"Consider now complicated patterns which one would have thought would arise only through intelligent design" -Robert Nozick

Does a watchmaker exist for life as we know it?

As we study biology, study how well adapted we are, are we finding the the fingerprints of a intelligent designer?

To what degree can genes perceive their environment?

Are they a slave to purely random mutation?

Intelligent Design is the idea that some aspects of nature may reflect not a random set of events, but may be a result of an intelligent cause. Some of the concepts from the world of Intelligent Design include: irreducible complexity, specified complexity, and the fine-tuned universe The ID viewpoint seeks to examine the world for empirical data that demonstrates possible evidence of something more than random natural selection, but evidence of a designer.

Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection looks not to an intelligent designer, but to the idea that traits of a species that are more advantageous over many reproduction cycles win out. No designer, no involvement of a creator making choices. Just what traits enhance the species survival winning out.

Richard Dawkins is a ethologist, evolutionary biologist, who has written a number of books including his The Selfish Gene. Dawkins is a critic of the theory of creationism, making his case in books like The Blind Watchmaker.

Our guest event host Anne Continelli asks:

"I have been highly dismissive of ID, but recently, questions about whether genes can "perceive" their environment, thus affecting mutation (versus the concept of purely random mutation), have caused me to give this a second look. Of course, this is probably a much different interpretation than typical proponents of ID would subscribe to, which is why I would love to discuss it with a smart crowd. Richard Dawkins thinks we are just vehicles for genes; is there a level of "intelligence" going on to which we are not giving due respect?"

Come join us for a lively discussion of evolution, Intelligent Design, epigenetics, memes, viruses of the mind, DNA & destiny, Darwin and Dawkins.

Please Note: Inquisitive Minds looks to explore ideas, including some more controversial than others. We welcome respectful discussions and differing viewpoints. Our discussions are lightly moderated with the expectation that all speakers will be respected, and that people with differing life experiences and outlooks can enrich us all.