Intelligent Design Theory Summary

In his talk about Intelligent Design, Tyson stated that the idea of a God figure was used often in the science community. I would like to examine one of Tyson 's points of how the idea of God hinders scientific exploration.

Intelligent Design is the theory that most theists hold, that explains that life and our universe could not have developed without an intelligent life form that created it all. The Intelligent Design theory is basically the idea of a God. Neil deGrasse Tyson speaks about a poll that shows that approximately 90% of the general public believes in God or an intelligent being that answers their prayers. Scientists on average believe in a God 40% of the time, while only 15% of elite scientists believe in a God. Though Tyson believes

The problems they were not able to solve were answered by a supernatural explanation. Another example of religious hinderance was shown in the Muslim community. Tyson talks about the exponential rate of scientific developments in places such as Baghdad in the early 12th century. It was a breeding ground for inventors, scientists, theorists, and mathematicians. However, a Muslim man, Iman Hamid al-Ghazali, declared that mathematics was the work of the devil. In this area, most of the inhabitants were Muslim, and mathematics, along with other sciences, were halted. Tyson says the 300 year freeze on scientific exploration in this area had huge lasting effects. He believes the scientific break is the reason why there are only 2 Muslim Nobel Prize winners.

I am going to focus on how God is oftentimes used as an excuse when a scientific predicament presents itself. I do agree with his thesis. Tyson talks about how space and the sky were seen as the Heavens. Later it was slowly explored. In Newton’s explorations he ran into a complex problem when trying to figure out how the planets, the moon, and the sun moved in relation to each other. He couldn’t figure the

He explained intelligent design is usually a hinderance in scientific exploration. Scientists, especially elite scientists, using God as in an answer to scientific problems stops scientific investigation. My critiques with Tyson’s argument pertains to his idea that the 300 year scientific halt in the ancient Middle East is a cause for the lack of prominent Muslim scientists. I believe that it may be a factor but it is no way the reason for only 2 Muslim scientific Nobel Prize winners. All in all, Tyson raised great points about Intelligent Design having negative effects on science