Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Intelligent design

2007-03-13T03:55:24Z

Ray: Misuse of the scientific term theory, this should be explicitly stated as the common use (seeing as this is supposed to be a scientific idea) or changed. The later was far less long winded

Intelligent Design is the hypothesis that certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, rather than natural processes, such as [[evolution]][http://www.discovery.org/csc/topQuestions.php]. The theory on intelligent design leaves the identity of the intelligent cause open, since this question is not accessible by scientific investigation [http://www.ideacenter.org/contentmgr/showdetails.php/id/1341]. Many proponents however admit to believe the intelligent cause to be [[God]].

To date there have been over 40 peer reviewed articles supporting Intelligent Design in such notable publications as the ''Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington'' and internationally respected scientific journals such as ''Rivista di Biologia.'' [http://www.discovery.org/scripts/viewDB/index.php?command=view&id=2640]

Design Theory enjoys a small amount of stated support within the worldwide scientific community (creationist scientists report there is widespread discriminatory action against creationist scientists[http://www.answersingenesis.org/tj/v9/i2/suppression.asp]), but it is steadily growing. From 2001 to 2007 over 700 notable scientists had signed the pro-Intelligent Design manifesto ''A Scientific Dissent From Darwinism'' published by the leaders of the design movement, the Discovery Institute. [http://www.dissentfromdarwin.org/] This is largely due to much new scientific evidence from many scientific disciplines such as cosmology, physics and biology that has caused scientists to question the claim of a largely atheistic scientific community that evolution is the best explanation for the origin of life and call for public school science students to study the evidence supporting it in greater detail.

In a recent trial in Dover, PA Judge John E. Jones III ruled that Intelligent Design was not valid science and "cannot uncouple itself from its creationist, and thus religious, antecedents".

In a speech to the Anti-Defamation League, Jones replied that "had I decided the Dover matter in a different way, I would have then engaged in just the kind of judicial activism which critics decry," stating that he was bound by "over a half century of strong legal precedents."[http://www.adl.org/Civil_Rights/speech_judge_jones.asp]

However, this ruling was made because science is dependent upon observable, empirical, measurable evidence. If a supreme being was responsible for the creation of life, this can not be scientifically proven. Thus, Intelligent Design cannot be a scientific theory. If a supreme being was not responsible, Intelligent Design is a logical paradox - if intelligence is too complex a quality to have occurred by chance, what created the creating intelligence?

===Defining intelligent design as science===
The scientific method is a body of techniques for investigating [[phenomenon|phenomena]] and acquiring new [[knowledge]] of the [[natural world]] without assuming the existence or nonexistence of the supernatural, an approach sometimes called [[naturalism (philosophy)|methodological naturalism]]. Intelligent design proponents believe that this can be equated to [[materialism|materialist]] [[metaphysical naturalism]] and have often said that not only is their own position scientific, but it is even more scientific than evolution, and that they want a redefinition of science as a revived [[natural theology]] or [[natural philosophy]] to allow "non-naturalistic theories such as intelligent design."<ref>Stephen C. Meyer, 2005. [http://www.discovery.org/scripts/viewDB/index.php?command=view&id=1780 The Scientific Status of Intelligent Design: The Methodological Equivalence of Naturalistic and Non-Naturalistic Origins Theories]</ref> This presents a [[demarcation problem]], which in the [[philosophy of science]] is about how and where to draw the lines around science. For a theory to qualify as scientific, it must be:
:* ''Consistent'' (internally and externally)
:* ''Parsimonious'' (sparing in proposed entities or explanations, see [[Occam's Razor]])
:* ''Useful'' (describes, explains and predicts observable phenomena)
:* ''Empirically testable and falsifiable'' (see [[Falsifiability]])
:* ''Based on multiple observations'', often in the form of controlled, repeated experiments
:* ''Correctable and dynamic'' (changes are made as new data are discovered)
:* ''Progressive'' (achieves all that previous theories have and more)
:* ''Provisional'' or tentative (admits that it might not be correct rather than asserting certainty)

