Two replies to the insufferable Jim Downard:
(1) http://www.evolutionnews.org/2006/08/the_vampires_heart_a_response.html
(2) http://www.evolutionnews.org/2006/08/anticipatory_erudition_a_respo.html
On avoiding design inferences:
Before you infer intelligent design, keep in mind that grass-cutting shears share an extremely high similarity with scissors which are used to cut paper. Since a paper stencil was apparently used in the origination of the grass-pattern, it’s likely that a pair of scissors was used to cut the stencil. This makes it plausible to assume that the grass-cutting shears were co-opted from scissors, because both are clearly homologous structures based upon their similarity. Moreover, paper is made of plant material, and grass a plant. This could account for the origin of the stencil itself. Finally, Virginia has metal resources which could account for the origin of the original scissors. Don’t use a science-stopping explanation and infer design! We’re “on our way†to figuring this out, so don’t threaten the progress of science, medicine, and all of civilization by saying this was designed! You might as well reject round earth “theory” and the Periodic Table!
http://www.evolutionnews.org/2006/08/when_the_mona_lisa_appears_on.html
