[Buddha-l] Buddhism, Science, and Intelligent Design

[Peter D. Junger]

I have noticed repeated claims--some made on this very list--that
science and religion deal with different types of issues and thus
cannot come into conflict--or, though this is less often stated,
be in agreement--with each other.  Of late, such claims turn up 
chiefly in the context of the dispute over the teaching of 
so-called "Intelligent Design" and of evolution.

These claims rather trouble me as a would-be follower of the
Buddhadharma, since I cannot help but notice that the idea that
the world was created by an intelligent designer does not seem
compatible with the Buddhist teachings and that the theory of
evolution, on the other hand, is perfectly consistent 
with--and, in fact, a good example of--the truth of the
basic teaching of dependent origination: this arises, therefore
that arises.

And when one comes to the relatively recently recognized field of
cognitive science it seems to me that the efforts of Buddhist 
practitioners to understand the workings of their minds cannot
be distinguished in theory from the efforts of scientists to
arrive at a similar understanding.  Marvin Minsky's "Society of
Mind", for example, strikes me as being an updated version of the 
metaphor of the chariot in the Milindapanha.

If it is establishing religion to teach intelligent design in the
public schools, then why is the teaching of evolution in those 
schools not an establishment of (the Buddhist) religion?

I suppose that one answer could be that Buddhism is not a 
religion; but if that be the case what would happen to the tax
exemption of institutions like the Cleveland Buddhist Temple?

May all beings be happy!

--
Peter D. Junger--Case Western Reserve University Law School--Cleveland, OH
 EMAIL: junger at samsara.law.cwru.edu    URL:  http://samsara.law.cwru.edu