Uncommon Descent Serving The Intelligent Design Community

Jerry Coyne: Simplistic Renderings of Evolutionary Thought

Share
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Flipboard
Print
Email

Evolutionist’s come in a wide variety of religious flavors. Even in the Christian wing of evolution-dom, the details of how God and evolution are to be understood vary. There is, for example the bottom-up view where God controls the world via sub-atomic particles all working together to effect macro events. Or, at the other end of the spectrum, there is the top-down view where God controls events in a way analogous to the way humans perceive their willed actions. From my perspective, I simply move my arm. I do not initiate nerve impulses in order to activate muscle contractions leading to appendage movement. It’s almost difficult to find a view that doesn’t fit into the spectrum somewhere. But once again evolutionist Jerry Coyne demonstrates what can be done when facts don’t matter.  Read more

Comments
ciphertext, funny how we don’t see any of those partings of the seas and resurrections of the dead these days. Sure, we have anecdotal accounts of illnesses being cured, but that does not constitute evidence of a miracle as cancer etc is cured all the time by non-religious means. All we need is direct testimony of medical experts who witnessed a limb growing back for example. -- zeroseven
Yes, that would be a good example too. Assuming you couldn't attribute that capability to a new therapeutic procedure that would cause the "redevelopment" of lost limbs. Though limb redevelopment is not currently being researched, to my knowledge. I am aware of serious research being conducted on the possibility of developing replacement organs from human stem cells. Presumably to avoid tissue rejection and other complications from transplants. Regarding your other concerns (parting of the seas, resurrections, etc...) what purpose would the "partings" and "resurrections" serve?ciphertext
August 20, 2010
August
08
Aug
20
20
2010
09:51 PM
9
09
51
PM
PDT
@Graham #4 "If we found ourselves in an atheistic world we would expect it to be a capricious, non-sensical place. It would be impossible for us to ever understand it. We would expect to be zombies, (as per materialism) granted that we we 'lucky' enough to exist in the first place." I fixed your post for you.above
August 19, 2010
August
08
Aug
19
19
2010
03:07 PM
3
03
07
PM
PDT
ciphertext: Im tempted to ask when you last witnessed a miracle.Graham
August 17, 2010
August
08
Aug
17
17
2010
05:43 PM
5
05
43
PM
PDT
ciphertext, funny how we don't see any of those partings of the seas and resurrections of the dead these days. Sure, we have anecdotal accounts of illnesses being cured, but that does not constitute evidence of a miracle as cancer etc is cured all the time by non-religious means. All we need is direct testimony of medical experts who witnessed a limb growing back for example.zeroseven
August 17, 2010
August
08
Aug
17
17
2010
03:24 PM
3
03
24
PM
PDT
… then the world is a capricious, non-sensical place. Its impossible for us to ever distinguish between natural effects and actions of the big fella. -- Graham
I would argue that you would know precisely because it would appear to "go against nature". In all of the written accounts of God's interactions with "creation", that come to mind, the events were miraculous. Especially for the times in which they occurred (cure for blindness, parting of the sea, resurrection of the dead).ciphertext
August 17, 2010
August
08
Aug
17
17
2010
11:53 AM
11
11
53
AM
PDT
To Mr Byers: If there is a God ... then the world is a capricious, non-sensical place. Its impossible for us to ever distinguish between natural effects and actions of the big fella. Teams pray before going on to the field, so when they win (or lose) how can we ever distinguish between sporting ability and an act of god ?Graham
August 16, 2010
August
08
Aug
16
16
2010
11:13 PM
11
11
13
PM
PDT
If there is a God then he wouldn't be under the "laws" of the universe. He created them. so they are just a holding pattern save when he has something to do. From a christian point its unreasonable to allow for a creator but not allow him to fiddle with his creatin. In complex ways beyond our understanding. So nothing in the universe is fixed and nothing can be claimed to exist that disallows miricles or special processes . So Mr Coyne etc can't insist only that present processes and so conclusions of origins from them is kosher. Nope. Conclusions of the past are unsure at best.Robert Byers
August 16, 2010
August
08
Aug
16
16
2010
09:01 PM
9
09
01
PM
PDT
I love it when atheists charge influent people like Francis Collins of being "creationists" or what have you. First because they are, second because it lends even greater support for ID, since, for instance, i dont know of anyone who thinks Collins is a stupid religous fanatic dinosaur rider or something.MaxAug
August 16, 2010
August
08
Aug
16
16
2010
03:02 PM
3
03
02
PM
PDT
The debate of whether or not design in biology is "detectable" seems a rather strange debate. The real question is, how can you avoid detecting it?Granville Sewell
August 16, 2010
August
08
Aug
16
16
2010
11:14 AM
11
11
14
AM
PDT

Leave a Reply