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Technorati“Plato and Aristotle both articulated early versions of design theory, as did virtually all of the founders of modern science.”
“Intelligent design theory is simply an effort to empirically detect whether the ‘apparent design’ in nature acknowledged by virtually all biologists is genuine design (the product of an intelligent cause) or is simply the product of an undirected process such as natural selection acting on random variations,” the group adds.
In contrast, “Creationism is focused on defending a literal reading of the Genesis account, usually including the creation of the earth by the Biblical God a few thousand years ago.
“Unlike creationism, the scientific theory of intelligent design is agnostic regarding the source of design,” the Discovery Institute clarifies.
Other explanations surrounding Intelligent Design theory posted on the group’s website also clarify that Intelligent Design does not reject evolutionary theory, if “evolution” is defined by "change over time," or “that living things are related by common ancestry.”
However, Discovery Institute does challenge a dominant form of evolutionary theory known as neo-Darwinism, which “contends that evolution is driven by natural selection acting on random mutations, an unpredictable and purposeless process that ‘as no discernable direction or goal, including survival of a species.’
“It is this specific claim made by neo-Darwinism that intelligent design theory directly challenges,” the group states.
Regarding NCSE’s initial suggestion that Intelligent Design be taught in the social studies curriculum, Discovery Institute’s Richards said even if it were allowed, the theory would be irrelevant in that discipline. Since the design argument draws from science disciplines such as biology, chemistry, astronomy, or physics, it would be most appropriate in a science class.
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