Evolution intellegence design - Essay Example

Evolution and Intelligent Design Ever since Darwin proposed his theory for the origin of the species, a debate has raged in the scientific and religious communities about the authenticity of the origins of human beings from the biological processes of evolution and natural selection or the presence of an outside influence which guides the path of biological development. In recent times, the idea of an ‘invisible hand’ (which has religious and spiritual connotations) guiding the development of human beings and other animals has surfaced under the label of Intelligent Design (Wikipedia, 2006).

Fundamentally, the concept of intelligent design has to do with the premise that certain aspects of the world and the biological creations around us are only explained with the assumption that some kind of intelligence was behind their creation. Accordingly, the process of natural selection can only explain a part of the creation equation and not the whole. The supporters of intelligent design also say that it is a scientific theory and should be accepted on an equal level if not given more importance as compared to other scientifically accepted theories about the creation of the universe and the beginning of life on the planet (Natural History Magazine, 2002).

Intelligent design proponents look for proof of some signs of intelligence, i.e. the physical or chemical properties of an object which can only be created by a force which designs them. The commonly cited signs of intelligence are the incredible complexity of various biological and geological mechanisms which have resulted in the world we live in today. These ideas are completely opposed to the mainstream scientific community which seeks to prove ideas with facts, hypotheses and experimental evaluations (Natural History Magazine, 2002).

The scientific community expects to see incontestable data to explain the natural world through intelligent design and give reasons for biological processes such as gene mutations and natural selection. Currently, the vast majority of scientific minds consider intelligent design as a pseudoscience. The U.S. National Academy of Sciences has been reported as saying that intelligent design and other non-scientific claims of supernatural or guided intervention in the origins of life can not be called science because they cannot be tested by experimental observations.

Additionally, intelligent design does not give any predictions nor does it propose any new hypotheses (Wikipedia, 2006). It is clear to me that intelligent design works with an appeal to religious sentimentalities and is in direct conflicts with the principles of science that depends on observations and testable data.Works CitedNatural History Magazine. “Special Report: Intelligent Design?” NaturalHistoryMag.com. 2002 Natural History Magazine, Inc. 2 May, 2006 Wikipedia. “Intelligent Design” Wikipedia.org. 2006.

Wikipedia the free encyclopedia. 3 May, 2006 Word Count: 455.