The Origin of Intelligent Design

The Origin of Intelligent Design
Sunday, March 20, 2005; Page B05
washingtonpost.com


It's an idea with a history as illustrious as its mere mention today can be contentious: that the order and complexity of the natural world are evidence of supernatural design. So-called natural theology is a doctrine that can be traced back to the Bible and that shaped the thinking of such early Christian philosophers as Thomas Aquinas.

One of the influential proponents of the notion that the existence of God could be understood by studying His creation was English philosopher John Ray (1628-1705). Ray's cataloguing of mammals, birds, fish, insects and plants inspired subsequent naturalists to collect and classify organisms as a reflection of the divine order of creation.