Explaining by the laws of nature as a condition of scientific status in the controversy of evolution and Intelligent Design Cover Image

Wyjaśnianie za pomocą praw przyrody jako warunek naukowości w sporze o ewolucję i inteligentny projekt
Explaining by the laws of nature as a condition of scientific status in the controversy of evolution and Intelligent Design

Author(s): Dariusz Sagan
Subject(s): Philosophy
Published by: Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu Kardynała Stefana Wyszyńskiego w Warszawie
Keywords: laws of nature; historical sciences; experimental sciences; abductive reasoning; miracle; design detection; Intelligent Design

Summary/Abstract: According to intelligent design theory, certain biological and cosmic phenomena were designed by an intelligent being, which could just as well be natural and supernatural, and this design can be detected scientifically. Critics claim that this theory is unscientific because it does not invoke the laws of nature in its explanations, but rather the purported actions of a designer, which violate these laws. However, this objection seems unsound. Intelligent design theory could be recognized as an instance of the so-called historical science, in which explanation by the laws of nature plays, at most, a subsidiary role and its main focus is on seeking out individual causes of individual effects. The requirement to invoke the laws of nature would also be a threat to evolutionary biology, which is another instance of historical science. Moreover, it could be shown that – contrary to the crtitis’ claims – the actions of a possible designer (even a supernatural one) in the world should not immediately be seen as inherent to a violation of the laws of nature, and even if it were the case, the conclusion of design could be well justified.

  • Issue Year: 49/2013
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 93-116
  • Page Count: 24
  • Language: Polish