On Suffering, Intelligent Design Provides a Better Lens Than Darwinism
The presence of evil and suffering calls for justification. But which scientific view of life is better placed to help us address these issues? Today, host Andrew McDiarmid speaks with Tova Forman about her recent article tackling the profound question of suffering and the problem of evil. Tova argues that intelligent design (ID) proponents are better equipped to answer this challenge than those who adhere to neo-Darwinism or a materialistic view of life.
Forman begins by highlighting the limitations of Darwinism and materialism. First, they struggle to account for morality, as a purely material view reduces everything to atoms and chemicals, making it difficult to discern good from bad. Second, Darwinian theory has a dehumanizing view of human life and history, evident in practices like social Darwinism and eugenics, which assign value to a person based on physical markers rather than inherent dignity. Third, Darwinism portrays life as a violent struggle for existence and does not readily explain concepts like mercy, selflessness, or bonding over shared trials. Forman memorably describes the Darwinian mechanism as “blind breakage of brilliant biological coding,” suggesting a loss of information and function rather than progress or guidance.
Instead, Forman argues that intelligent design offers a more coherent framework. She points out that design is design, and that even perceived “bad design” often reveals optimally designed engineering tradeoffs. Examples discussed include the human breathing and eating system as well as Earth’s climate variations, which are essential for oceanic circulation despite challenges they present. Forman and McDiarmid recall a point philosopher of science Stephen C. Meyer makes in his latest book Return of the God Hypothesis. Meyer provides a framework for those who want to affirm a designing intelligence responsible for life such as the one the Judeo-Christian scriptures affirm. Meyer suggests that, from such a perspective, suffering and natural evil can be seen as expected evidence of the decay and degradation of an original design. If there’s a design, then its “breaking” or “devolving,” which implies an original intended state and potentially more to the story.
The interview also touches on the young adult novel co-authored by astronomer Guillermo Gonzalez and author Jonathan Witt, The Farm at the Center of the Universe. The main character grapples with his father’s death from cancer, directly addressing the question of why a well-designed world would include such suffering. Ultimately, Forman contends that while the problem of evil is not a scientific issue, the intelligent design framework provides a more compelling and persuasive way to address the existence of suffering compared to Darwinism.
Dig Deeper
- Read the article by Tova that inspired this conversation!
- Know a young person wrestling with the presence of suffering and evil? Give them a copy of the young adult novel The Farm at the Center of the Universe.