I think that popular consensus is that it *is* designed. Let’s look at the design detection tools on offer (both ID and conventional) and see which were used in this particular design inference.
Open for comments for a while before I add my two penneth.
Bonus:
Spinal tap – Stonehenge by samithemenace
Well, let’s see: It’s not living, it seems. It utilizes straight lines, which do exist “in nature,” but are relatively rare outside of a few “natural causes,” but quite common in design. Disparate sources of knowledge appear to have been intelligently intertwined, as common in design. Known entities that designed objects have been shown to exist at that time and place. And it isn’t limited by heredity, as the evolved phenomena of life appear to be.
So, I suspect that it was designed, just from those facts. Then there are tool marks. And the fact that the rocks appear to have been quarried some distance away seems to be quite in favor of design (glacial erratics seem especially unlikely to have supplied enough nearby blue stones). Yes, the logical, rational leaps found in design appear to exist in Stonehenge, unlike how life is ordered.
The bones found nearby, while indicating considerable functional complexity, do not have a candidate designer that can rightly be inferred from the evidence, are constrained by heredity, and seemingly lack the rational leaps found in Stonehenge. It’s not likely that they were designed.
Glen Davidson
Recent radiometric survey
I don’t know, Glen, my own sense is that if it had been designed, it would be more comfortable. Maybe curtains or some other sort of window treatments. Plus its scale is almost cuckoo and the materials are, to put it charitably, a bit harsh.
I’m going with accident.
Could be that kitties are much better candidates for designed objects–fuzzy, fluffy.
Anyway, if ID has taught us anything, going by the evidence isn’t a good idea.
Glen Davidson
Could you or anyone you know lift those stones?
I rest my case.
Yes! Absolutely agree! Mine fits so nice and comfy on my lap and we keep each other warm this time of year. How could cats not have been designed by some really smart and nice fellow/goddikins who knew what would be really awesome for both of us? (Especially as it starts getting cold in New England in November!!!)
One thing I can tell you for sure, anybody who could have heard him purring this morning would stop with all these foolish ToE “arguments.”
I bet Thor could have.
Superman could crush Thor between two fingers.
Therefore, design.
Hmmm well I’ve never seen it washed up on a beach, and the individual components clearly aren’t intertwined to the point of being irreduciblly complex, so I’m going to have to go with the only other option: random chance accident.
Yes the henge thing is designed as opposed to chance.
Wjile its not complicated its still demanding that the rocks could not place themselves, cut themselves, perfectly align themselves (originally) and all this at the same moments in time.
In fact any tiny piece would be illogical and unreasonable without design.
Indeed if this primitive collection of rocks is design hopw much more the great complexity of biology.
Its very obvious biology could only of come into its working ways by design.
Chance could not do this.
Some good youtube videos on the stonehenge.
I think they just heard there was great stone things way to the south like Greece etc and tried to be as cool but not smart enough.
The design detection tool would have to be sophisticated enough not to be fooled by structures such as the Mother And Child rocks in Matopos National Park.
http://goo.gl/mKjL2j
The design appears to have evolved over time, as it was built in stages over several centuries, it seems. I would suspect that those who utilized the structure as it was originally built would not have predicted nor intended the kinds of uses it was put to at its most developed stages.