For any theory, hypothesis or conjecture to be considered scientific, it must meet most, but ideally all, of these criteria. The fewer criteria are met, the less scientific it is; and if it meets only a few or none at all, then it cannot be treated as scientific in any meaningful sense of the word. Typical objections to defining intelligent design as science are that it lacks consistency,<ref>Intelligent design is generally internally consistent and logical only within the framework in which it operates. Criticisms are that this framework has at its foundation an unsupported, unjustified assumption: that complexity and improbability must entail design, but the identity and characteristics of the designer are not identified or quantified, nor need they be. The framework of intelligent design, because it rests on a unquantifiable and unverifiable assertion, has no defined boundaries except that complexity and improbability require design, and the designer need not be constrained by the laws of physics.</ref> violates the principle of parsimony,<ref>Intelligent design fails to pass Occam's razor. Adding entities (an intelligent agent, a designer) to the equation is not strictly necessary to explain events.</ref> is not falsifiable,<ref>The designer is not falsifiable, since its existence is typically asserted without sufficient conditions to allow a falsifying observation. The designer being beyond the realm of the observable, claims about its existence can be neither supported nor undermined by observation, making intelligent design and the argument from design analytic ''a posteriori'' arguments.</ref> is not empirically testable,<ref>That intelligent design is not empirically testable stems from the fact that it violates a basic premise of science, naturalism.</ref> and is not correctable, dynamic, tentative or progressive.<ref>Intelligent design professes to offer an answer that does not need to be defined or explained, the intelligent agent, designer. By asserting a conclusion that cannot be accounted for scientifically, ''the designer'', intelligent design cannot be sustained by any further explanation, and objections raised to those who accept intelligent design make little headway. Thus intelligent design is not a provisional assessment of data which can change when new information is discovered. Once it is claimed that a conclusion that need not be accounted for has been established, there is simply no possibility of future correction. The idea of the progressive growth of scientific ideas is required to explain previous data and any previously unexplainable data.</ref>

In light of its apparent failure to adhere to scientific standards, in September 2005, 38 [[Nobel Prize|Nobel laureates]] issued a statement saying "Intelligent design is fundamentally unscientific; it cannot be tested as scientific theory because its central conclusion is based on belief in the intervention of a supernatural agent."<ref>The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity Nobel Laureates Initiative. Intelligent design cannot be tested as a scientific theory <cite>"because its central conclusion is based on belief in the intervention of a supernatural agent."</cite> [http://media.ljworld.com/pdf/2005/09/15/nobel_letter.pdf Nobel Laureates Initiative] (PDF file)</ref> And in October 2005 a coalition representing more than 70,000 Australian scientists and science teachers issued a statement saying "intelligent design is not science" and called on "all schools not to teach Intelligent Design (ID) as science, because it fails to qualify on every count as a scientific theory."<ref> Faculty of Science, University of New South Wales. [[20 October]] [[2005]]. [http://www.science.unsw.edu.au/news/2005/intelligent.html Intelligent Design is not Science - Scientists and teachers speak out]</ref>

Critics also say that the intelligent design doctrine does not meet the criteria for [[scientific evidence]] used by most courts, the [[Daubert Standard]]. The Daubert Standard governs which evidence can be considered scientific in United States federal courts and most state courts. The four [[Daubert Standard|Daubert criteria]] are:
:* The theoretical underpinnings of the methods must yield testable predictions by means of which the theory could be falsified.
:* The methods should preferably be published in a [[peer review|peer-reviewed]] journal.
:* There should be a known rate of [[error]] that can be used in evaluating the results.
:* The methods should be generally accepted within the relevant scientific community.

In deciding ''[[Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District]]'' on [[December 20]], [[2005]], Judge [[John E. Jones III]] agreed with the plaintiffs, [[Wikisource:Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District/6:Curriculum, Conclusion|ruling that]] "we have addressed the seminal question of whether ID is science. We have concluded that it is not, and moreover that ID cannot uncouple itself from its creationist, and thus religious, antecedents."

