar Research
So I am kind of at a loss at what exactly I want to research because there are so many directions to go in the evolution-creation controversy. So far I have been reading through my notes from a Phil class last year on Science and Christianity. I have also looked at the sources below. I think I might concentrate on Intelligent Design because I disagree with Michael Behe's book "Darwin's Black Box". There were just too many holes in his thoughts of irreducible complexity. Anyways, this is what I have stared with, and will hopefully get a better idea in the next week or so of where I want to go.
Annotated Bibliography
Dilley, Stephen Craig Abstract: In 'The Evolution-Creation Struggle', Michael Ruse seeks to answer, "Why is there so much controversy surrounding evolutionary theory?" He does so by tracing the historical development of the theory and the two major reactions to it. These major reactions, for and against, are not just views about science, but full-blooded 'rival religions.' They each have a system of origins, morality, and eschatology. So the conflict over evolutionary theory persists because it is a clash between incompatible worldviews. This review praises Ruse's analysis on a number of points but also argues that he stumbles in three ways. First, he fails to explain that a key aspect of the origins debate concerns disagreement about the definition of science. Second, Ruse improperly uses his own (problematic) definition of science, with little argument, in order to rule competing views out of science. Third, Ruse misrepresents the epistemology of non-Darwinians as relying on faith, emotion, and mystery instead of evidence and reason.
THE PROS AND CONS OF 'INTELLIGENT DESIGN.'.Full Text Available By: POULSOM, MARTIN. Forum Philosophicum: International Journal for Philosophy, Autumn2008, Vol. 13 Issue 2, p177-195, 19p Subjects: EVOLUTION (Biology); INTELLIGENT design (Teleology); GENEALOGY; TELEOLOGY; BEHE, Michael Database: Religion and Philosophy Collection Abstract: The theories of Darwinian evolution and Intelligent Design appear to be locked in an intractable debate, partly because they offer rival scientific explanations for the phenomenon of descent with modification in biology. This paper analyses the dispute in two ways: firstly, it seeks to clarify the exact nature of the logical flaw that has been alleged to lie at the heart of Intelligent Design theory. Secondly, it proposes that, in spite of this error, the Intelligent Design theory advocated by Michael Behe takes at least one significant step in the right direction. Although Behe’s suggestion is promising, it is shown to be not nearly radical enough.
Beckwith, Francis J. Challenge of Intelligent Design. Source: Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics and Public Policy, 17(2), 461-519. 59 p. 2003. Abstract: A new movement, known as 'intelligent design' (ID), made up of largely well-educated and well-credentialed scholars, has given new life to the creation-evolution debate that some thought had ended with the U.S. Supreme Court's opinion, 'Edwards vs. Aguillard' (1987). The main thrust of ID is that intelligent agency, as an aspect of scientific theory-making, has more explanatory power in accounting for the specified, and sometimes irreducible, complexity of some physical systems that the blind forces of unguided matter. This paper's purpose is to answer the question: Would a public school violate the Constitution if it required or permitted the teaching of ID?
Hasker, William. Intelligent Design. Philosophy Compass, 4(3), 586-597. 12 p. May 2009. Abstract: The intelligent design movement aspires to create a new scientific paradigm which will replace the existing Darwinian paradigm of evolution by random mutation and natural selection. However, the creation of such a paradigm is hampered by the fact that the movement pursues a 'big tent' strategy that refuses to make a choice between young-earth creationism, old-earth (progressive) creationism, and divinely directed natural selection. The latter two options are discussed in some detail, and it becomes apparent that either one presents difficult challenges that the movement shows no signs of overcoming. It is concluded that there are not good prospects for the creation of an alternative paradigm in the foreseeable future. --Jjohnson9 06:44, 16 November 2010 (UTC)
