Oy vey.

Ok, work with me here. I almost sent a gentle email to Melanie to point out the problem with her article.

FWIW, I am an ex-scientist, Ph.D. and the works. Hard physical science, physics as it turns out. Changed careers when I saw how hard it was to raise a family on a professor’s salary.

The problems come in the arguments from a lack of public understanding of a) what a theory is, b) what makes things scientific, c) whether scientists and ordinary people should ‘believe’ in theories.

Tackle ‘a’ and ‘b’ first.

A scientific theory is device that makes concrete testable predictions, and survives these tests. If something makes no testable predictions, it is not a theory. Period.

Something that is simply an idea that can’t or doesn’t make predictions, is not, and cannot be a theory. Literally by definition. Moreover, a scientific theory is also by definition, falsifiable. That is, if the tests contradict the theory, the tests win. Not the theory.

You only need one test to falsify a theory.

If you cannot falsify a theory, you cannot test the theory, and therefore it is not a theory.

Intelligent design does not make any testable predictions. Therefore, by definition, it is not a theory. Of anything. It is not falsifiable. It is not testable.

Evolution does make testable predictions. And it has passed all of its tests, that is, nothing that contradicts it has been found. Yet.

Doesn’t mean this will always be the case, but to date, it explains every test brought to it.

Intelligent design explains nothing, as it brings no testable hypothesis forward. If you can’t falsify it, it is not a theory.

Finally, on to ‘c’. Should you believe in theories.

No. Never.

If anyone tells you they believe in evolution, they are, frankly, as bad as those who tell you they believe in ID or creationism. Belief is fundamentally an act of faith, a willingness to accept something without real proof, without testable hypothesis.

You should not believe in the “law” of gravity. Nor in the “law” of evolution. You should accept the fact that at this time, we have no better theories that explain everything as well as our current theories.

Does this preclude you believing in a creator if you wish? No. Can you reconcile the two?

I believe so.

Can you do it without conflict?

Definitely.

But if you want to believe that ID happened and evolution didn’t, well, this can’t be a scientific belief. As a scientific belief is internally inconsistent. An oxymoron.

Remember Einstein, a pretty bright guy in his own right, said “Subtle is the Lord”. There was a reason he said this.