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	October 2002
		Signs of Intelligence: Understanding Intelligent Design Dembski and Kushiner [Eds.] Baker Books, 2001 (210pp. RRP $18.95) reviewed by Paul Grayston
			Intelligent Design (ID) reintroduces into science the notion of an external agent or creator, and proposes to liberate modern science from the materialistic and naturalistic blinkers it has worn for a couple of hundred years. In Signs of Intelligence the leaders in the ID movement in the United States present 14 penetrating essays on every aspect of ID, packing an extraordinary amount into a small space and for a modest price tag. The volume is a challenging read, impressive in scholarship, and yet accessible to the general reader. ID talks the language of science, of observation of the physical world and of mathematics, choosing to contend with atheistic modern science on its own turf. The main target of ID is Neo-Darwinism. Even the axiomatic Natural Selection and 'survival of the fittest' are claimed to be thoroughly debunked. And those famous moths in England that turned black during the Industrial Revolution? Oops! It was largely a hoax! Admittedly, the non-specialist reader struggles to weigh up the alleged flaws in Darwin's account, but at the least ID helpfully exposes Evolution's un-stated atheistic commitment. Reductionist Beliefs about origins shape the way we live, and even Darwin's fans agree he delivers a bleak world indeed: devoid of purpose, driven by procreation, and blind to morality. Supposed evolutionary imperatives can justify Clinton's promiscuity, eugenic abortions, genocide, racial hatred and numerous other scourges, while the behaviour of a Mother Teresa is utterly unaccountable. Signs of Intelligence claims that scientific evidence demands no such outlook, and points rather towards design, purpose, moral value, and meaning. Our choices do mean something, and heroism, altruism and love do make sense. It is science's reductionist account which is out of kilter. Refreshing Signs of Intelligence argues that ID can return science to an earlier, more integrated state. Many of the pioneers of modern science showed that marvelling at the Creation in no way hinders scientific progress. Similarly, the Church needs to rediscover the study of the 'Book of Works' in which God's character is 'seen and understood from what has been made' (Romans 2; see Psalm 19). Sadly, the ability to 'read' the Creation has been all but beaten out of Western Christianity. Science and Religion have both been the losers from their acrimonious divorce. ID may help us all to begin again. Intelligent Design is a fruitful and refreshing approach to questions of origin. Signs of Intelligence is thoroughly recommended and deserves to be widely read. The Reverend Paul Grayston is Priest-in-Charge of the Parish of Quamby, Chaplain to the Launceston Grammar Junior School, had a previous career as an Architect, and tackled physics, chemistry and maths up to the end of Year 12.