Episode 152.
Continuing with some comments on Darwin's remarkable letter to Asa Gray,
we see fluctuation in this letter.
On the one hand, Darwin Rejects Design because of
suffering in nature since there is too much misery in the world.
But on the other hand,
he Accepts Design and is Impacted by nature and the Psalm 19 Factor
through the wonderful universe and the nature of man.
In particular, Darwin proposes two design theories.
The first has designed laws of nature and details left to chance,
but Darwin quickly qualifies not that this notion at all satisfies me.
Now why is this the case?
It's because Darwin is still carrying Paley's baggage,
and the belief that details in nature are part of intelligent design.
Darwin's second theory proposes designed laws and God's omniscience.
According to this approach,
humans cannot fully understand all aspects of nature.
This letter to Asa Gray features Darwin's implicit theodicy and juxtaposition.
After presenting the problem of suffering in nature
and rejecting Intelligent Design two times,
Darwin then juxtaposes both of these with his experience of intelligent design in nature.
Therefore, it seems evident that for
Darwin Intelligent Design is a response to suffering.
Finally, we can see that Darwin's letter is
marked by frustration, confusion, and fluctuation.
At the beginning, in the middle, and at the end,
as he states theological issues are painful since they leave
him bewildered and seem to be too profound to be understood.
Of course, there is a pressing question that I'm sure you want to ask.
Is this a category's problem?
And the answer is yes.
Darwin had a bad concept of intelligent design.
Paley's view of ID,
in which intelligent design is conflated with perfect adaptation and beneficence.
For example, this is reflected in the letter to Gray by the phrase,
evidence of design and beneficence on all sides of us.
In other words, in each and every part of the natural world.
In November 1860, Darwin wrote another letter to Asa Gray.
And yes, it again dealt with the issue of intelligent design.
In quote 22, Darwin writes,
"I grieve to say that I cannot honestly go as far as you do about design.
I am conscious that I am in an utterly hopeless muddle.
I, cannot think that the world as we see it,
is the result of chance.
Yet, I cannot look at each separate thing as a result of design.
Again, I say I am and shall ever remain in a hopeless muddle."
In this letter, Darwin rejects design but note that it is Paley's view of ID,
which is a conflation of ID and perfect adaptation.
This is reflected in the term "each separate thing" whereby,
each detail in nature is supposed to fit together perfectly.
Yet, at the same time,
Darwin also rejects dysteleology because
he cannot think the world is the result of chance.
Similar to Darwin's May 1860 letter to Asa Gray,
this letter is marked by frustration, confusion, and fluctuation.
To use Darwin's words,
he is in a hopeless muddle and an utterly hopeless muddle regarding design in nature.
There are some other notable passages on Darwin and intelligent design which are found
in supplementary quotes five to 10.
We can draw two important conclusions from Darwin's second period of
religious reflection during 1860 and 1861.
First, Darwin is not an atheist and
his theory of evolution is not by necessity, atheistic.
That should encourage religious individuals who accept evolution.
Conclusion number two, Darwin's science religion relationship is in conflict.
Darwin's concept of design clashes against Darwin's experience of design in nature.
More specifically, this is a conflict between Paley's conflated premises of nature,
including ID and the impact of nature that is the Psalm 19 factor, impacting on Darwin.
And the lesson to be learnt here,
is that we need to begin our exploration of
any topic with the correct premises and categories.
End of episode.