[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Politics]]

Creationism

2007-03-13T03:52:22Z

Ray:

Creationism is a term with a variety of meanings. Most generally, creationism is the belief that the universe was originally created by God.[http://www.creationism.org/english/index.htm]. Creationism can also mean a belief in a creation according to a literal interpretation of Genesis. Some forms of creationism (especially the more literal forms) conflict with [[evolution|evolution]] while others do not.[http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v11/i4/christian.asp]. Not all Christian denominations embrace creationism with the more literal Genesis interpretations, but nearly all embrace the [[Crucifixion]] of [[Jesus]] as a redemption for the sin of [[Adam]]. Many non-Christian sects believe in a form of creationism, including American Indian religions, Hindus, and the Classical Greek and Egyptian polytheistic religions.

== Types of Creationists ==

There are many different types of creationism, and this list is not meant to be exhaustive but to deal with only the major categories.

*[[Young Earth Creationism|Young Earth Creationists]] generally accept a literal or nearly literal interpretation of Genesis and insist that the world is around 6000 years old. Traditionally, Judaism supported young earth creationism. [http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v26/i2/tradition.asp] In addition, a majority of the early [[church fathers]] supported the idea the young earth creationist view. [http://www.robibrad.demon.co.uk/Chapter3.htm] An example of a Young Earth Creationist ministry today is [[Answers in Genesis]].[http://www.answersingenesis.org/]

*[[Old Earth Creationism|Old Earth Creationists]] agree with the common knowledge from the scientifically derived theory that the age of the earth is around 4.5 billion years but generally do not accept the common knowledge from the scientifically derived theory that all life on earth evolved from a common ancestor. Old Earth Creationists generally reconcile the age of the earth with Genesis by positing that the days in Genesis were not 24 hour days or by inserting gaps between various verses in the Bible. There is no general agreement among Old Earth Creationists on whether or not there was a global flood. An example of a major Old Earth Creationist ministry is Reasons to Believe [http://www.reasons.org].

*[[Theistic Evolution]] is the belief that God created the universe and did not intervene directly in physical evolution. In general, theistic evolution accepts the age of the earth and common descent. Theistic evolutionists believe that at some point God intervened in a metaphysical fashion to give souls to some small group of human ancestors. This is the position held by the Catholic Church <ref>[http://www.catholic.net/RCC/Periodicals/Dossier/0102-97/Article3.html Mark Brumley, Evolution and the Pope]</ref>.

== Controversial Classification ==

It is unclear if [[Intelligent Design]] amounts to a form of creationism and if so, where to place it in comparison to the other forms of creationism. This is due to the concept having many different definitions and proponents espousing different ideas. For example, one major proponent of Intelligent Design is [[Paul Nelson]] who a Young Earth Creationist, while [[Michael Behe]], another major proponent, accepts common descent. [[William Dembski]] has stated unequivocally that Intelligent Design is not theistic evolution and they should not be considered the same<ref>''What every theologian should know about creation, evolution, and design'' Center for Interdisciplinary Studies Transactions 3(2), William Demsbki</ref>. Dembski has also asserted that Intelligent Design is the [[Logos]] in terms of information theory<ref>[http://touchstonemag.com/archives/issue.php?id=49] ''Signs of Intelligence:
A Primer on the Discernment of Intelligent Design'' Touchstone Magazine, Volume 12, Issue 4 July-August 1999</ref>, while Dembski and others have given other definitions that do not include any specific theological references. Arguably, intelligent design can be summarized as the notion that at some point in the past, in some way, some entity(possibly God) created life, or altered life at some point, or created the universe to be compatable with life. Behe and others have stated that Intelligent Design is not religious in nature but in the [[Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District|Dover trial]], Judge John E. Jones III, a [[Republican]] and a [[US Federal District Judge]], ruled as a one of his findings that Intelligent Design was essentially religious in nature. The opinion met with wide accolades, but some criticism that it borrowed too heavily from the ACLU's briefs. [http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=53330] Nonetheless, it has been embraced by the legal community, and has quickly become the subject of renewed scholarship on the scope of the First Amendment.<ref>Richard B. Katskee, "Religion in Public Schools," 5 First Amend. L. Rev. 112 (2006)</ref>

