Slikin and Intelligent Design

Rabbi Natan (Nosson) Slifkin recently wrote an article for the Jerusalem Post entitled The problem with Intelligent Design.

In it, he argues why ID should be rejected by the religious Jew. Before reading his piece, I had no confirmed decision either way. But now, thanks to Slifkin, I'm convinced of it's justification. Here's why.

The basic thrust of Slifkin's argument would appear to be that ID restricts God's involvement with the creation to the inexplicable. A believing Jew recognizes God's involvement in all aspects of creation.

But is this necessarily true. Because I see God in one place, does that exclude him from everywhere else. If God must exist in a case of "irreducible complexity", does that mean that He is only there - or that I am justified to extrapolate; just as He can be seen in cases of "irreducible complexity", so too He must be in all areas of creation.

To this point, one would mention the story of Esther. I find it astounding that Slifkin brings this story to prove the opposite! As explained so beautifully by the Vilna Gaon in his perush, the realization of the hand of God in those events allows us, expects of us to extrapolate and see His hand in all events, even where it is far from apparent.

Seeing the Creator in cases of "irreducible complexity" demands of us to see Him everywhere. Not through scientific proof, but through the logic of thought, feeling and sensitivity. And this is a basic Jewish process.

God's involvement in the story of Esther is never proven. But the unlikelihood of the series of events makes God's orchestration the most sensible option. If these cases of "irreducible complexity" will eventually be provided will natural explanations, and I expect they will if anything just to disprove IDniks, that does not at present prevent me from utilizing their phenomena. It makes sense to propose God's hand here.

We would not base our belief in a Creator through these signs, just as the story of Esther does not 'prove' the involvement of a divine 'Manipulator'. But we certainly will use them as tools to help us recognize the majesty of the Creator in all of His creation.

[If it will be shown that proponents of ID actually do deny God's role everywhere else (and they claim to be religious!), well, nothing forces us to follow to that conclusion. But until shown, I don't see this as an issue.]