I'll try to ask some questions that might get me to understand this much better.
The only "direction" that is embedded in DNA is to reproduce, making new packages of DNA (organisms). After that mutation and natural selection accounts for the diversity of life -- according to evolution, which you now posit as being "part of Intelligent Design" and which would be included when you take the concept to it's logical conclusion.
Are a species 'instincts' embedded in DNA? How do instincts get passed down? Insects don't have much of a brain but seem to know exactly what to do with themselves, for example honey bees, ants, and caterpillars/butterflies.
I'm trying to understand this better as I think what I'm trying to say is that in my opinion, it seems that one theory could be that basic organisms somehow are programmed with instructions (whether it's an accidental programming or done by an 'intelligent designer') to evolve to changing conditions. then, through selection, by pure chance an intelligent life is able to to evolve to the point that it can ponder it's own existence and debate it.
so to understand the board better, evolution vs. intelligent designer (is that the same as 'creationist'?), is the basic question did life develop on earth 'by accident' or did another entity / entities play a roll in it?