== See also ==
*[[Lists of Creationists]]

==External links ==

===Young Earth Creationist Organizations ===
*[http://www.answersingenesis.org/ Answers In Genesis - Get Answers]
*[http://www.creationontheweb.com/ Creation Ministries International]
*[http://www.icr.org Institute for Creation Research]
*[http://creationwiki.org/Main_Page CreationWiki] - Although not completely Young Earth, [[CreationWiki]] is a mainly Young Earth Creationist Wiki.

=== Old Earth Creationists ===

[http://www.reasons.org Reasons To Believe, an Old Earth Creationist Ministry]

==References and Footnotes==
<references/>

[[Category:Religion]]

Communism

2007-03-13T03:48:51Z

Ray: thought that the distancing of christianity from communism was just a little bit too subtle

'''Communism''' is a [[socialist]] form of government in which the state owns everything and the wealth is divided evenly among the citizens. The word has several meanings but is usually reserved for the doctrine developed by Marx and Lenin which advocated the overthrow of capitalism by the revolution of the proletariat (the social group which does not control the means of production), followed by close state control of all sectors of the economy.

The most famous government to label itself "communist" was the [[USSR]] or the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; the Communist Party controlled its government from 1922 to 1991. This government was officially atheist and attempted to suppress all religion. Like many authoritarian regimes, it tried to cultivate reverence for the state as a psychological substitute for religion. (Left-wing critics of the USSR charged that it was communist in name only, and had betrayed the revolution which founded it. George Orwell expressed this viewpoint eloquently in his 1945 fable [[Animal Farm]]).

A famous quote describing Communism, attributed to Karl Marx, is "From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs".

==Early Christian sharing==

As described in the Acts of the Apostles, early Christians practiced some form of ''voluntary'' sharing for the common good, which is not to be confused with forced sharing because that's called communism:

:And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. (Acts 2:44-45, KJV)

:Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,

:And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

:And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,

:Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.(Acts 4:34-7, KJV)

Immediately following, we are told that Ananias and his wife cheated: they "sold a possession, And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet." When caught by Peter, Ananias "fell down, and gave up the ghost."

This voluntary communal sharing among the early Christians has been described by Marxists as "communism"; Arnold Toynbee has pointed out,

:The passage in the Acts represents the philanthropy of the primitive Christian Society as flowing from a God-given grace which was the fruit of a belief in the divinity of Jesus. In other words, the charity which is here depicted as moving the primitive Christians to go—in their mutual concern for one another's welfare—to the extreme length of sharing all their worldly goods is not a mere love of Man for Man (which is the limited literal meaning of the word ‘philanthropy’), but is a spiritual relation to which God is a party as well as His human creatures. In fact, this Christian Socialism is a practical application, on the economic surface of life, of the fundamental religious truth that the brotherhood of Man is a consequence of the fatherhood of God - a truth which is driven home with special force by a religion which teaches that God is not only the father and creator of Man, but also his saviour who has been incarnate in human shape and has suffered, and triumphed over, Death.<ref>Arnold Toynbee, ''A Study of History'', Annex II to Vol. V, Part C (i) (c) 2, p. 585, ''Marxism, Socialism, and Christianity''.</ref>

Some small Utopian experiments and intentional communities, notably the Shakers.<ref>officially: United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing</ref> have successfully practiced similar kinds of sharing, but rarely for long.

==Modern Communism==
Between 1989 and 1991, many communist governments were overthrown. The [[Berlin Wall]] in [[Germany]], which had become a symbol for the division between the West and communist states, was torn down in 1989, and there was also a large revolution against Romanian dictator [[Nicolaie Ceausescu]]. In 1991, the USSR broke up into several countries. Some of these remained under autocratic governments, but some have embraced [[democracy]].

