Learning goals: (a) study the major lines of argument in favour of Intelligent Design

Wikipedia Definitions of Some “isms”

Darwinism: a theory of biological evolution developed by the English naturalist Charles Darwin (1809–1882) and others, stating that all species of organisms arise and develop through the natural selection of small, inherited variations that increase the individual's ability to compete, survive, and reproduce

Naturalism: the "idea or belief that only natural (as opposed to supernatural or spiritual) laws and forces operate in the world." Adherents of naturalism (i.e., naturalists) assert that natural laws are the rules that govern the structure and behavior of the natural universe, that the changing universe at every stage is a product of these laws

Materialism: holds that matter is the fundamental substance in nature, and that all things, including mental aspects and consciousness, are results of material interactions.

Lecture Outline:

1. Introduction: Natural Selection vs. Intelligent Design
2. Evidence for Intelligent Design
   1. The World of the Cell (Biochemistry)
   2. The Origin of the Universe (Cosmology)
   3. The Structure of DNA (Biological Information)
      1. Explaining the origin of life: Chance
      2. Explaining the origin of life: Laws of Nature

• Explaining the origin of life: Design

• Back to Worldview

*We’ve been following Nancy Pearcey’s Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity for this series. This handout has been adapted from her book.

Pearcey, Nancy. Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity. Crossway Books, 2008.