The utility of ID

If ID was backed up by substantial peer reviewed evidence and found to be plausable, how could we use it? When evidence for germ theory became strong it heralded an sea change in medicine. What could we use an evidence based ID theory for?

This was brought up some weeks ago. I don't think the discussion went very far.Unfortunately I've run out of time and can't find them right now.I'll be back later. Maybe the Queen will promote you in the meantime.

Thread moved here from the Proposed New Topics forum.

For salvation of your soul. The world is (maybe not at the current moment) self-evident of God, and if your wise you will accept Jesus into your heart as your savior.Right now, science is sky rocketing, but the scientist don't seem to realize how microscopic they are compared to the earth's microscopicness comparared to the solar system compared to the galaxy compared to the universe. I find it amazing that such small creatures, that don't even appear to exist in the cosmic scale, can figure out things we are so far beyond us. I am pretty sure that eventually, when things are explained, sicientist will finally realize, that God really did create us.I mean, it is like if I put a germ in my house, and it multiplied, and there were germs that started mapping out my house. They would be like : "OK, so his tv is over there, approx 1000000000 germ units away" or something stupid like that as they look through there telescope. I am using personification here, don't think I really believe that germs could do that lol.

Uhm who do you figure described the galaxy, and the universe? Who measured the size of them? Are you saying that the ones doing the measuring - do not realize what they are measuring?In my thinking, creationists (including IDists), are the ones trying to hide from the enormity of the universe - they want it to fit snugly in their preconceived notions.
I will close with a thought provocing essay from PZ Myers, which compares the biblical fundementalist mindset with the scientific - showing how scientists are indeed aware of their place in the world./Soren

Supposedly ID would tell us that an object was designed, but it would not identify the designer.It is hard for me to see the use. Normally we would want to find the designer.

I just found this other link showing that scientists are very aware of their place in the universe:http://www.badastronomy.com/bablog/?p=20613.5 billion year old light - that really makes you think!/Soren

Science forum right? What evidence is there I have a soul, and what makes you think it needs salvation? I thought it was science that opened our eyes to just how small we ARE, and you even see that argued by the Creationists around here sometimes as a drawback of science. "I prefer to think of us as special, not accidental and insignificant" type of arguments.But more directly on topic, I can't think of anything useful that could come of ID. It's almost a nonsensical question because of the proven usefulness of evolution, short of talking about imaginary worlds that work differently than the one we live in.

I started a thread like this a long time ago and asked IDists to participate. In the end all I got were other evos like me, willing to give it a shot just for sake of argument.Technically there could be some value to it. If we could actually look at a certain set of characteristics and determine whether it was designed, versus created through unguided processes, that might help when we encounter new things where it is important to know where they came from.IDists themselves mention biowarfare. If a germ popped up and started killing people, and we could see that it was designed, that would help in tracking and dealing with it.I think more likely than that would be help in identifying species in the future once humans are more prolific in creating new species with mutations. Frankly even at this point in time it'd be nice to have a tool to determine genetically modified corn from nonmodified corn (or hybrids with mixes).In fact now that I think about it, that would be a great start for IDists. Europe is looking to restrict products that cannot be determined to be NONmodified. IDists would certainly have a feather in their cap if they could use their system to make such determinations and thus prevent a large scale embargo of US food products.

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holmes
"...what a fool believes he sees, no wise man has the power to reason away.."(D. Bros)

Perhaps ID could help us recognize the Alien who made us.

That's a cool analogy mate but it does not answere my question: "If ID was backed up by substantial peer reviewed evidence and found to be plausable, how could we use it?"

Very touching mate. Good find.

Good point. Would we be looking for human design footprints for (say) patent infringement or detecting the hand of a god? I reckon ID implies some deity (or aliens to be inclusive).

As omni just suggested, aliens should be included!But seriously, I am assuming for sake of argument that the method they are suggesting can actually work. What would it be used for? Then I think it would be more often used (especially in the future) for detecting designs of human origin.Patent infringements is an interesting possibility, though I was thinking more along the lines of separating natural organisms, from those manipulated by humans using other than natural processes. That could be helpful say, if we realize later that a manipulation has negative consequences, but the strain is already out and about in nature and may have even mutated or hybridized further. If we could just analyze and thus figure out which had originally been products of manufacture, we could eliminate them more easily.

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holmes
"...what a fool believes he sees, no wise man has the power to reason away.."(D. Bros)

Conversely if such designs could not be recognized in any way that would kind of put the kibosh on the whole ID concept.That would make it a falsification test eh?except that it is proving a negative ...This message has been edited by RAZD, 11*04*2005 06:55 AM

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we are limited in our ability to understand
by our ability to understand

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