Re: irreducible complexity

From: Robert Schneider (rjschn39@bellsouth.net)
Date: Wed Jun 12 2002 - 13:21:39 EDT

  • Next message: george murphy: "Re: irreducible complexity"

    Sondra,

        I recommend you get ahold of Ken Miller's book, _Finding Darwin's God_.
    Chapter 5, pp. 129-164 provides a good critique of Michael Behe's argument
    for "irreducible complexity," and in my view a convincing refutation it;
    there Miller cites research on some of the very examples Behe uses for his
    argument. I would add that at best irreducible complexity is a hypothesis,
    as yet untested, and I have yet to see any published work by Behe or any of
    his colleagues in the Intelligent Design movement that provides scientific
    evidence in support of it. So, I don't think this hypothesis deserves the
    rank of a scientific "law."

        By the way, in his book _Darwin's Black Box_, Behe writes that he "finds
    the idea of common descent (that all organisms share a common ancestor)
    fairly convincing, and have no particular reason to doubt it" (quoted by
    Miller, p. 131). If I am understanding Behe correctly, he seems to be
    saying that he accepts evolution. It is not clear to me just what Behe's
    present position is on evolution.

    Peace,
    Bob Schneider
    rjschn39@bellsouth.net

    ----- Original Message -----
    From: "Sondra Brasile" <sbrasile@hotmail.com>
    To: <asa@calvin.edu>
    Sent: Wednesday, June 12, 2002 12:23 PM
    Subject: irreducible complexity

    >
    > Dear Members,
    >
    > My hubby heard that "irreducible complexity proves evolution to be
    > impossible". He has accepted this as 'law', I'm not so easily convinced.
    > Could any of you help me understand this claim and what makes it possible
    or
    > impossible?
    >
    > Thank you,
    > Sondra
    >
    >
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