From: allenroy (allenroy@peoplepc.com)
Date: Sun Nov 17 2002 - 14:46:31 EST
>Dembski wrote:
> nfuijolt ju jt mjlf b xfbtfm
>"Initially this looks like a random sequence of letters and spaces. Initially
>you lack any pattern for rejecting chance and inferring design.
>But suppose next that someone comes along and tells you to treat this
>sequence as a ***Caesar cipher***, in which each letter has shifted
>one notch down
>the alphabet. The deciphered sequence then reads,
>
> methinks it is like a weasel
>
Glenn Morton wrote:
>I decided to test this concept. I had a random number generator create
>random letter sequences and then I looked for Caesar cyphers to turn them
>into something meaningful. Using this criterion, my computer is an
>intelligent creature who is trying to communicate with me by DESIGN.
>
>xeckqbfumq
>wasitabrat (was it a brat)
>
>gpizuwbgtu
>ontheslope (on the slope)
>
>wxbukwoors
>amadhatter (a mad hatter)
>
>ijfqbjwdih
>isthisapig (is this a pig)
>
>jyybxozrbd
>beeverfive (be ever five--something said of a dead five year old)
>
>yzusizpzqb
>isthisasin (is this a sin)
>
>It is not that hard to determine a caesar cypher to turn a randomly
>generated sequence into a meaningful, short message. I won't claim that all
>long sequences can be so treated but it is interesting that random sequences
>can be given meaning where none was intended. Thus, the question is how do
>we determine design in the face of this phenomenon?
>
Allen writes:
I check on the internet for a definition of a Caesar's cypher:
"Caesar Cipher
One of the simplest examples of a substitution cipher is the Caesar
cipher, which is said to have been used by Julius Caesar to communicate
with his army. Caesar is considered to be one of the first persons to
have ever employed encryption for the sake of securing messages. Caesar
decided that shifting each letter in the message would be his standard
algorithm, and so he informed all of his generals of his decision, and
was then able to send them secured messages."
Here is an example of a Caesar cipher shifted 7 letters to the right.
(hopefully the letters line up properly)
a.b.c.d.e.f.g.h.i.j.k.l.m.n.o.p.q.r.s.t.u.v.w.x.y.z.a.b.c.d.e.f.g.
a.b.c.d.e.f.g.h.i.j.k.l.m.n.o.p.q.r.s.t.u.v.w.x.y.z
Dembski knows what a Caesar is for he says, "Caesar cipher, in which
each letter has shifted ... down the alphabet."
I decided to take a look to see if Morton's "Caesar's cyphers" were
indeed cyphers where all the letters were shifted down the list.
Consider his 6 examples:
1.
xeckqbfumq
wasitabrat (was it a brat)
a.b.c.d.e.f.g.h.i.j.k.l.m.n.o.p.q.r.s.t.u.v.w.x.y.z
a.s .a.b i a t r w
2.
gpizuwbgtu
ontheslope (on the slope)
a.b.c.d.e.f.g.h.i.j.k.l.m.n.o.p.q.r.s.t.u.v.w.x.y.z
l .o. t n p.e s h
3.
wxbukwoors
amadhatter (a mad hatter)
a.b.c.d.e.f.g.h.i.j.k.l.m.n.o.p.q.r.s.t.u.v.w.x.y.z
a h t e.r. d a.m
4.
ijfqbjwdih
isthisapig (is this a pig)
a.b.c.d.e.f.g.h.i.j.k.l.m.n.o.p.q.r.s.t.u.v.w.x.y.z
i p t g.i.s h a
5.
jyybxozrbd
beeverfive (be ever five--something said of a dead five year old)
a.b.c.d.e.f.g.h.i.j.k.l.m.n.o.p.q.r.s.t.u.v.w.x.y.z
v e b r i e.e.f
6.
yzusizpzqb
isthisasin (is this a sin)
a.b.c.d.e.f.g.h.i.j.k.l.m.n.o.p.q.r.s.t.u.v.w.x.y.z
n i a.i h t i.s
As you can plainly see, none of these "cyphers" are Caesar's cyphers and
are probably not even cyphers at all. In fact, several of the 'cyphers'
have multiple letters standing for a single letter.
Morton says above: "It is not that hard to determine a caesar cypher to
turn a randomly generated sequence into a meaningful, short message."
Either Morton does not know what a 'caesar cypher' is or he is
deliberately trying to mislead.
Allen Roy
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Mon Nov 18 2002 - 01:24:52 EST