He has written several books, including four which received ecpa christian book awards 1994, 1999, 2001, 2005 and a series which addresses challenges to the veracity of christianity. Lee patrick strobel born january 25, 1952 is an american christian author and a former investigative journalist. He currently serves as distinguished professor of philosophy and chair of the department of philosophy at messiah college in grantham, pennsylvania. The most impressive case of finetuning for life is that of the cosmological constant. Collins has around twenty articles and book chapters published, many of which have focused on how the fundamental findings of cosmology and fundamental physics provide evidence for design. If thats your interest, then i have no recommendations either.
As robin collins points out in chapter 9, if simplicity was the sole epistemic criterion, then we could just stop with any given set of observations and not posit any further entities. This is one of many improbably coincidences that seem to lead to the conclusion that life is only possible because of the work of an intelligent designer. Suppose we went on a mission to mars, and found a domed structure in which everything was set up just right for life to exist. Philosophical, theological, and scientific perspectives, edited by robert pennock, 2001.
For instance, said physicistphilosopher robin collins, gravity is finetuned to one part in a hundred million billion billion billion billion billion. Quantum gravity points in the direction of the first. With expertise in both philosophy of religion and philosophy of science, robin collins is especially qualified to address this topic. Robin collins offers three design arguments for the existence of god, with the primary finetuning argument contending that life or intelligent life depends for its. In their book, the new story of science, robert aurgros and george stanciu sum up the inferences of the amazing set of coincidences that make life possible in the cosmos like this. The finetuning design argument a scientific argument for the existence of god robin collins september 1, 1998 intelligent design i. The philosophy of religion reader 1st edition chad. World heritage encyclopedia, the aggregation of the largest online encyclopedias available, and the most. Because an intelligent designer appears to be the only plausible.
This is a draft of a chapter to appear in the book on the finetuning argument, tentatively entitled the welltempered universe. Peter millican is an atheist philosopher at oxford university. William derham, for example, saw evidence of intelligent design in the vision of. He recently received a grant from the john templeton foundation to finish a book that. Robin collins explains two kinds of cosmic finetuning. It was founded and led by figures associated with the intelligent design movement, such as william a. The case for cosmic design great debate 2008 robin collins offers three design arguments for the existence of god, with the primary finetuning argument contending that life or intelligent life depends for its existence on the fact that a number of physical parameters of the universe have numerical values that fall within a range of lifepermitting values that is very narrow. Citing the example of atomic theory, however, he points out that in science and everyday reasoning we feel justified in hypothesizing further entities if there. Because an intelligent designer appears to be the only plausible explanation for the existence of the structure. Design arguments for the existence of god internet encyclopedia.
As a part of basic reminders, it is worth the effort to read and watch how robin collins put the case in summary, in a classic essay on the finetuning design argument 1998. His main interests include philosophical issues related to the relationship between religion and science and philosophical theology education. Collins is writing a book on the anthropic principle, tentatively titled, the welltempered universe. His other books include darwinism, design and public education and explore evolution. The theory of intelligent design holds that certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent. Now a short comment on naturalistic science which collins aims to protect from id. International society for complexity, information, and design. His main interests include philosophical issues related to the relationship between religion and science and philosophical theology.
Robin collins is a prominent defender of the fine tuning argument for the existence of god, which points to the extraordinary precision required for the initial conditions of the universe and the parameters of physics to support life collins has recently published a paper on what he calls methodological theism, and in it makes some interesting comments on the status of intelligent design. Even science which attempts to abide by the rules of methodological naturalism cannot exist without intelligent design. This accessible but serious introduction to the design problem brings together new. This is a compelling presentation of intelligent design of the universe as the. The section on cosmic finetuning features a chapter written by dr. The existence of fine tuning is not improbable under theism. Man made machines are the products effects of intelligent design cause. Fine tuning, intelligent design, and naturalism dr. Davis, discovery fellow robin collins explains that. Collins has written many articles and book chapters on such topics as the finetuning of. The international society for complexity, information, and design iscid was an organization that described itself as a crossdisciplinary professional society that investigates complex systems apart from external programmatic constraints like materialism, naturalism, or reductionism.
