RE: Comments on Spetner

Pim van Meurs (entheta@eskimo.com)
Mon, 28 Sep 1998 08:36:25 -0700

Joseph Mastropaolo writes:
[...]
>Spetner observes that every mutation finding a temporary environmental
>niche nonetheless loses information and has taken a step toward
>extinction. Evolution can't provide new information. New information
>can't come from a random process. New information requires an engineer.

Tim Ikeda: <<Ok. Let's assume you are just such an engineer. Is there any sort
of _single-step_ point mutation, gene duplication, inversion, frame-
shift or subunit exchange that you could _engineer_ into a genome that
increases the information content of the cell? What _single_ changes
in an enzyme could you make that would increase its information
content?>>

<g> That's a very good question. I would like to see Joseph answer this question. Or anyone else who believes Spetner's arguments.