Intelligent Design books

[oncedead]

I am currently doing a term paper on why Intelligent Design shouldn't be taught in school. I need some books that present the "theory" in a coherant way. I currently am reading through Darwin's Black Box. I hope to get one more pro-intelligent design book to use as a source. What would be a good book to use? I am leaning towards Of Pandas and People.

I am hating Darwin's Black Box. It doesn't help that most of what he uses as an example of irreducible complexity aren't actually irreducibly complex.

 

[BrianSI]

If you want to argue it shouldn't be taught in public school in the USA, you should just read the Constitution and debates on freedom of religion.

If you want to argue why it's not really science, then start with the Discovery Institute for the ID "argument".

 

[TriangleMan]

While I think ID shouldn't be taught in science class (because it is not science) I don't have a concern with it being taught somewhere else, like a comparative religion class, critical thinking class, or something similar. Saying ID should not be taught (banned) from school entirely is censorship of ideas.

Oncedead, you may want to modify your term paper thesis slightly to explain why ID shouldn't be taught as science.

 

[Questioninggeller]

I am hating Darwin's Black Box. It doesn't help that most of what he uses as an example of irreducible complexity aren't actually irreducibly complex.

Well, Darwin's Black Box (by Michael Behe) is considered one of the "best arguments" for ID though it is scientifically rejected. I guess you could look at The Genesis Flood by Henry Morris since it is considered an "early creationist" book. Maybe look for Jonathan Sarfati or Ken Ham's books.

I don't really know what you (or creationists) will find of value in those books.

A good resource is www.talkorigins.org, which has various creationist/ID arguments and refutations.

 

[BrianSI]

While I think ID shouldn't be taught in science class (because it is not science) I don't have a concern with it being taught somewhere else, like a comparative religion class, critical thinking class, or something similar. Saying ID should not be taught (banned) from school entirely is censorship of ideas.

Oncedead, you may want to modify your term paper thesis slightly to explain why ID shouldn't be taught as science.

Yeah, that's what I would have written if I had taken longer to think about the language I used. I don't even mind it being used as an example of pseudoscience, but there's danger of teachers abusing that situation of course.

 

[drkitten]

While I think ID shouldn't be taught in science class (because it is not science) I don't have a concern with it being taught somewhere else, like a comparative religion class, critical thinking class, or something similar. Saying ID should not be taught (banned) from school entirely is censorship of ideas.

Oncedead, you may want to modify your term paper thesis slightly to explain why ID shouldn't be taught as science.

Alternatively, oncedead may be of the opinion that the material in it should not be taught in public school at all. It's his thesis -- let him write what he wants....

Here are some other books that one might consider. I particularly "recommend" The Design Inference:




William A. Dembski, Ed., et al, "Mere creation: Science, faith and intelligent design," Intervarsity Press, (1998)

William A. Dembski: "The Design Inference: Eliminating chance through small probabilities," Cambridge University Press, (1998)

Philip E. Johnson, "Wedge of truth: Splitting the foundations of naturalism," Intervarsity Press, (2000).

J.P. Moreland & Philip E. Johnson, "The creation hypothesis: Scientific evidence for design in the universe, " Intervarsity Press, (1994).

Thomas Woodward & Phillip Johnson, "Doubts About Darwin: A History of Intelligent Design," Baker Book House, (2003).

 

[briandunning]

While I think ID shouldn't be taught in science class (because it is not science) I don't have a concern with it being taught somewhere else, like a comparative religion class, critical thinking class, or something similar. Saying ID should not be taught (banned) from school entirely is censorship of ideas.

Agreed in principal. But in practice, careful not to let the IDer's get a foothold.

 

[oncedead]

I think I'll use Ken Ham's The Lie: Evolution.
I probably should modify my thesis to say that it shouldn't be taught as a valid theory. It could be used as an example of a discredited hypothesis. I need to talk about why it is religious in nature and not a scientific theory as part of the reason it should not be taught as a scientific theory.