[general_re]

My only intent is to test the design inference on its own merits. From this, we can reasonably infer the worth of the design inference, and the design inference only. To take the usefulness - or lack thereof - of the design inference to be indicative of the worth of any other hypothesis is not a logically tenable position, with the exception of those hypotheses that rely on the validity or non-validity of the design inference as a premise.

[cornelis]

with the exception of those hypotheses that rely on the validity or non-validity of the design inference as a premise.

I recognized from the beginning that you were making exceptions with your language of "the useful." We'll see how it plays out.