In a message dated 9/13/2000 9:11:21 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
nalonso@megatribe.com writes:
<< FMA:
Did Susan state that she agreed with your inference or is this just a hunch?
Nelson:
She replied by asking me about what I consider designed and what I
considered "natural". Thus she returned to the main point. I took that as an
agreement that she was being "ad hominim"
>>
She just posted and disagrees with your 'inference'.
<< FMA:
I do not think that you discussed why it was an ad hominem.
Nelson:
Why not?
=========================
Susan:
If you can do that, you can get around the major legal roadblock to having
Christian dogma taught in public schools--in science class, no less.
Nelson:
That is a clear cut unsubstantiated assertion.
Really?
Susan:
This
is one of the major objectives of the Discovery Institute which, at least
in part, bankrolls Behe, Dembski and Johnson.
========================================
FMA:
Is it an ad hominem to claim that it is a major objective of the Discovery
institute?
Nelson:
Yes. It does not address the evidence for intelligent design or it's
concepts. It has absolutely nothing to do with the irreducible complexity of
the flagellum.
>>
You are correct but that's not why this remark was made so your comment is a
non sequitor.
<< FMA:
Is it an ad hominem to claim that Behe et al are fellows at this institute
and are likely receiving funding for their research?
What is exactly the ad hominem.
Nelson:
What does that have to do with the irreducible complexity of the flagellum?
>>
Nothing but that was not the argument. The argument was getting around legal
roadblocks.
<<
<< "This
is one of the major objectives of the Discovery Institute which, at least
in part, bankrolls Behe, Dembski and Johnson."
Now this is unsubstantiated assertion. Not only that but it has absolutely
nothing to do with Behe's thesis of irreducible complexity among molecular
machines. Thus it is an ad hominim attack on Intelligent Design theory.
>>
FMA:
Why? How can you attack a theory with an ad hominem. Note that we were not
discussing Behe's thesis of IC-ness.
Nelson:
Yes we were. We were discussing intelligent agency and IC. Read the post.
>>
Not in this context.
<< << FMA:
I raised
quite a few important issues in the posting you responded to but you only
included a minor side discussion on whether or not Susan's comments were ad
hominem.
Nelson:
You didn't raise any issues, your entire post was simply "no it's not", "yes
it is". That is called "handwaving".
>>
FMA:
I told you before, you seem to have a problem reading. My arguments went
beyond "no they are not" and provided my reasons.
Nelson:
No, they were simple handwaves. For example, your statement:
"Now that it has been shown that IC have a evolutionary pathway, do you
still think that ID is useful" (paraphrase). You say this without providing
any reasons at all.
>>
I apologize, I thought that you were familiar with the evidence. Robison
showed on talk,origins how an IC system could arise naturally. Note that he
did not have to show that such a pathway was actually followed. Even Behe
considers such routes possible though unlikely. But then Behe has a problem
since he has to show that they are indeed unlikely.
<<
<< FMA:
There is a far more interesting issue: Can ID exclude natural designers. My
argument is that it cannot based on its claims that it does not identify
designers.
Nelson:
Your argument is a strawman. As my Dawkin's quote illustrated, irreducible
complexity fits the definition of a system that is devoid of functional
precursors.
>>
FMA:
Your Dawkins quote does not show this. Dawkins addresses a direct path but
as
Behe admits himself, indirect paths exists and indeed those are paths that
evolution far more likely is to follow.
Nelson:
No, it is indirect paths that try to make the system "functional" at least
in part in order to arrive at the IC system. Indirect paths are exactly what
Dawkins , and even Darwin , wanted to stray away from since it invokes pure
chance.
>>
Not at all. See Robison's argument for instance. A support was built for the
arch and then later removed. Indirect paths do not necessarily mean pure
chance. Evolution does however use and reuse whatever is available to it. To
exclude such paths without supporting evidence does not make them go away.
<< FMA:
Behe dismisses these paths as
unlikely but provides no supporting evidence.
You seem to be using a strawman as well though. Dawkins argument merely
addresses a direct path. It does not address if by identifying design one
can
exclude a natural designer. Of course one cannot since ID is so proud to
claim that it does not do this. What ID'ers thought to be the strong point
of
their thesis now has become their achilles heel.
Nelson:
See what I mean? Why no details? Why not give an example? It does, Dawkins
thinks that the "blind watchmaker" mechanism is what makes these systems.
Thus if a system is actually an "abrupt precipice" or a discontinuity, then
we have successfully eliminated the "blind watchmaker" as the designer.
>>
Do you want a quote from Behe where he admits that such paths exist but that
he considers them unlikely? Do you want me to show that he does not support
his argument with evidence? I already showed you how Dawkins refers to a
direct path, not the indirect path that Behe admits could lead to an IC
system, although unlikely. Behe's argument also presumes that a path is
reversible, but that is not necessarily the case. Unless of course you add
what might have been lost for instance.
<<
<< FMA:
Combine this with the fact that we know that natural pathways
leading to IC systems exist and the absence of independent evidence of a
designer biological system and we have 'stumbled' on some very big problems
for ID.
Nelson:
Again, which natural pathways have led to which IC systems? The pathways you
have shown amount to speculation and error in analysis.
>>
FMA:
Unfounded assertions to the latter.
Nelson:
Another handwave.
FMA:
As far as the former: Since Behe claims
that no evolutionary pathway can exist, it is sufficient to show in rebuttal
that such pathways COULD exist.
Nelson:
Nope. Science requires evidence. If you propose that it evolved, you have
support your proposal showing how it can be falsified, make predictions,
etc.
>>
You are confused now. The argument is not that it evolved but that it could
have evolved. Therefor IC by itself is not a reliable indicator of design or
against Darwinianism. Quite simple.
<< FMA:
Even Behe admits that such pathways could
exist. So now the thesis "Natural selection could not create IC structures"
has been shown to be wrong.
Nelson:
See what I mean? Why not show it is wrong instead of just asserting it?
>>
It follows from the evidence. Simple as that. What do you expect me to do
more? I have shown that indirect pathways could exist and that therefor
Darwinian pathways could have lead to an IC system. Therefor IC is not a
reliable detector against Darwinian pathways or for design.
<< FMA:
If Behe wants to argue for individual systems
that they did not evolve, fine but he cannot use IC-ness as a distinguishing
factor.
Nelson:
Why not?
>>
See above
<< << FMA:
Or do you disagree with that conclusion?
Nelson:
Of course not.
>>
FMA:
You do not disagree with the conclusion and yet you support ID? That's
surprising. Or should I read your comments differently?
Nelson:
Typo. I meant Of course.
>>
Of course.
<< FMA:
Please show btw the error in analysis in for instance Robison's excellent
rebuttal of Behe as found on talkorigins.
Nelson:
Behe responded to this. Robison's steps were neutral. Selection would depend
on his fourth step. This is non-Darwinian and assumes an already functioning
system. He also states:
>>
Behe seems to believe that neutral steps could not happen or that the steps
were truely neutral. WIthout knowing the details this is hard to tell because
it presumes that every step is neutral towards the functionality of the
system that is IC but it could very well be that the mutation was neutral to
the IC system but advantageous to another system. It's hard to exclude a
pathway if you cannot look at the full picture.
<< "one step in the population for the scenario would be expected to occur
only
once every ten billion generations."
>>
And that is based on what evidence? You cannot merely quote Behe's assertions
as if this proves something.
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