The Mess the Designer (?) Made (Shall We Rub His Little Nose in it?)

Chris Cogan (ccogan@sfo.com)
Thu, 9 Dec 1999 12:55:40 -0800

> Chris wrote:
>
> >Neo-Darwinism does not postulate a "normal, bottom-up" pathway, as far as
I
> >know. There *is* no "normal" pathway in Neo-Darwinism. In fact, *if*
there
> >is such a bottom-up pathway, and *if* it is followed, that is merely good
> >luck (probably involving a slowly-changing environment).
>
Susan
> [A]nd the clean, smooth unidirectional nature of it would be more
indicative
> of a designer than evolution. Evolution is messy and opportunistic.

CC
Very good point. If we imagine Aristotle, or Aristotle's God, designing a
progression of life on Earth, wouldn't it be nice and orderly? Disorder, of
course, does not prove that there *is* no designer, since a designer could
presumably make a mess as well as anyone. But, why *would* he/it/she/them
make such a mess? It's not a positive disproof of a designer, but it
certainly makes the idea questionable.

--Chris C

Now is the time for all good people to come to.