----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Stephen Nowlin" <[log in to unmask]>

> What banner?  On the subject of cosmic and human origins, science does not
> lead to god.  Other disciplines of thought lead to god, but not science.
> The banner belongs to those disciplines, not to science.

Stephen, I don't mean to imply that "Science" be some sort of seal of 
approval--indeed it can't be, for the reason you state, that it is a process 
and not an monolithic entity unto itself.  I apologize if I was unclear on 
that.

But at the same time, I'm amazed to read what you wrote here--that "science 
does not lead to god."  Isn't that exactly the same kind of a priori 
"argument from conclusion" that you accuse the IDers of making?  How can you 
be so sure science can't or won't lead to god, if not now than in the future 
as tools are developed?  Indeed, I just want to hear both sides being open 
to the possibility that the questions raised--no matter who is raising 
them--might be valid, and that the process will lead where the process 
leads.  If there are patterns in nature that lead some to think that there 
is an intelligent designer, then why not explore those patterns and explain 
why those claimants are right or wrong?  That's all I'd ask, as an 
interested layman and as an advocate of science.

Scientists have generated areas of inquiry from myriad sources--art, the 
musings of philosophers, the dictates of religion, earlier science.  Once 
scientists take over the question, they pursue a particular process--as 
indeed they should, since it is the very definition of their disclipine. 
But why ignore proponents of ID as particularly unworthy of asking questions 
that science might in fact have some answers to--if not now, then later? 
That's an intellectual blind spot that I don't understand.  I suspect it has 
to do with not wanting to come across as "validating" ID--but that 
reluctance would be a shame, to me, because it would be choking off a 
fascinating vein of inquiry.

I'll go back to the question I posed above--is there room for a serious 
scientific study of the possibility of intelligent design in nature?  What 
if it should turn out to be the aliens that Art referred to in another 
message, and not God at all?

Peace,

--Eric

Eric D. M. Johnson
Proprietor
The Village Factsmith Historical Research & Consulting
http://www.factsmith.com/
[log in to unmask] 

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