Is Intelligent Design An Open Movement?

There are some people (including one or two members of EvC) who propose that the idea of Intelligent Design can be approached scientifically. But scientific inquiry is the last thing that the Intelligent Design movement wants. The Intelligent Design movement is not open to anything but its own dogma. Accepting science - e.g. accepting that evolution did happen - does not require a "meaningless universe". In fact, many of us believe that "meaning" is more meaningful if we decide for ourselves what it is instead of having it spoonfed to us by some spook.

Maybe you could clarify what you see as the difference between design and guidance. I often remind IDists that designers (and/or guides) can only work with existing natural processes. As far as I can see, they both have at least that one constraint in common.Maybe "Intelligent Design" is just not the right terminology for what you envision. (Intelligence doesn't seem to be an appropriate trait for a transpersonal pan-god, does it?)

If "National Socialist" accurately described my general position, I probably still wouldn't use it to describe myself.

To me, "created" implies "creator" and "intelligent design" implies "superior intelligence". Whether that creator/intelligence used a wrench or a magic wand is not particularly relevant.My own personal objection to the idea of "intelligent design" is the fact that intelligence only works with existing processes. If your "designer" is just using as-yet-unknown technology to manipulate those processes, then you're talking science fiction. If he's also creating the processes, you're talking religion. Neither alternative is scientific.

To a "primitive" people, a flashlight is magic. Whether or not something can be detected through the methods of science is a function of the current capabilities of science. There is no real distinction between magic and technology. Maybe someday a device to materialize a rabbit in a hat will be readily available at Wal-mart. So you're basically trying to ouflank SETI. Instead of direct communication with (from) extraterrestrial intelligence, you're looking for indirect signs.

If somebody say life was designed by magic, it means they think it's outside the realm of scientific knowledge.