From: Howard J. Van Till (hvantill@chartermi.net)
Date: Thu Jul 31 2003 - 09:33:12 EDT
>From: "Josh Bembenek" <jbembe@hotmail.com>
> The ability of systems to accumulate changes with Hsp90 and exhibit large
> variations due to stress is quite an interesting mechanism hypothesized to
> expand evolutionary pathways. This is one possible molecular mechanism that
> could support Gould’s staltutory evolutionary change models (mass acting
> RM&NS?). The following article deals with some parameters of this
> mechanism. Could this be part of the indirect mechanism capable of building
> IC in organisms?
Josh,
I'm not in a position to evaluate this particular mechanism or its potential
significance for actualizing new phenotypes that differ substantially from
ancestral phenotypes. However, this does illustrate that ID advocates must
begin to deal with the actualization of new biotic structures at the genetic
level, not at the phenotypic level.
Dembski, for instance, paid little if an attention to genetics in No Free
Lunch. I found his attempt to compute the probability of a bacterial
flagellum forming from the pure chance gathering of just the right proteins
in just the right proportions and in just the right locations at the E. coli
cell wall to be pure silliness.
Your suggestion to look at the broad spectrum of genetic effects strikes me
as a far more realistic and potentially fruitful way of constructing
causally specific explanations for the appearance of some new phenotypes.
Thanks for the info.
Howard Van Till
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