Design

So tonight as we finish our unit on science we are going to focus on putting all the things we’ve talked about together into an actual argument for intelegent design in creation when it comes to the complexity of the creation.

Misconception: The complex patterns of the universe can be explained without a designer.

Charles Dawin, “I cannot look at the universe as the result of blind chance, yet i can see no evidence of benificent design or indeed of design of any kind, in the details.”

Using evolution naturalists want to explain away the origins of all life. Saying that through natural selection the stronger, more complex organisms will become dominant over their lesser form kin.

ex. Monkeys began to grow smarter because they evolved with the opposable thumb, allowing basic tool funtions, which as brains developed more and more those tools became more advanced leading to humanity’s dominance throughout the world.

In Dawin’s quote he mentions that it has to be more than chance, but he doesn’t see design in the details. Last week Fred even asked me the question, and hopefully I’m not misquoting you here. “If God put that much detail into our DNA, why Doesn’t he prove himself to people.” More or less right?*

In both cases it becomes a question of what do you consider as proof. Do you have to see his face to know he is there, or can you see his works and know that he is there. Darwin didn’t want to see God, so when confronted with the evidence he chose to eplain it a different way.

Illumination: The complex designs of the universe are best explained by an inteligent designer, confirming a theistic worldview.

Specialized Complexity

Sean mentioned the idea of Specified Complexity. He talked about how when we see complicated things that work together for a specialized purpose we intuitivly understand that someone had to make that system. A lock in your door, the engine of your car, each of those systems are built for a special purpose and also are complex in nature.

What is other specialized complex systems can you think of?

Over the last two weeks we have looked at two examples of specialized complex systems. The Fine tuning of the universe to allow life to thrive, and our DNA. These two along with many more fit the criteria of a specialized complex system.

Irreducable Compleity

Another proof for design that you read about in your devotions this week, is something called irreducable complexity. This test looks at specially complex systems and tries to find out if it could function in a reduced capacity or not. Lets take the car engine i mentioned earlier. If you remove one part of that engine will it function. (depends on the part right.) You don’t need washer fluid, so we won’t even consider that as part of the main system. But could it work if you removed the spark plugs? no. How about if you remove the piston? or the Transimission? no. Each part is nessesary for the machine to run.

In biology irreducable complexity is one of our strongest evidences for a designer, especially in comparison to evolution. According to evolution each organism should gain apendixes though evolutionary means. (or one part at a time). Bacteria is one of the most “basic forms” of life. A single celled organism. It travels from place to place and reproduces That’s litterally its whole objective in “life”. Yet it has a part of its “body” that is irreducable. The Flagellum. Just that little tail is comprised of 40 different parts, each of which is nessesary for the Flagellum to work. In general the more interdependant parts of a machine, even a biological machine, the less likely it will work.

No reason for part number 1, to be any better at survival of the fittest than a bacteria without that first part, so why would it develop the second, or third, or 15th, much less 40.

Another example is an eyeball. Eyeballs are specific complex and irreducable. This is a fish’s eyeball. 17 parts all of which are nessesary to see.

Core Verse

Psalm 19:1–2 ESV

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.

The evididence for a designer is out there, but you have to know what to look for. Its more than just creation’s beauty, or size, or magnetude. Where do these complex specific and irriducable systems come from? They point to a designer, a creator, just like a car’s engine points to an engineer.

Romans 9:20–21 ESV

But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?

God is the designer and creator of the world. Our job is to believe and to give him the credit for his creation. over the last month we have discussed how science and faith go together. How science best works through a monotheistic, even Christian worldview. Maybe you can discover something about God that no one has seen before, or maybe you can use these studies to help point others to God. I challenge you to share what you have learned with others, believers and non believers. That’s apologetics, and evangelism.