From: Peter Ruest (pruest@pop.mysunrise.ch)
Date: Thu Aug 15 2002 - 00:40:54 EDT
Hi Josh,
thank you for sharing with us (Josh Bembenek, 10 Aug 2002) your
discussion with Donald C. Lindsay about abiogenesis and evolution of
novel functionalities! Lindsay apparently isn't listening or isn't ready
for an honest discussion.
More than 20 years ago, I reached about the same conclusions as you
have. And although I have since continually searched the literature,
presented my views in lectures, published them in a few places (only
Christian outlets like ASA's PSCF accepted such arguments), and
discussed them variously on this listserve (with Glenn Morton, Howard
Van Till, and others), proposing a model estimate of the probability of
a spontaneous origin of a minimal (non-selected) cytochrome c activity,
I have not come across any data or arguments which would necessitate a
change in these conclusions.
Occasionally, my views have caused confusion. On the one hand, I claim
that all known evolutionary mechanisms are inadequate for producing
genuine genetic novelty, and the origin of life is even orders of
magnitude more difficult. On the other hand, I accept that all life is
related by common descent. On the theological side, a very plausible
case can be made for accepting evolution as one of God's creation tools,
even without making a myth out of the biblical creation account. And on
the scientific side, with the pseudogene and insertable element
statistics of the human genome sequence, there seems to be (for the
first time) compelling, unambiguous evidence for a common descent of
humans and apes. As a possible way of reconciling the apparent
discrepancy, I proposed that the Creator has been guiding the
evolutionary processes in a way undetectable by science, his options
being hidden in stochastic and quantum uncertainties.
Obviously, if we remain within the confines of natural science, leaving
out theology and philosophy, spontaneous self-organization and evolution
is the only game in town, no matter how improbable the origin of life
and the production of genetic novelty is. All we can ever say is "we
don't know how".
Peter
-- Dr. Peter Ruest, CH-3148 Lanzenhaeusern, Switzerland <pruest@dplanet.ch> - Biochemistry - Creation and evolution "..the work which God created to evolve it" (Genesis 2:3)
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