Several countries still exist that are governed by a communist one-party system. The most famous of these is [[China]], but others (such as [[North Korea]], [[Laos]], and [[Vietnam]]) remain. There is considerable debate as to the extent to which these governments actually implement communist policies. China has not democratized (note especially the crushing of the Tiananmien Square protests in 1989), but its economic policies have been called "red capitalism" by some commentators, as there is a growing sector that behaves in a less-regulated, free market style. China's economy manufactures a wide variety of products that are sold to non-communist countries, and there is quite obvious tolerance of economic inequality, with some provinces struggling with poverty while others prosper.

==Notes and references==
<references/>

[[Category:Politics]]
[[Category:History]]

Australia

2007-03-13T03:45:15Z

Ray: ularu = uluru

Australia is part of [[Oceania]], and a largely secular nation. As a secular nation it does not have a "national" religion and it accepts citizens of a variety of creeds and faiths, just as the USA. It is about 7,500 miles from the [[United States]]. The mainland of Australia is about the same size as mainland USA - exluding Alaska. Australia has six states and two territories. The states are Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia. The territories are the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory which is the location of Australia's capital city: Canberra.

Australia was originally inhabited by people who are commonly known as Aborigines although they come from a number of smaller "nations" and "tribes." Over time these nations and tribes have lost their identity or been decimated by disease, poor nutrition, fighting with white settlers and the forced removal of children from their parents into white families or mission stations. The aboriginal culture still exists and a number of aboriginal languages have survived the more than 200 years of white settlement.

The mainland of Australia was probably found by Dutch sailors heading to the spice island of Indonesia in the 16th Century. Most of their descriptions of Australia are based on the exploration of the north west coast which is very rugged and inhospitable. It wasn't until 1770 that Captain James Cook from England discovered the east coast of Australia which is much more capable of maintaining life and settlers. In 1788 the First Fleet arrived in New South Wales - comprising of officers, some free settlers and convicts. A number of later fleeets settled convict areas around what is now Sydney Harbour and Tasmaina.

As the 18th century came to a close convicts were given land packages and more free settlers came to the land in the hope of setting up farms and businesses. A number of states started to be formed - the two most populated being New South Wales (capital city of Sydney) and Victoria (capital city of Melbourne.)

The 1850s saw the discovery of gold and large number of people moved to Victoria to find new wealth - prospectors from China and the USA came in the hope of prosperity. Eventually this wealth helped build the great cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Ballarat and Bendigo. Australia become a federated country in 1901 with its first capital city being Melbourne in Victoria. Eventually a new city was built between Sydney and Melbourne by the name of Canberra. Australia has a parliamentary system of government based on the British system with two law making houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Each state also has their own parliament. Australia is a democracy which has allowed both men and women to vote since federation. Its leader is called the Prime Minister, at the moment he is the leader of the Liberal Party, John Howard.

Strangley enough the Liberal Party, who have ruled in Australia since 1996 are actually conservative. They take on the name Liberal to indicate their belief in free trade and lack of government interference in business and day to day life. The more liberal (in terms of USA speak) party is the Labor Party whose leader is Kevin Rudd.

Australia relies a great deal on small industry, agriculture and tourism to foster its economny. It has a thriving film industry and very advanced technology. Most tourists visit places such as Sydney Harbour, Ayers Rock (Uluru) in Central Australia and the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland. Other favourite destinations are the wine making areas of South Australia and northern Victoria, the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, the natural wonders of Tasmania and the huge outback expanses of Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Some cattle stations in Australia rival Texas in size and the distance between towns in some areas is enormous.

