For a more concise look at the testimony, let's back it up a little and see how Mr Behe redefines the Scientific Theory.....
Q But the way you define scientific theory, you said
it’s just based on your own experience; it’s not a
dictionary definition, it’s not one issued by a scientific
organization.
A It is based on my experience of how the word is
used in the scientific community.
Q And as you said, your definition is a lot broader
than the NAS definition?
A That’s right, intentionally broader to encompass
the way that the word is used in the scientific community.
Q Sweeps in a lot more propositions.
A It recognizes that the word is used a lot more
broadly than the National Academy of Sciences defined it.
Q In fact, your definition of scientific theory is
synonymous with hypothesis, correct?
A Partly --it can be synonymous with hypothesis, it
can also include the National Academy s definition. But in
fact, the scientific community uses the word "theory" in
many times as synonymous with the word "hypothesis," other
times it uses the word as a synonym for the definition
reached by the National Academy, and at other times it uses
it in other ways.
Q But the way you are using it is synonymous with the
definition of hypothesis?
A No, I would disagree. It can be used to cover
hypotheses, but it can also include ideas that are in fact
well substantiated and so on. So while it does include
ideas that are synonymous or in fact are hypotheses, it also
includes stronger senses of that term.
Q And using your definition, intelligent design is a
scientific theory, correct?
A Yes.
Q Under that same definition astrology is a
scientific theory under your definition, correct?
A Under my definition, a scientific theory is a
proposed explanation which focuses or points to physical,
observable data and logical inferences. There are many
things throughout the history of science which we now think
to be incorrect which nonetheless would fit that -- which
would fit that definition. Yes, astrology is in fact one,
and so is the ether theory of the propagation of light, and
many other -- many other theories as well.
Q The ether theory of light has been discarded,
correct?
A That is correct.
Q But you are clear, under your definition, the
definition that sweeps in intelligent design, astrology is
also a scientific theory, correct?
A Yes, that s correct. And let me explain under my
definition of the word "theory," it is --a sense of the
word "theory" does not include the theory being true, it
means a proposition based on physical evidence to explain
some facts by logical inferences. There have been many
theories throughout the history of science which looked good
at the time which further progress has shown to be
incorrect. Nonetheless, we can t go back and say that
because they were incorrect they were not theories. So many
many things that we now realized to be incorrect, incorrect
theories, are nonetheless theories.
Q Has there ever been a time when astrology has been
accepted as a correct or valid scientific theory, Professor
Behe?
A Well, I am not a historian of science. And
certainly nobody -- well, not nobody, but certainly the
educated community has not accepted astrology as a science
for a long long time. But if you go back, you know, Middle
Ages and before that, when people were struggling to
describe the natural world, some people might indeed think
that it is not a priori -- a priori ruled out that what
we -- that motions in the earth could affect things on the
earth, or motions in the sky could affect things on the
earth.
Q And just to be clear, why don t we pull up the
definition of astrology from Merriam-Webster.
MR. ROTHSCHILD: If you would highlight that.
BY MR. ROTHSCHILD:
Q And archaically it was astronomy; right, that’s
what it says there?
A Yes.
Q And now the term is used, "The divination of the
supposed influences of the stars and planets on human
affairs and terrestrial events by their positions and
aspects."
That s the scientific theory of astrology?
A That s what it says right there, but let me direct
your attention to the archaic definition, because the
archaic definition is the one which was in effect when
astrology was actually thought to perhaps describe real
events, at least by the educated community.
Astrology -- I think astronomy began in, and things
like astrology, and the history of science is replete with
ideas that we now think to be wrong headed, nonetheless
giving way to better ways or more accurate ways of
describing the world.
And simply because an idea is old, and simply
because in our time we see it to be foolish, does not mean
when it was being discussed as a live possibility, that it
was not actually a real scientific theory.
Q I didn t take your deposition in the 1500s,
correct?
A I m sorry?
Q I did not take your deposition in the 1500s,
correct?
A It seems like that.
Q Okay. It seems like that since we started
yesterday. But could you turn to page 132 of your
deposition?
A Yes.
Q And if you could turn to the bottom of the page
132, to line 23.
A I m sorry, could you repeat that?
Q Page 132, line 23.
A Yes.
Q And I asked you, "Is astrology a theory under that
definition?" And you answered, "Is astrology? It could be,
yes." Right?
A That s correct.
(Full Court Transcript
HERE)
