Introduction

This introduction has two functions. First, it apprises readers of some of the basic data, terminology, and formalisms used in contemporary discussions of the design argument while also giving a sense of the argument’s history. Other pieces in this anthology—particularly those of Elliott Sober, John Leslie, Paul Davies, and Michael Ruse—cover some of the same ground. Second, it gives readers some idea of what the various contributors will say and why their contributions are important for understanding the design argument. ¹ Though I will raise my own concerns at various points, I will (so far as I can) leave the philosophical and scientific heavy lifting to the distinguished contributors.