Michael Anthony Corey

{{christianity}}
'''Michael Anthony Corey''' {{lived|1957|2011}} was an [[United States|American]] [[author]] and [[Christianity|Christian]] [[philosopher]] who was most well known as an advocate of [[deistic evolution]].

==Biography==

Corey earned a Ph.D. in philosophy of science and religion from The Union Institute, a Ph.D. in the psychology of religion from Columbia Pacific University, and an M.A. in philosophy of religion and theology from Claremont Graduate School.<ref>[http://stei-24011.tributes.com/show/Michael-Anthony-Corey-90576650 Mr. Michael Anthony Corey]</ref> He was a deist and [[Christian]] who wrote many books on [[religion]] and science. Corey stated in his writing that he was heavily influenced by Paul Davies.

==Deistic evolution==

Starting with his book ''Back to Darwin: The Scientific Case for Deistic Evolution'' (1994), Corey defended [[deistic evolution]], i.e., the belief that God created the universe and intentionally set it on a course but has not interfered since and has let it run by natural processes. According to Corey, many early evolutionary thinkers such as [[Charles Darwin]] were not [[atheists]] but [[deists]]. He believed that deistic evolution explains the facts of life better than any other position and that scientists and [[religious]] believers should return to this view. Corey did not deny [[common descent]] and fully accepted the scientific evidence for [[evolution]]. He believed that the universe was "designed," but his beliefs should not be confused with those of modern day [[Intelligent design]] advocates.<ref> See entry for Corey in ''The creation/evolution controversy: an annotated bibliography'' by James L. Hayward (1998)</ref>

==Religion==

Corey was a Christian and believed that the God of the [[Bible]] created the universe and set it in motion. However, as a deist, he did not believe that God intervened in any physical or biological sciences after the initial creation and fully accepted naturalistic processes.<ref>[http://books.energion.com/reviews/e1.shtml Back to Darwin: The Scientific Case for Deistic Evolution by Henry E. Neufeld]</ref><ref>[http://www.ctr4process.org/publications/Biblio/Abstracts/Abstracts%20A-C/Corey,%20M.%20A.%20Back%20to%20Darwin%20%20The%20Scientific%20Case%20for%20Deistic%20Evolution.html Abstact of Deistic Evolution]</ref>

==Reception==

Corey admitted that [[deistic evolution]] is not a science but a [[philosophical]] interpretation of the known scientific evidence. His books have received some mixed reviews and some have written that Corey as a Christian still had an anthropocentric bias.<ref>[http://www.asa3.org/ASA/book_reviews/12-95.htm Review of Back To Darwin]</ref> Many Christians have denied deistic evolution as being compatible with Christianity and they believe it is "just one step away from agnosticism and atheism." Very few Christians have supported the views of Corey.<ref>[http://www.theologygateway.info/index.php/menu-interdisciplinary-theology Interdisciplinary Theology ]</ref> Some intelligent design proponents have also criticised the deistic evolution of Corey.<ref>[http://www.uncommondescent.com/philosophy/the-cardinal-dresses-darwin-up-for-god-compatibilist-strategies-do-they-work/ The Cardinal Dresses Darwin Up for God: Compatibilist Strategies – Do They Work?]</ref>

Corey's other books include ''God and the New Cosmology'' (1993) and ''The God Hypothesis: Discovering Design in Our Just Right Goldilocks Universe'' (2007), where he supported a [[fine-tuned universe]] which he claimed was designed by a deistic god. His arguments in these books have been assessed as [[pseudoscience]] by some scientists.<ref>[http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/richard_carrier/barkercarrier.html The Big Debate: Comments on the Barker-Carrier vs. Corey-Rajabali Team Debate (2004)]</ref>

==External links==
*[http://ai.clm.org/articles/corey_supernatural.html|Supernatural Agency and the Modern Scientific Method by Michael A. Corey]
==References==
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[[Category:Authors]]
[[Category:Deists]]
[[Category:Philosophers]]

Categories: Authors, Deists, Philosophers