Science Is About How Things Happen, Theology Is About Why
The Age
Monday August 8, 2005
I NEED to elaborate my view of intelligent design referred to by Shane Green ("Evolving argument creates new battle," 5/8). First, it is important to stress that creationism is not a legitimate approach to the scientific investigation of biology.
It states that God created, but does not deal with mechanisms of how, which is the province of science. Second, the theory of evolution propounded by Darwin and Wallace, as well as later research in molecular biology, has been outstandingly good in providing understanding of micro-evolution. There are, however, many important unexplained questions about macro-evolution and the origin of life that need further investigation, and modification of the theory, or even new theories. In this regard it is scientifically legitimate to study the design processes in the biological kingdom. A Christian or other monotheist would then be able to explain how the scientific insights from design fits in with theology. Science is about how things happen and theology is about why.In their book Beyond Belief, leading Cambridge scientists Denis Alexander and Robert White say: "The roots of the modern scientific movement are embedded in a Judaeo-Christian world view and this alone helps to explain many of the powerful affinities between science and Christian faith that endure to the present day."Design is regularly used by scientists, and an example is the research being undertaken by our group on polymers (plastics) with the Intelligent Polymer Research Institute at the University of Wollongong. Intelligence is attributed to the polymer because intelligent humans are using chemistry to design an interface with the nervous system to achieve restoration of spinal cord function.If this interface were studied by another scientist it could be deduced that these polymers had "intelligence". It is possible that in the future artificial intelligence, information theory and other approaches will see a better understanding of design in biology. Einstein once remarked that the most incomprehensible thing about the world is that it is comprehensible. Studying design may make things more comprehensible. Professor Graeme Clark, The Bionic Ear Institute, East Melbourne
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