80% of Australia's population, of just over 20,000,000 people, live on the coast line. It is one of the world's least densely populated countries. Despite the low population water is scarce and most cities have some form of water restrictions in place to allow for basics such as washing and drinking. Weather extremes are common in Australia with temperatures sometimes measured into the high 40s (Celcius scale is used in the rest of the world) which is about 120 F. The city of Darwin was destoyed by a hurricane in 1974 and bushfires often ravage the southern states - one of the worst occuring on Ash Wednesday in 1983 when over 2000 homes were destoyed and over 70 people lost their lives in Victoria and South Australia.

[[Category:Countries]]

Australia

2007-03-13T03:42:26Z

Ray: Minor misspelling of aborigine, "Celcius scale is used in Australia" changed to "Celcius scale is used the the rest of the world"

Australia is part of [[Oceania]], and a largely secular nation. As a secular nation it does not have a "national" religion and it accepts citizens of a variety of creeds and faiths, just as the USA. It is about 7,500 miles from the [[United States]]. The mainland of Australia is about the same size as mainland USA - exluding Alaska. Australia has six states and two territories. The states are Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia. The territories are the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory which is the location of Australia's capital city: Canberra.

Australia was originally inhabited by people who are commonly known as Aborigines although they come from a number of smaller "nations" and "tribes." Over time these nations and tribes have lost their identity or been decimated by disease, poor nutrition, fighting with white settlers and the forced removal of children from their parents into white families or mission stations. The aboriginal culture still exists and a number of aboriginal languages have survived the more than 200 years of white settlement.

The mainland of Australia was probably found by Dutch sailors heading to the spice island of Indonesia in the 16th Century. Most of their descriptions of Australia are based on the exploration of the north west coast which is very rugged and inhospitable. It wasn't until 1770 that Captain James Cook from England discovered the east coast of Australia which is much more capable of maintaining life and settlers. In 1788 the First Fleet arrived in New South Wales - comprising of officers, some free settlers and convicts. A number of later fleeets settled convict areas around what is now Sydney Harbour and Tasmaina.

As the 18th century came to a close convicts were given land packages and more free settlers came to the land in the hope of setting up farms and businesses. A number of states started to be formed - the two most populated being New South Wales (capital city of Sydney) and Victoria (capital city of Melbourne.)

The 1850s saw the discovery of gold and large number of people moved to Victoria to find new wealth - prospectors from China and the USA came in the hope of prosperity. Eventually this wealth helped build the great cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Ballarat and Bendigo. Australia become a federated country in 1901 with its first capital city being Melbourne in Victoria. Eventually a new city was built between Sydney and Melbourne by the name of Canberra. Australia has a parliamentary system of government based on the British system with two law making houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Each state also has their own parliament. Australia is a democracy which has allowed both men and women to vote since federation. Its leader is called the Prime Minister, at the moment he is the leader of the Liberal Party, John Howard.

Strangley enough the Liberal Party, who have ruled in Australia since 1996 are actually conservative. They take on the name Liberal to indicate their belief in free trade and lack of government interference in business and day to day life. The more liberal (in terms of USA speak) party is the Labor Party whose leader is Kevin Rudd.

Australia relies a great deal on small industry, agriculture and tourism to foster its economny. It has a thriving film industry and very advanced technology. Most tourists visit places such as Sydney Harbour, Ayers Rock (Ularu) in Central Australia and the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland. Other favourite destinations are the wine making areas of South Australia and northern Victoria, the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, the natural wonders of Tasmania and the huge outback expanses of Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Some cattle stations in Australia rival Texas in size and the distance between towns in some areas is enormous.

80% of Australia's population, of just over 20,000,000 people, live on the coast line. It is one of the world's least densely populated countries. Despite the low population water is scarce and most cities have some form of water restrictions in place to allow for basics such as washing and drinking. Weather extremes are common in Australia with temperatures sometimes measured into the high 40s (Celcius scale is used in the rest of the world) which is about 120 F. The city of Darwin was destoyed by a hurricane in 1974 and bushfires often ravage the southern states - one of the worst occuring on Ash Wednesday in 1983 when over 2000 homes were destoyed and over 70 people lost their lives in Victoria and South Australia.

[[Category:Countries]]