"Matter does not need special instructions to manufacture snowflakes or sodium chloride. These forms are within its power. Not so with organic forms. Thus living forms transcend all other natural forms, not merely because of their unique activities (see Chapter 2) but also because the laws of physics and chemistry alone cannot produce them. What does produce them? What cause is responsible for the origin of the genetic code and directs it to produce animal and plant species? It cannot be matter because of itself matter has no inclination to these forms, any more than it has to the form Poseidon or to the form of a microchip or any other artifact. There must be a cause apart from matter that is able to shape and direct matter. Is there anything in our experience like this? Yes, there is: our own minds. The statue's form originates in the mind of the artist, who then subsequently shapes matter, in the appropriate way. The artist's mind is the ultimate cause of that form existing in matter, even if he or she invents a machine to manufacture the statues. For the same reasons there must be a mind that directs and shapes matter into organic forms. Even if it does so by creating chemical mechanisms to carry out the task with autonomy, this artist will be the ultimate cause of those forms existing in matter." 1

The explanation above seems useful in envisioning the limitations of matter and in appreciating the necessity of a mind in effecting a certain ?shape? to matter. Although ID may be defined with technical jargon more rigorously, the down-to-earth and uncomplicated perspective above may be used to concisely answer the question ?What is ID?? in a very simple way. As a quick and easy ?dummies? version of the answer, it is correct to define ID in that it identifies matter?s features which could only have been the work of a mind?s shaping of those features. Agreed? As simple as that, isn?t it? Here?s a few words for the wise: everyone who plans to get married and have babies should educate their kids at a very young age with these ?ID for dummies? lessons ;-) lest the kids get confused and misguided in biology classes in high school. It is just my cordial advice for those concerned with the ideological nurturing of their children in materialistic societies. -Nadeem

1. Robert Augros (Philosopher) & George Stanciu (Physicist), The New Biology: Discovering the Wisdom in Nature. (Boston: Shambhala, 1987) 190-191.