The science of intelligent design

I am always saddened when letter writers use the opinion page to attack well known people. Usually these attacks are on subjects that cannot be adequately covered in 250 words, and the attacks usually 1. Demonize those whom they oppose, 2. Assume as “settled,” which is not, and 3. Claim that all who disagree are ignorant.

The target of a recent attack was Dr. Michael Behe, the author of “Darwin’s Black Box” and “The Edge of Evolution.” It characterized Dr. Behe’s position on intelligent design as “non-scientific” and “theological pseudoscience.” Of course, Dr. Behe doesn’t approach his research as a theologian, but as a biochemist, and not as a creationist, but as an advocate of intelligent design.

With the advance in microscopy, the resultant observation and study of molecules, biochemistry has taken a leading role in the explanation and understanding of the foundations of life, thus, Dr. Behe, as a biochemist, is surely qualified. His books are comprehensive, well documented, and unfortunately one must add courageous because in the current academic environment evolution, itself, has become a religion parading as a science.

I agree with the letter writer that looking for “natural explanations” for things has been valuable, but I don’t see where it is necessarily incompatible with intelligent design, because as Dr. Behe says, “Understanding how something works is not the same as understanding how it came to be.” Also studying natural phenomenon has been an indirect way of discovering and confirming the wonders of intelligent design.

Dennis Vernon Willis