Uncommon Descent Serving The Intelligent Design Community

Leave it again to evolution to outdo human design

William Dembski
April 7, 2006
Intelligent Design
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“Anoxia related diseases are the major causes of death in the industrialized world,” said Goran Nilsson, a professor at University of Oslo. “Evolution has solved the problem of anoxic survival millions of years ago, something that medical science has struggled with for decades with limited success.”

http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/060407_anoxic_fish.html

–You poor stupid humans. When will you realize that natural selection is smarter than you?

Comments
On the subject of the power of natural selection I must quote again from the article,"An Evening With Darwin in New York," by George Sim Johnston: "Natural selection simply eliminates what doesn’t work. That’s all it can do. But the destruction of the unfit does not explain the origin of the fit. As biologist Hans Driesch pointed out long ago, to say that natural selection 'creates' anything is a bit like answering the question, 'Why are there leaves on the tree?' with, 'Because the gardener didn’t prune them away.' Or, as Arnold Lunn put it, it’s like calling the Nazi air strikes creative because they left standing Westminster Abbey."GilDodgen
April 8, 2006
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“Evolution has solved the problem of anoxic survival millions of years ago, something that medical science has struggled with for decades with limited success.” I wonder if that statement is based on scientific research (very doubtful). Yet they wave it around as if it is. "Hey look at that!" "Yup evolution did it!" Seriously- aren't IDists ALWAYS accussed of saying "the designer did it!" with the (false) implication being there isn't anything left to do. However "they" always get away with saying "it evolved", knowing there isn't any way to determine if or how it did.Joseph
April 8, 2006
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What limit can be put to this power, acting during long ages and rigidly scrutinising the whole constitution, structure, and habits of each creature,--favoring the good and rejecting th bad? I can see no limit to this power, in slowly and beautifully adapting each form to the most complex relations of life.
But, of course, Darwin did subscribe to ID (though not IC), after all:
When we no longer look at an organic being as a savage looks at a ship, as something wholly beyond his comprehension; when we regard every production of nature as one which has had a long history; when we contemplate every complex structure and instinct as the summing up of many contrivances, each useful to the possessor, in the same way as any great mechanical invention is the summing up of the labour, the experience, the reason and even the blunders of many workmen; how far more interesting--I speak from experience--does the study of natural history become. [boldace added] ;-)
j
April 8, 2006
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Good point, Dr. Dembski. "Evolution has solved the problem of anoxic survival millions of years ago..." The phrase "solved the problem" implies the possession of intelligence and purpose. In this case intelligence and purpose is attributed to a "force". What's word best describes the esteem which is devoted to evolution in the sentence? From dictionary.com "wor·ship" n. -I. 1. The reverent love and devotion accorded a deity (personification of a force which controls some part of the world or some aspect of life), an idol (a thing that is adored, often blindly or excessively), a sacred object. -I. 2. The ceremonies, prayers, or other religious forms by which this love is expressed. -II. Ardent devotion; adoration. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia .... Worship *usually* refers to specific acts of religious praise, honour, or devotion, typically directed to a supernatural being such as a god or goddess [or personified force that "solves problems"]. It is the informal term in English for what sociologists of religion call cultus, the body of practices and traditions that correspond to theology. .... When scientists *personify* RMNS (or any impersonal force), they have swerved into *theology*.glennj
April 8, 2006
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stumbled upon it.. I meant to say :)tb
April 8, 2006
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Lets all bow our heads and thank Natural Selection for its great deeds. Thank you almighty Natural Selection for solving yet another Problem, I know it has been millions of years agon when you did it, yet we have just stumbled it. Show us humans how dumb we really are, and show your mighty power of Natural Selection again, Thank you.tb
April 8, 2006
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Gotta love it. The amazing power of neo-Darwinism, now with twice the power of regular Darwinism. I wonder.... can it help me with my taxes?Lurker
April 7, 2006
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