Fourteen brief and accessible essays by key players in the intelligent design movement.
Synopsis
Fourteen brief and accessible essays by key players in the intelligent design movement.
Publishers Weekly
Citing inspiration from Quintilian's maxim, "Write not so that you can be understood but so that you cannot be misunderstood," Dembski and Kushiner have assembled a collection of judicious and eloquent essays representing the often-misunderstood intelligent design movement. Contributors include prominent Darwin-doubters Phillip Johnson, Michael Behe and Stephen Meyer, together with a stable of scientists and philosophers associated with the Discovery Institute's Center for the Renewal of Science and Culture, which Meyer directs. Part I of the collection focuses on introducing intelligent design concepts and addressing general philosophical objections; Part II (composing about two-thirds of the book) includes more technical issues and examples of how design comes into play in scientific subfields such as cosmology, developmental biology and information theory. This collection reflects a maturing movement that is aware of its critics, more focused in its goals and mindful of the need to communicate its message to a nonspecialist audience even as it appeals for a hearing in the scientific community. Although Brazos is promoting the book within "science and faith" and "apologetics" categories, these essays promote intelligent design as a scientific research program rather than as a religious doctrine, and only a few call attention to the theological implications or underpinnings of design. Religious issues are actually de-emphasized by most of the contributors, who express frustration at being dismissed as "creationists" by critics in the scientific community. (Mar.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
About the Author, William Dembski
William Dembski is a mathematician and philosopher, as well as editor of Mere Creation and author of The Design Inference. James Kushiner is editor of Touchstone magazine.
Citing inspiration from Quintilian's maxim, "Write not so that you can be understood but so that you cannot be misunderstood," Dembski and Kushiner have assembled a collection of judicious and eloquent essays representing the often-misunderstood intelligent design movement. Contributors include prominent Darwin-doubters Phillip Johnson, Michael Behe and Stephen Meyer, together with a stable of scientists and philosophers associated with the Discovery Institute's Center for the Renewal of Science and Culture, which Meyer directs. Part I of the collection focuses on introducing intelligent design concepts and addressing general philosophical objections; Part II (composing about two-thirds of the book) includes more technical issues and examples of how design comes into play in scientific subfields such as cosmology, developmental biology and information theory. This collection reflects a maturing movement that is aware of its critics, more focused in its goals and mindful of the need to communicate its message to a nonspecialist audience even as it appeals for a hearing in the scientific community. Although Brazos is promoting the book within "science and faith" and "apologetics" categories, these essays promote intelligent design as a scientific research program rather than as a religious doctrine, and only a few call attention to the theological implications or underpinnings of design. Religious issues are actually de-emphasized by most of the contributors, who express frustration at being dismissed as "creationists" by critics in the scientific community. (Mar.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
