From the (actual*) ID Facebook page:
[The modern synthesis] is called a synthesis because it is a synthesis between two different mechanisms of evolution. That is what the word synthesis means. The synthesis in this case is: natural selection acting on random mutation (Darwinism) AND horizontal gene transfer (HGT). Darwinism is vertical and HGT is horizontal. So no, HGT is not Darwinism and Darwinism is not HGT. This vid gives the general idea of the difficulty one would face explaining the proposition to one of Darwin’s followers:
The problem HGT creates for Darwinism is that Darwinism has typically functioned as a “must be” explanation for evolution. If genes can be horizontally transferred between bacteria and animals, each and every case of claimed evolution in those animal life forms that have proved capable of it must be tested against HGT. They cannot be simply classed as evidence for Darwinism. Just think of the impact this will eventually have on “Darwinizing the culture.” First, if evolution happens by a variety of means, but mostly not Darwinian – and often just reverses itself – much Darwinism will crumble insofar as it was credited as simply the only “scientific” explanation.
Then, once each mechanism must be evaluated on its actual strength, the hype around “Evolution is a fact, Fact, FACT!” starts to dissipate. Another outcome is that whether nature shows evidence of design becomes, in principle, testable.
That is, it is testable if we are do not accept Lewontin’s principle, to take the side of “science” (naturalism), despite its explanatory failings. Nope. Or Dawkins’ counsel that something like Darwinism has just got to be true. And nope.
Note: A friend offers, “NS acting on RM” is strictly “Neo-Darwinism” and “NS acting on random variation” is “Darwinism.” However, most people simply do not bother with the “neo-” prefix. Every “aren’t I good?” girl knows what she believes, and she do, she do, she do, she do, she DO believe in Darwin. So do soulful TV airheads.
Note 2: (actual*)? Yes, there is a fake ID Facebook page.
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