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I have been thinking a bit about the so-called Intelligent Design argument for the existence of god and have wondered if the question I raise here is a viable criticism of the argument. I find the argument problematic, in particular, because of the idea or notion of “design” itself. It seems to me that “design” is a construct that human beings employ to explain what we perceive, or maybe infer from what we perceive, in observing the universe. We look at things and perceive order, or some kind of harmony and consistency to them; this is the way our minds happen to work. It is possible, however, that beings elsewhere in the universe observe it and have no conception of “design”, or see no such order or harmony. If design truly is an inference relative to human minds it seems like it would hardly point to the existence of a designer; from the premise that design is a human construct perhaps the most we can infer is that design is not a “feature” that is intrinsic, or built into the structure of the universe, it is just the way our minds work in apprehending it.
Accepted:
January 28, 2010

Comments

Nicholas D. Smith
February 25, 2010 (changed February 25, 2010) Permalink

I don't think you have a valid criticism of intelligent design here. I actually find the very idea of beings who did not see order in the universe as rather more difficult to imagine than you seem to think--after all, it seems to me that they would have to see some degree of such order just to survive. (Imagine not seeing enough order in the universe to support decisions about whether or not certain things you perceive are edible or drinkable).

But more than this, I don't see why the relativity of perspecive in your case proves anything. Why do you think it follows that if A (one group of organisms) sees something one way (e.g. as orderly) and B (a different group of organisms) sees it otherwise (not orderly) that this proves the relevant judgment is (only) a subjective one? Some animals (e.g. dogs) are color-blind, but we don't take this to show that colors are purely subjective. Maybe your aliens are "order-blind"! Their loss!

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