How can intelligent design be detected in the universe. Collins is associate professor of philosophy at messiah college. Assuming you are genuinely interesting in the question of whether science can find evidence of design in living. I agree and would like to add that id, contrary to what collins believes, does not postulate a transcendent designer. Robin collins is a christian philosopher and a leading advocate of the argument for god from cosmic design. Fine tuning, intelligent design, and naturalism audio. Robin collins and atheist peter millican discuss the finetuning of the universe for life june 12, 2018 in 2. Introduction1 the evidence of finetuning suppose we went on a mission to mars, and found a domed structure in which everything was set up just right for life to exist. The unique format and the authors ability to make the book an easy read despite its technical and scientific nature make the case for creation a must read for anyone, believer and nonbeliever alike, interested in examining the science behind intelligent design. Robin collins is an expert on the finetuning of the universe. Robin collins is associate professor of philosophy at messiah college. An excellent new paper by robin collins on finetuning. Probably, the cause of the universe is an intelligent being. The following transcript is from an apologetics 315 interview with robin collins.
The finetuning design argument discovery institute. Meyer concludes that theories such as intelligent design and darwinism are. The history of science and religion in the western tradition. Professor collins is currently completing a book on the argument for design. I think that dembski is smart enough to realize that there is one good candidate for intelligent design, and it aint the aliens. I say now, this book has changed many ways i view the bible and the christian myth. The evidence of design from gaps in evolution is nonexistent. We would like to show you a description here but the site wont allow us. Robin collins, phd the impression of design is overwhelming. Robin collins project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. The constants and initial conditions of the universe are set just right for intelligent life to evolve. Browse the amazon editors picks for the best books of 2019, featuring our. Robin collins and atheist peter millican discuss the fine. Robin collins on cosmological fine tuning uncommon descent.
Robin collins not only claims to show that my eliminative approach to detecting design is fatally flawed but. Scientifically testable consequences of finetuning related. Robin collins provides the following illustration to demonstrate why christian apologists believe the atheist argument fails because the existence of all of the finelytuned design features found in the universe rationally point to the existence of an intelligent. So you get both sides of many interesting issues, at a very advanced level. The cosmological constant is a term in einsteins equation of general relativity that, when positive, acts as a repulsive force, causing space to expand and, when negative, acts as an attractive force, causing space to contract. Intelligent design refers to a scientific research program as well as a community of scientists, philosophers and other scholars who seek evidence of design in nature. View robin collins s business profile as professor of philosophy. From 19902002, he was on the faculty of whitworth college.
He also hosted a television program called faith under fire on pax tv and runs a video. In his 2006 book the language of god, leading theistic evolutionist francis collins made such an argument, read more nasa89127unsplash photo by nasa on unsplash robin collins september 1, 1998 intelligent design the finetuning design argument robin collins september 1, 1998 intelligent design. A variety of authors with a variety of perspectives look at the history of the literal creationism intelligent design evolution debate, the evidence for evolution, and, in the last 25ths of the book, the meaning of evolution for theology and the christian walk. This would have significant intelligentlifeinhibiting consequences see collins, 2003. This chapter should give the basic idea of my approach to defining the comparison range, and my response to the mcgrewvestrup objection. This program was recorded at the intelligent design and the future. Robin collins 178 introduction 178 definition of and criteria for finetuning 179 six solid cases of finetuning 180 conclusion 190. Robin collins has some very good papers on fine tuning.
Either the finetuned universe was designed, or the finetuned universe came. Philosopher robin collins illustrates the extent of the finetuning by asking us to consider the values of the initial conditions of the universe and constants of physics as coordinates on a dart board that fills the whole galaxy, and the conditions necessary for life to exist as an extremely small target, say less than a trillionth of an inch. The biochemical challenge to evolution by michael j. One of the most striking discoveries of modern science has been that the laws and constants of physics unexpectedly conspire in an extraordinary way to make the universe habitable for life. My own assessment is that either this universe is one of many, many universes. There is robin collins chapter on the design argument. The case for a creator, chapter 6 the cosmological finetuning argument is one of the more interesting claims in the intelligent design movements toolkit. Robin collins phd, university of notre dame, 1993, is professor of philosophy at messiah college, grantham, pa specializing in the area of science and religion. God and design is a balanced book that includes essays from top scientists and philosophers from both sides of the debate. He was a student of the great physicist from the university of texas, john wheeler.
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