I am reading "The God Delusion
" by Richard Dawkins. Coming soon after finishing "The Enemy at Home
" by right-wing Dinesh D'souza, it is a wonderfully refreshing read.
Whether you are a believer, an agnostic or an atheist, there is a *very* compelling argument that the book makes about the dangers of peddling "creationism" (or according to the book, its "cheap tuxedo" version called intelligent design). According to creationism, for any "irreducibly complex" structure that exists as a part of life, if it is not fully understood, simply invoke the "Creator", i.e., God.
Now just apply this to scientific research: Don't understand a particular disease? No problem, just call it the "will" of God, or the "design" of God.
As Dawkins points out, for a scientist, ignorance is the *beginning* from where he or she must labor to bring about understanding. If instead, scientists choose to apply the theory of "intelligent design" there will never ever be cures for any diseases, there will never ever be innovation in *any* field that is concerned with human life. After all, everything is the will or "design" of the Creator. Then surely so is ill-health, disease and random other forms of misery?
Ouch.
" by Richard Dawkins. Coming soon after finishing "The Enemy at Home" by right-wing Dinesh D'souza, it is a wonderfully refreshing read. Whether you are a believer, an agnostic or an atheist, there is a *very* compelling argument that the book makes about the dangers of peddling "creationism" (or according to the book, its "cheap tuxedo" version called intelligent design). According to creationism, for any "irreducibly complex" structure that exists as a part of life, if it is not fully understood, simply invoke the "Creator", i.e., God.
Now just apply this to scientific research: Don't understand a particular disease? No problem, just call it the "will" of God, or the "design" of God.
As Dawkins points out, for a scientist, ignorance is the *beginning* from where he or she must labor to bring about understanding. If instead, scientists choose to apply the theory of "intelligent design" there will never ever be cures for any diseases, there will never ever be innovation in *any* field that is concerned with human life. After all, everything is the will or "design" of the Creator. Then surely so is ill-health, disease and random other forms of misery?
Ouch.
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