Re: Intelligence by Proxy - evolutionary algorithms

From: FMAJ1019@aol.com
Date: Sun Oct 01 2000 - 22:51:12 EDT

  • Next message: DNAunion@aol.com: "Re: Why I don't reject ID"

    In a message dated 10/1/2000 7:41:28 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
    DNAunion@aol.com writes:

    > >Ccogan: The evolutionary algorithm is *hugely* wasteful in design terms,
    > precisely because it doesn't know what it's doing. And it doesn't know
    > because it's not intelligent.
    >
    > DNAunion: Waste itself is not a sign of lack of intelligence. Industries
    > intentionally create huge amounts of waste everyday - are they not
    > controlled
    > by intelligent beings?
    >

    Thios sounds like equivocation of the word "waste".

    > >Ccogan: If we grant that the evolutionary algorithm is intelligence by
    > proxy,ID theorists would be right in this one case at the cost of their
    > entire real position. This is because, if we grant that such a mindless
    > process as the evolutionary algorithm is intelligent, then blind, mindless
    > *Nature* is "intelligent" in the same sense…
    >
    > DNAunion: Could you provide the example on which you base your claims? What
    > exactly evolved in the virtual world by the evolutionary algorithm and
    > where
    > can one gain access to the guts of this algorithm?
    >

    http://www-lecb.ncifcrf.gov/~toms/paper/ev/

    There is a good example of virtual silicon.

    http://www.newscientist.com/ns/971115/features.html

    > >Ccogan: … and thus does not need God or any other alleged non-natural
    > designer to direct it to produce functionally complex living things.
    >
    > DNAunion: "Not needing something" is not the same as "something did not
    > happen". For example, let us hypothesize that 50 years from now, both
    >

    True but as Behe clearly stated we cannot conclude or infer design if a
    natural pathway could have existed.

      "We must also consuder the role of the laws of nature. The laws of
      nature can organize matter --for example, water flow can build up silt
      sufficiently to dam a portion of a river, forcing it to change its
      course. The most relevant laws are those of biological reproduction,
      mutation and natural selection. If a biological structure can be
      explained in terms of those natural laws, then we cannot conclude that
      it was designed."
      pp 203 Darwins Black Box

    > intelligence and nature are shown to be capable of producing life from
    > non-life. At that hypothetical time, if IDists and Creationists stated
    >

    There is no evidence of intelligence to be able to produce life from
    non-life. Certainly there is no evidence of intelligence producing IC systems
    in biology for instance.

    > "nature is not NEEDED to produce life", would you accept that life was
    > designed? I seriously doubt it. So why would you expect IDists and
    >

    Design cannot exclude natural selection as the designer.

    > Creationists to accept now that life evolved purely naturally because
    > intelligence is not "needed"? (And furthermore, I believe you still have
    > not
    > shown your basic premise to be true).
    >

    The problem is that ID'ers are trying to infer design through elimination.



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