Let's make up a fictional universe for a moment. In this fictional universe there is an intelligent being that decides to create create lots of energy and matter and on just one little chunk of matter this intelligent being decides to bring into existence lots of life forms made from this matter, thousands of them, each a little different from the others, some more closely related in design than others, and all of them have some way of making near copies of themselves before they expire. To one of these thousands of life forms the intelligent designer gives awareness of self, ability to reason, ask questions, and assemble knowledge. If this unseen, unobservable intelligent designer made no attempts at communication with these sentient beings and "left no clues" so speak, might these sentient, inquisitive beings be able to figure out that someone, another sentient being, made them? Or would they look around and say, "Hmmm... there's no other intelligent life in this universe, so everything we see came to be by natural forces, including me! So let's party!"
Now let's say this fictional universe is really our universe and we are the sentient beings. If all the above were true (let's not get philosophical about what truth is), what would it take for science to be able to discern that? Would it be able to?
What would life forms and the fossil record have to look like if it were true that an intelligent designer had made discrete life forms? I am guessing most scientists would say it would look a lot different than the life we see on planet Earth, since most scientists believe that the myriad of life forms on THIS planet evolved from a far simpler life form. So tell me, scientists, what would created life look like? Would the designer have to make every life form completely different? No two creatures would have two eyes. Okay, three eyes for this one, seven for that one, 42 for that one. No, that's too many creatures that have "eyes"--seeing is overrated. No, some would have to have sonar--oh, wait that's already been done. Okay, okay, some would have cells and others would be a cell--no, wait, that's already be done. Well, maybe some should have DNA and others would have BNA and others would have LGSPD and others would have PDTSL (I made those acronyms up, in case you tried to Google them). And some would be built with proteins made from amino acids others would be made from some other acids. Some would not be carbon based, they would be silicon based and Polonium based and Ununquadium based. Hah! Now there would be proof that life was designed by some intelligent, sentient, being with a funky sense of humor. Scientists would have to believe it then, or would they...
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Now let's say this fictional universe is really our universe and we are the sentient beings. If all the above were true (let's not get philosophical about what truth is), what would it take for science to be able to discern that? Would it be able to?
What would life forms and the fossil record have to look like if it were true that an intelligent designer had made discrete life forms? I am guessing most scientists would say it would look a lot different than the life we see on planet Earth, since most scientists believe that the myriad of life forms on THIS planet evolved from a far simpler life form. So tell me, scientists, what would created life look like? Would the designer have to make every life form completely different? No two creatures would have two eyes. Okay, three eyes for this one, seven for that one, 42 for that one. No, that's too many creatures that have "eyes"--seeing is overrated. No, some would have to have sonar--oh, wait that's already been done. Okay, okay, some would have cells and others would be a cell--no, wait, that's already be done. Well, maybe some should have DNA and others would have BNA and others would have LGSPD and others would have PDTSL (I made those acronyms up, in case you tried to Google them). And some would be built with proteins made from amino acids others would be made from some other acids. Some would not be carbon based, they would be silicon based and Polonium based and Ununquadium based. Hah! Now there would be proof that life was designed by some intelligent, sentient, being with a funky sense of humor. Scientists would have to believe it then, or would they...