Mischaracterizations again in SDUT

By Casey Luskin

Dear Editor,

The August 5th editorial, "Creationism Redux" asserts that intelligent design (ID) theory is religion because it "inverts the scientific method." This is an incorrect characterization of ID theory.

ID begins with observations about how intelligent agents act in the natural world. It then identifies the properties commonly found in objects which we observe were designed. Our observations tell us that designed objects typically have unlikely configurations which conform to a particular pattern. Language and machines are prime examples. In ID theory terminology, this is called complex (because it is unlikely) and specified (because it maches a pattern) information ("CSI"). Finding CSI gives us a tell-tale sign that an object was designed.

ID then studies and experiments upon natural objects to determine if they bear these hallmark signs of intelligent design. One biological structure containing high levels of CSI is the bacterial flagellum. Using this method of observation, hypothesis, and experimentation, ID theory uses the scientific method from the bottom up. Contrary to the editorial's assertions , ID is not a faithed-based method of inquiry. It is scientific, pure and simple.

Thank you.
Casey Luskin
Founder, "Intelligent Design and Evolution Awareness (IDEA) Club at UC San Diego.
M.S. UCSD / Scripps Institution for Oceanography
J.D. University of San Diego