The Positive Case for Design

In Casey Luskin's ironically titled The Positive Case for Design, he claims to provide evidence that does not place intelligent design as a negative "gap" argument against evolution. He claims to use the scientific method in his approach. In this side-by-side, we refute his claims and the approach.

Table 1. Ways Designers Act When Designing (Observations):
==Table 2. Predictions of Design (Hypothesis):==

Table 3. Examining the Evidence (Experiment and Conclusion):
Line of Evidence Data (Experiment) Prediction Confirmed?(Conclusion) "Experiments" (1) Biochemistry  Natural structures have been found that contain many parts arranged in intricate patterns that perform a specific function (e.g. complex and specified information), such as irreducibly complex machines in the cell. The bacterial flagellum is a prime example. The specified complexity of protein bonds, or the simplest self-reproducing cell are other examples. Yes. Biologists have shown that the flagellum is not irreducibly complex, having evolved from the type III secretion system. While all proposed irreducibly complex structures have been shown to have precursors, even if scientists do not know how a structure came to be does not mean it should not be studied. (2) Paleontology  Biological novelty appears in the fossil record suddenly and without similar precursors. The Cambrian explosion is the prime example. Yes. The Cambrian explosion allowed species to develop after the Hox genes evolved, allowing for a diversity of species to develop rapidly in a world previously populated by less adaptable species. Precursors to the Hox genes have been verified, and it's not clear why an intelligent agent is required to fill in this gap. The "Cambrian explosion" lasted something like 20 million years, or over three thousand times as long as most IDers say the world has been around—would you call that "sudden"? Other examples for which increased species result from the evolution of beneficial characteristics have been shown. Do the intelligent design proponents propose another example? (3) Systematics  Similar parts have been found in organisms that even Darwinists see as separated by more closely related forms that do not contain the similar parts in question. Clear examples include genes controlling eye or limb growth in different organisms whose alleged common ancestors are not thought to have had such forms of eyes or limbs. Yes. Proteins with similar functions have developed across species, such as the poisons mentioned above, and phylogenic analysis establish their evolution over time. (4) Genetics  Genetic research continues to uncover functions for “junk-DNA,” include functionality for pseudogenes, introns, LINE, and ALU elements. Examples of unknown DNA functions persist, but design encourages researchers to investigate functions, whereas Darwinism has caused some scientists to wrongly assume that non-coding DNA is junk. Yes. This extensive contrast to evolution (which we were told would not happen!) is irrelevant. Scientists incorporate new information into theories all the time, and finding functions for junk DNA in no way invalidates it. Furthermore, without the contrast to evolution, this prediction merely says that there are genes we do not know about. That is not a surprise!

Luskin's footnotes
