The Design Inference: Eliminating Chance through Small Probabilities
Abstract
The design inference uncovers intelligent causes by isolating their key trademark: specified events of small probability. Just about anything that happens is highly improbable, but when a highly improbable event is also specified (i.e. conforms to an independently given pattern) undirected natural causes lose their explanatory power. Design inferences can be found in a range of scientific pursuits from forensic science to research into the origins of life to the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. This challenging and provocative 1998 book shows how incomplete undirected causes are for science and breathes new life into classical design arguments. It will be read with particular interest by philosophers of science and religion, other philosophers concerned with epistemology and logic, probability and complexity theorists, and statisticians.
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Creationism and intelligent design.
Pennock, R. T. (2003) · Annual Review of Genomics and Human Genetics · doi:10.1146/annurev.genom.4.070802.110400 · Cited by 73 · see citing works
de Duve, C. (2003) · Origins of life and evolution of the biosphere · doi:10.1023/a:1025760311436 · Cited by 71 · see citing works
Using statistical methods to model the fine-tuning of molecular machines and systems
Thorvaldsen, S., & Hössjer, O. (2020) · Journal of Theoretical Biology · doi:10.1016/j.jtbi.2020.110352 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
“William Dembski originally proposed what he called an ‘‘explanatory filter” for distinguishing between events due to chance, lawful regularity or design (Dembski, 1998).”
BackgroundThe Return of the God Hypothesis
Meyer, S. C., & Institute for Interdisciplinary Research (1999) · Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies · doi:10.5840/jis1999111/21 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
- Authors
- Dembski, W. A.
- Corresponding author
- Dembski, William A.
- Venue
- Cambridge University Press eBooks
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Published
- 1998-09-13
- OpenAlex
- W1567347973
- Cited by
- 372
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 23 · 2014: 14 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 8
- FWCI
- 34.34
- Type
- book
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Cambridge University Press eBooks (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History and Philosophy of Science › Philosophy and History of Science
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History and Philosophy of Science › Evolution and Science Education
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Theology and Philosophy of Evil
- Keywords
- design inference, intelligent design, design argument, probability, complexity, origin of life, SETI, forensic science, epistemology of design
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