Intelligent Design Creationism and Its Critics: Philosophical, Theological, and Scientific Perspectives

The past decade has witnessed the emergence of a new player in the creation/evolution debate—the intelligent design creationism (IDC) movement, whose strategy is to act as "the wedge" to overturn Darwinism and scientific naturalism. This anthology of writings by prominent creationists and their critics focuses on the novel aspects of this new movement. It serves as a companion to Robert Pennock's Tower of Babel, in which he critiques the wedge movement, as well as other new varieties of creationism. The book contains articles previously published in specialized, hard-to-find journals, in addition to new contributions. Each section provides introductory background information, articles by influential creationists and their critics, and in some cases, responses by the creationists themselves. The discussions cover IDC as a political movement, IDC's philosophical attack on evolution, the theological debate over the apparent conflict between evolution and the Bible, IDC's scientific claims, and philosopher Alvin Plantinga's critique of naturalism and evolution. The book culminates with Pennock's essay "Why Creationism Should Not Be Taught in the Public Schools."

The anthology serves as a comprehensive examination of the intelligent design creationism (IDC) movement, which has emerged as a new player in the ongoing creation/evolution debate. The book's focus is on the novel aspects of this movement, providing a detailed exploration of its various components. It acts as a companion to Robert Pennock's Tower of Babel, which criticizes the wedge strategy employed by the IDC movement to overturn Darwinism and scientific naturalism.

The book's structure is designed to offer a comprehensive understanding of the IDC movement. Each section begins with introductory background information, followed by articles from influential creationists and their critics. In some cases, the creationists are given the opportunity to provide responses to the critiques. The discussions cover a wide range of topics, including the political nature of the IDC movement, its philosophical attack on evolution, the theological debate surrounding the perceived conflict between evolution and the Bible, the scientific claims made by the IDC proponents, and Alvin Plantinga's critique of naturalism and evolution.

The anthology's culmination is Robert Pennock's essay "Why Creationism Should Not Be Taught in the Public Schools," which serves as a powerful argument against the inclusion of creationism in public education. This essay, along with the other contributions, provides a thorough examination of the IDC movement and its impact on the ongoing creation/evolution debate.

Overall, this book serves as a valuable resource for those interested in understanding the complex and multifaceted nature of the intelligent design creationism movement. By bringing together a diverse range of perspectives, the anthology offers a comprehensive and insightful exploration of the various aspects of this new player in the creation/evolution debate.

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