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Behe and Intelligent Design

            What is Behe's case for Intelligent Design? Is this case convincing?.
             In the paper titled, The Modern Intelligent Design Hypothesis Michael Behe puts forward the argument that some biological systems at a molecular level are the result of deliberate intelligent design (a maker). Behe rejects the idea that evolution (natural selection) can account for the existence of biochemical complexity in the living cell . Instead Behe tries to show that many complex machines found in nature could not possibly be formed through successive, step-by-step modifications as many scientists envision. .
             Behe begins his paper by marking an important distinction between his modern argument for Intelligent Design and the argument presented by William Paley, "The most important difference is that my argument is limited to design itself it is not an argument for the existence of a benevolent God, as Paley's was". Basically Behe wanted to establish the idea of Intelligent Design without also having to prove that the designer needed to be omnipotent or omniscient. Instead he preferred to leave the identity of the designer open, therefore freeing his argument of problem's that weighed down Paley's. Behe regards his theory as "scientific" (like the theory of the Big Bang that can justify itself by physical data), rather than "theological" (based on christianity). However he also notes that his argument for ID is "tentative" and potentially "falsifiable" (able to be overturned at any time if science could prove a system came into existence via natural selection). Therefore Behe's argument for Intelligent Design needs only to show that it is the best argument available thus far. .
             Below is an example of Behe's argument for Intelligent Design that attempts to disprove Darwinism's claims of evolution being responsible for complex biological machines:.
             1. There are cases in which the presence of irreducible complexity leads us to correctly infer intelligent design.


Essays Related to Behe and Intelligent Design

1. Proof For God

In the mechanical model, things can come about in three ways: design, necessity, or chance. They can be brought about by intelligent design, they can be brought about by the necessity of laws, or they can be brought about by chance or by accident. A mechanical model of creation excluding God excludes intelligent design. ... But some scientists still argue for a universe without design using three standard arguments. ... This theory was designed in the 1920-1930s, when a cell was understood to be little more than a blob of jell-O (Behe 117). ...

  • Word Count: 3008
  • Approx Pages: 12

2. Arguments for the Existence of God

Also, features of the natural world point towards an intelligent God who must have designed it like the water cycle which is hard to believe came about by chance. There is also evidence of design. ... He argued that everything is clearly designed and it is designed for a purpose, designed to an infinite degree of care, pointing to an intelligent designer, God, 'The hinges in the wings of an earwig, and the joints of its antennae, are as highly wrought, as if the Creator had nothing else to finish'. ... The universe is intelligent and not chaotic The significance of the evolutionary ...

  • Word Count: 1242
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: High School

3. The Separation of Church and State

The latest battle in this conflict is the argument of Intelligent Design (ID). ... Ultimately, a court has ruled specifically on the teaching of intelligent design. ... To date, only an original writing on Intelligent Design has been published in a reliable scientific journal. ... Johnson, along with Michael Behe, Stephen Meyer, William Dembski, Jonathan Wells, and John West Jr. established an institution named the Discovery Institute (Weitzel 1). ... It can be seen that from a legal perspective, Intelligent Design should not be taught for several reasons. ...

  • Word Count: 1752
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

4. The Separation of Church and State

The latest battle in this conflict is the argument of Intelligent Design (ID). ... Ultimately, a court has ruled specifically on the teaching of intelligent design. ... To date, only an original writing on Intelligent Design has been published in a reliable scientific journal. ... Johnson, along with Michael Behe, Stephen Meyer, William Dembski, Jonathan Wells, and John West Jr. established an institution named the Discovery Institute (Weitzel 1). ... It can be seen that from a legal perspective, Intelligent Design should not be taught for several reasons. ...

  • Word Count: 1752
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

5. Creation...

A very different kind of conflict is articulated by theistic critics of neo-Darwinism such as Phillip Johnson and Michael Behe. ... He vehemently rejects all forms of intelligent design, including Darwin's belief that the laws of evolution rather than individual species were the product of design. ... In any case, the exploration of design space occurs entirely by chance. ... What is design work? ... But several authors have given more sophisticated arguments that the idea of "intelligent design" fits the data better than purposeless chance and natural selection . ...

  • Word Count: 7861
  • Approx Pages: 31
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

6. What is Logic? God or Science

The only explanation of the ID situation given so far is by Micheal Behe, professor of biochemistry at Lehign University in Pennsylvania. ... Steve further points out that if God created intelligence design, did God create a dull design too. ... Steve says that he is confused whether to consider according to creationists this as a bad design or an intelligent design. (CQ 761) If God has created the design of human, then there are some holes in God's design. ... The intelligent design that we posses and see today is nothing more than a fascinating theory of evolution. ...

  • Word Count: 2055
  • Approx Pages: 8
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

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