One more thing about this notion that design cannot be detected without finding and identifying the “designer.”
Frankly, I am amazed that some people cannot see beyond this little ruse. If it were true, you could not determine that a car is designed until you find the designer.
OK, you say, we know about car designers. Fine. Suppose we travel someday to another galaxy and find the remnants of a lost civilization. Suppose we find evidence of advanced technology, but no sign of life because perhaps it was all vaporized in a massive nuclear war. According to your “logic,” we cannot determine that their technology was “designed” until we find the designers.
The whole notion that science cannot detect design without also identifying and studying the designer is patent nonsense. If you cannot see past this ruse, you cannot think their way out of a wet paper bag. I’d be downright embarrassed if I were that unintelligent. (Pun intended.)
Better yet, suppose we find an advanced electronic gadget on the Moon or Mars someday that we know was not left behind by a human. Could we not determine that it was intelligently designed until we find the designer? Of course not.
Suppose SETI detects an apparently intelligent signal from space. Can they not determine that the source of the signal was intelligent until they identify the source? Of course not.
Suppose forensic scientists detect evidence of a murder. Can they not conclude that a murder occurred until the identify and find the murderer? Of course not.
I’m sorry, but the whole notion that design cannot be detected without identifying the designer is just incredibly stupid. No way around it.