Intelligent Design and Modern Evolutionary Biology

1. Entity type Lemma
2. Original titleИнтелигентният дизайн и съвременната еволюционна биология
3. Language term Bulgarian
4. lemma author Nachev, Ivaylo
5. lemma category Scientific theories and disciplines > Biology:evolution
6. Publication date 19-11-2018
7. lemma work Маринов, Георги [Author]. Intelligent Design and Modern Evolutionary Biology
8. lemma manifestations Философски Алтернативи
9. Keywords Intelligent Design - Creationism - genetics - Evolution
10. Citations
    1. Georgi Marinov (2016). “Интелигентният дизайн и съвременната еволюционна биология". Философски алтернативи, 2, 99-126.
11. Lemma body

    1. The article critically examined the Intelligent Design (ID) movement, providing a brief introduction to its origin in US context, and the motivation behind it. In addition, it examined in detail main arguments used by its proponent (including irreducible complexity, mathematical and others). Marinov sees the ID movement (described as a contemporary manifestation of creationist ideas) as the main opposition against evolutionary theory. Its main goal is to introduce teaching of ideas of the ID movement in schools as an official alternative to evolution. According to Marinov, main efforts behind ID are its ideas to be presented as a scientifically valid alternative to the purely materialistic understanding of the evolutionary process (and thus ID to be presented as scientific discipline). The author did not qualify ID as a scientific “theory” and argued it exhibits classic signs of pseudoscience. ID has gained some success among the general public and has some acceptance among non-specialists within the wider academic community, according to Marinov. Yet, it faces opposition from professional biologists. Marinov argued that the resistance is not because of a rigid ideological commitment to materialism, but because the main ID arguments are based on a combination of deep misunderstanding and dishonest misrepresentation of evolutionary theory. The author also discussed developments within the evolutionary theory and evolutionary biology and stressed differences between Darwinism, neo-Darwinism and the contemporary evolutionary theory. In regards to the specific Bulgarian situation Marinov noted that creationist views have had practically no impact on the educational system but in regards to the academic level there is shortage of expertise in evolutionary biology and population genetics. In addition, there is a clear lack of popular science publications on evolution. This bears risks for additional erosion of the natural science education and further de-rationalisation, according to the author.