Re: biology

From: Allan Harvey (aharvey@boulder.nist.gov)
Date: Thu Jan 13 2000 - 15:09:36 EST

  • Next message: jeff witters: "* biology"

    At 11:00 AM 1/13/00 -0800, Massie wrote:
    >David Campbell wrote:

    >> Complex eyes have evolved several different times.
    >********************
    >How about being accurate.
    >
    >"Complex eyes appear in the follil record at several different times.
    >Those who prefer to see evolution as the mechanism believe that this was
    >due to evolution and those who see a designer prefer to see his action
    >in this."
    >******************

    Let's be more accurate and point out that these are not mutually
    exclusive. Many of us see evolution as a means the Designer appears to
    have used to carry out his design, just as valid a means for God to
    create as ex nihilo creation of each species or sporadic supernatural
    insertion of new information.

    The more I see of these discussions, the more I'm convinced that the
    essential issue is the philosophical question (independent of the
    scientific question of whether the theory is right) of what evolution
    *means*. Richard Dawkins thinks it means God was absent. As Christians
    who know that God is never absent, we shouldn't be taking our
    philosophical cues from Richard Dawkins. We should recognize that
    evolution doesn't exclude God from being the creator of life any more
    than plate tectonics excludes God from being the creator of mountains.

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    | Dr. Allan H. Harvey | aharvey@boulder.nist.gov |
    | Physical and Chemical Properties Division | "Don't blame the |
    | National Institute of Standards & Technology | government for what I |
    | 325 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80303 | say, or vice versa." |
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