Debating Design: From Darwin to DNA

WilliamDembski,MichaelRuse,andotherprominentphilosophersprovidehereacomprehensivebalancedoverviewofthedebateconcerningbiologicalorigins-acontroversialdialecticsinceDarwinpublishedTheOriginofSpeciesin1859.Invariably,thesourceofcontroversyhasbeen'design'.Istheappearanceofdesigninorganisms(asexhibitedintheirfunctionalcomplexity)theresultofpurelynaturalforcesactingwithoutprevisionorteleology?Or,doestheappearanceofdesignsignifygenuineprevisionandteleology,and,ifso,isthatdesignempiricallydetectableandthusopentoscientificinquiry?Fourmainpositionshaveemergedinresponsetothesequestions:Darwinism,self-organisation,theisticevolution,andintelligentdesign.Thecontributorstothisvolumedefinetheirrespectivepositionsinanaccessiblestyle,invitingreaderstodrawtheirownconclusions.Twointroductoryessaysfurnishahistoricaloverviewofthedebate.