Top 10 Counter Theories Proposed By Intelligent Design Supporters

Nowadays creationists are charged with the immensely difficult task of reconciling the paradigm of the Earth’s 6,000 year lifespan depicted in the Bible with the vast amount of data collected by various sciences which seems to point towards a radically different conclusion.

More exactly, the intelligent design advocates the concept that God created the universe and the Earth from scratch precisely six millennia ago. On the other hand, the conglomerate of data recorded by sciences like astronomy, astrophysics, biology, so on and so forth suggests that the actual age of our universe is approximately 13.5 billion years, whereas the Earth as we know (well, more or less) came into existence 4.5 billion years ago.

Naturally, because of the notable discrepancy between the core concepts of evolutionism/creationism and the absence of actual evidence to back the latter theory, its supporters had to get…”creative”. Let’s find out a few of the arguments they employ for this purpose.

 

1. The coexistence of the dinosaurs and the human race

coexistence of the dinosaurs and the human race

While most creationists prefer to discard the hypothesis the dinosaurs actually existed, the new generation of enterprising supporters of the theory who cannot deny the fossil records are getting behind the idea that humans and dinosaurs actually lived in the same historical period. They employ several pieces of circumstantial evidence, such as the dinosaur tracks/human footprints uncovered at Paluxy or prints of sandals in the proximity of trilobites and they state the biblical flood displaced the fossils in a matter that would indicate living in a different historical era. Unfortunately, at this point the scientific consensus is that when the first humans emerged 200,000 years back, the dinosaurs had been extinct for over 65 million years.

 

2. The high complexity of biological systems deems evolution improbable

biological systems

The intricate and symbiotic nature of a biological system has determined Michael Behe and other creationists to affirm that no organ or system of cells would be able to function if it is not complete. In addition, they suggest every form of mutation is detrimental for the exponent of the specie. That can’t be right, considering that the ability to evolve and adapt is an innate characteristic of all living organisms.

 

3. The visibility of light emanated by other galaxies stems from the varying light speed

Galaxy light

The sheer fact that the light emanated by very distant galaxies reaches us several millions of years later constitutes an argument for the theory that the universe formed 13.5 billion years ago, not 6,000. However, creationists will argue that astrophysical view on the constant speed of light is wrong and that God can simply alter its velocity as he sees fit. However, while they do suggest a variable light speed is “possible”, they do not have any follow-up argument other than the standard “God’s will”.

 

4. Hominid fossils uncovered present distinct human/ape traits

Hominid fossils

Neanderthals and Australopithecus fossils clearly demonstrate that human kind had very different ancestors, at least from a morphological point of view. However, creationist will simply not accept the archaeological evidence and either state that the fossils were wrongfully interpreted or that the physical characteristics are the result of deformities, traumas, disfiguration, arthritis, etc. What, all of them?

 

5. The nebular hypothesis is improbable

nebular hypothesis

Since the moment when astrophysicist Abraham Loeb released a statement according to which science cannot fully grasp the exact process that leads to the formation of planets/stars at fundamental levels, creationists were quick to take this phrase out of context and utilize it for the purpose of disproving the Big Bang theory. They suggest the high temperatures would have never permitted the gas and particles to unite and form large masses, forgetting of course that we can actually see examples of gas giants today.

 

6. The 2nd law of thermodynamics is in direct opposition with evolutionism

2nd law of thermodynamics

The propensity towards disorder of all systems described by the 2nd law of thermodynamics is another argument brought by creationists against evolution. However, there are two reasons why utilizing the 2LT against evolutionism is wrong by default. First of all, they fail to understand that evolution does not represent a movement towards progress and order, but rather a constant process of adaptation (sometimes detrimental, like in the case of overspecialization which leads to the extinction of that specie). Secondly, the 2LT only applies for the universe if it is taken as whole – the alternative is for a closed energy system – which means that it has no scientific value in trying to explain something about an open energy system like the Earth.

 

7. The ice age can be directly linked to the biblical flood

ice age

Apparently, the biblical flood can be employed to explain a whole plethora of events that actually have a very sound scientific basis, the ice age being one of them. The Genesis book of the Bible tells us that the highest quantity of water that generated the flooding came from the inferior layers of the earth and that it was accompanied by volcanic eruptions that blocked out the Sun, causing the ice age. Unfortunately, the estimated date of the ice age is between 10,000 and 110,000 years ago and there has been no archaeological evidence to support the biblical flood.

 

8. The accuracy of the radiocarbon dating procedure is low

radiocarbon dating procedure

Radiocarbon dating is practically the best tool of science when it comes to estimating the age of certain objects in the absence of other clues. It is only natural that creationists are interested in discrediting this procedure that has debunked some of the principal points made in the bible, but unfortunately their theory that 14C has various decay rates and that other factors influence the isotope ratio produced is just not enough.

 

9. The organic DNA is God’s John Hancock

Organic DNA

This misconception that is constantly propagated by creationists regarding the link between the coherency of the DNA code and the necessity of a creator stems from a poor understanding of information theory. At the same time, they fail to comprehend that science is actually working hard to decipher/translate the code and that the DNA isn’t simply handed out to them as a known language.

 

10. The Grand Canyon instantly formed in the wake of the Great Flood

Grand Canyon

As previously mentioned, the biblical flood is the type of “event” with a plethora of effects – according to creationists – another being the forming of the Grand Canyon. Leaving aside the archaeological evidence that suggest its age is closer to 70 million years, the whole concept that the intricate shape of the landscape bursting of winding chasms could be created in a single “swoosh” by the retreating waters is just silly.

 

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