For some time now I have been suffering increasing hearing loss in my
right ear. I can hear most people, but I have trouble hearing my wife
(she has a soft contralto voice). "Why do you want to fix that
problem?", the married men ask! <g>
I was referred to a specialist who diagnosed Otosclerosis - the Stapes
(stirrup) bone in my ear has become attached to my skull and no longer
moves to transmit sound.
In studying up on this in my daughter's Biology textbook, I was yet
again amazed at the workings of life in general, and the human body in
particular:
"The three ear ossicles, or middle-ear bones, form a flexible bridge
across the middle-ear chamber (Figure 17.11). The handle-shaped
portion of the ossicle called the malleus (hammer) attaches to the
tympanic membrane. The foot-plate portion of the ossicle called the
stapes (stirrup) fits against the oval window on the medial wall of
the middle-ear chamber. The third ossicle, the incus (anvil), lies
between the malleus and the stapes and articulates with them. Thus
the three ossicles form a bridge between the tympanic membrane and the
oval window The articulations between the ear ossicles are freely
movable synovial joints. The ossicles form a lever system that picks
up vibrations of the tympanic membrane and transmits them to the oval
window, which in turn leads into the inner ear. Two small muscles
attach to the ear ossicles: the stapedius muscle attaches to the
stapes; the tensor tympani muscles attaches to the handle of the
malleus. Since these muscles contract reflexively in response to
sudden loud noises, they dampen the vibrations of the ossicles and
thus protect the receptors of the inner ear from damage."
(Spence A.P., "Basic Human Anatomy", Third Edition, 1990,
Benjamin/Cummings, Redwood City CA, p467)
The words do not do justice to the pictures. Darwinism claims that
these three ear-bones which are present in all mammals, came from a
common reptile ancestor who had them as jaw-bones. While I can see
the possibility of this in principle (the number and general location
of bones is correct), I just cannot imagine how it could happen by a
Blind Watchmaker process of trial and error, whose only tools were
random mutation and selection based entirely on reproductive success:
"Although modified subroutines govern the structure of ears and jaws
in all vertebrates, this does not necessarily mean one kind evolved
into another. Consider what such a transformation would require.
Some early reptile would have scrapped the original hinge of its lower
jaw and replaced it by a new one attached to another bone. Five bones
of the lower jaw would have broken away from the biggest bone. The
jaw-bone to which the hinge was originally attached would, after being
set free, have forced its way into the middle part of the ear,
dragging with it three of the lower jaw-bones which with the quadrate
and columella, formed them- selves into a completely new outfit.
While all this was happening two complicated structures would have
developed in the inner ear. The organ of Corti, peculiar to mammals
and their essential organ of hearing, comprises some 3000 arches
placed side by side so as to form a tunnel. Study the complexity of
the cochlea and its nervous connections. Add to this the vestibular
component of balance, which includes three semi-circular canals in
planes at right angles to each other. Two different kinds of nerve
receptor are finely designed to achieve their purpose. Both pieces of
apparatus are intimately linked by their fluid (endolymph and
perilymph) systems. There is no evidence that such elaborate
evolution could, or did, take place. The apparatus is entirely novel;
from what precursors did it derive?
No problem? A popular school textbook gives an imaginative account of
this evolution of vertebrate ear ossicles and inner ear. It ends:
'Of course, there are numerous unresolved questions about this story;
for example, how did the mammal-like reptiles hear, and chew, while
these fantastic changes were taking place? But despite such
functional problems there is little doubt that it happened."
(Pitman M., "Adam and Evolution", 1984, Rider & Co., London,
pp204-206).
I'm sorry, but considering the exquisite and beautiful design of
this system, I prefer David's explanation:
Ps 139:13-14 "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in
my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully
made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."
That is, I believe that if these bones came from a reptiles jaw, it
was a case of highly intelligent adaptation of an original design
plan. It required an Omniscient Watchmaker, not a blind one!
The operation has a 1% chance of failure. Please pray for me. I have
never been an inpatient in hospital (even though I was a former
hospital Administrator for 14 years). If anyone has had the same
operation, please let me know privately how it went.
I will be out of action from this Thursday 15 June for two or three
days. I will fall behind in my mail - sorry. However, I will have 3
weeks off work, so I should catch up.
God bless.
Stephen