> At 05:18 AM 10/20/98 -0500, Glenn Morton wrote:
> >
> >There is an article in the NY Times today that says that humans may only be
> >50 developmental genes different from chimpanzees. It talks about the
> >possibility of inserting those 50 genes into a chimp embryo and seeing what
> >happens. It can be found at
> >
> >http://www.nytimes.com/library/national/science/102098sci-chimps.html
> >
This site is unrecognizable in my Netscape browser.
> >Question: Assuming (big if) that such a set of insertions actually moved
> >the chimp toward the human form and cognition, what would people opposed to
> >evolution then say to maintain the anti-evolutionary position? Would
> >anti-evolutionary Christians finally be forced to admit that evolution
> >might have occurred?
>
The question remains: How did these developmental genes (hox genes and
similar "switches") evolve in the first place, since they did not have any
informational content (i.e. structural genes) for natural selection to act
on? This point was elaborated by Jonathan Wells in his presentation during
the Mere Creation Conference held in Biola in 1996 which should be
included in the recent release from IVP MERE CREATION: SCIENCE, FAITH &
INTELLIGENT DESIGN.
> Interesting article and interesting ethical questions as well. Wouldn't
> mainstream theologians have to think long and hard as well? It raises a lot
> of questions about the what it means to be human, what a soul is, etc.
>
An interesting view which may contribute to this discussion is that human
is supposed to be a unity as taught by the whole bible. Soul, spirit
and body are only aspects of the same being. It was addressed in the
Cambridge joint conference of ASA/CiS this summer. Joel Green of Asbury
Seminiary presented an excellent biblical exegesis on this issue
(joel_green@ats.wilmore.ky.us). Others also contributed in the
psychologiical and genetic aspects in the conference.
------------------------------------- Dr. Pattle Pun Professor of Biology
Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL 60187
eMail: Pattle.P.Pun@wheaton.edu
Phone: (630)752-5303
FAX: (630)752-5996
http://www.wheaton.edu/Biology/faculty/ppp/index.html