Re: NCSE Contacts Every Living Scientist

From: bivalve (bivalve@mail.davidson.alumlink.com)
Date: Thu Oct 18 2001 - 11:35:28 EDT

  • Next message: Joel Cannon: "Re: NCSE Contacts Every Living Scientist (fwd)....Discovery Institute's reply (fwd)"

    >The Discovery Institute has posted replies to Ken
    >Miller. E.g. here's one on the genetic code:
    >
    >http://www.discovery.org/viewDB/index.php3?program=C
    RSC%20Responses&command=view&id=1059
    >

    This persists in the same sort of misrepresentation as
    before. My recent post on the universal code gives some
    details of how the deviations from the universal code fit into
    an evolutionary view.

    The objections to Miller's metaphor of British versus
    American languages reflect the limits of the metaphor to
    some degree. However, in replying the DI also fails to
    recognize any difference between an intelligent and
    unintelligent reader. It is true that a person should not have
    trouble reading color versus colour, though he might have
    trouble with lift versus elevator, whereas the ribosome will
    get the wrong amino acid, given a gene using a
    non-standard code. However, a spell checker will have just
    as much trouble with colour versus color.

    The DI reply, following some YECs (perhaps convergently)
    also tries to misrepresent convergence as
    anti-evolutionary. Selection is expected to produce
    convergence.

    The reason that overly broad claims about a universal
    genetic code can give an opening for "creationists" is
    because of the opportunity to misrepresent this as a false
    claim by "evolutionists".

        Dr. David Campbell
        Old Seashells
        46860 Hilton Dr #1113
        Lexington Park MD 20653 USA
        bivalve@mail.davidson.alumlink.com

    That is Uncle Joe, taken in the masonic regalia of a Grand
    Exalted Periwinkle of the Mystic Order of Whelks-P.G.
    Wodehouse, Romance at Droigate Spa
     

    ______________________________________________
    __________________
    Sent via the WebMail system at
    mail.davidson.alumlink.com

     
                       



    This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Thu Oct 18 2001 - 11:22:32 EDT