@Ken: I agree with everything you’ve said, except, perhaps, for …

Comment on The God of the Gaps by Sean Pitman.

@Ken:

I agree with everything you’ve said, except, perhaps, for the part about there not being enough evidence in hand right now that strongly suggests well-defined limitations to the creative potential of mindless naturalistic mechanisms to produce life or its diversity beyond very very low levels of functional complexity.

Along these lines, if you haven’t already read it, you might enjoy reading Stephen Meyer’s new book, “Signature in the Cell.” It goes into significant detail as far as the evidence that is currently available on the origin of life in particular…

Sean Pitman
www.DetectingDesign.com

Sean Pitman Also Commented

The God of the Gaps
@Ervin Taylor:

Indeed… something we actually agree on. 😉


The God of the Gaps
Pauluc:

You wrote:

Thanks for responding although I do think you mischaracterization my position. I do believe I have articulated it sufficiently already on this site. To justify it again is unnecessarily tedious.

I may be rather dense here, but as far as I can tell the only thing you’ve been clear on is your notion that whatever mechanism produced life and its diversity on this planet, it wasn’t intelligent. After all, it was you who wrote:

Darwinian mechanisms may or may not be sufficient but natural mechanisms are most likely.

If by “natural mechanisms” you mean mindless natural mechanisms, then how is this statement remotely scientific? It’s a sincere question on my part. I fail to see how you’ve presented any testable argument regarding your proposed mechanism for either the origin or diversity of life beyond very low levels of functional complexity? How is the hypothesis of a mindless mechanism, without any input from any intelligent source of any kind, testable? How is it scientific?

I have never pretended my religious views are hypothesis driven. They are my merely my honest attempt to understand the infinite and are clearly amenable to change just as my science is open to growth and revision.

Great! Again, I’m happy if a faith that is independent of empirical evidence works for you. It just doesn’t work for me is all. I know you think that’s a horrible thing, but that’s just the way I am. For me, a useful faith is something that is based on testable evidence that can potentially be proved wrong – exactly the same as any valid scientific theory.

I do not pretend that I am expert on all areas and disregard established expertise but I accept in good faith. My scientific expertise can be established from my published peer reviewed work.

I’m sure you’re quite good at what you do. That doesn’t mean your being scientific when it comes to your notions as to the mechanism that likely produced life and/or its diversity on this planet. Please, present something testable to support your assertions in this regard. Otherwise, I fail to see how your position for the powers of mindless natural mechanisms can rationally be called “scientific”? How does your hypothetical mindless mechanism produce more predictive power than a natural mechanism that has the backing of an intelligent mind of some kind?

Sean Pitman
www.DetectingDesign.com


The God of the Gaps
@pauluc:

In contrast to my acceptance of complementary roles of science and religion and faith you have a view that denigrates blind faith as a path to understanding of the transcendent and claim you must only accept in religion what is supported by the predominance of scientific evidence.

I’m glad empirically-blind faith works for you. It just doesn’t work for me. I go where I see the weight of evidence leading. I put very little stock in emotion-driven faith or some deep impression in the soul or a “burning in the bosom” when it comes to the truth of Jesus, being born of a virgin, his miraculous life, death, and resurrection – and other such miraculous claims about the true nature of empirical reality. Where is the empirical evidence to back up such fantastic claims?

Sorry. I have a weakness for the rational…

Sean Pitman
www.DetectingDesign.com


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