Re: [asa] Amazing Proteins

Hi PvM,

"As I thought, there is not much here. As to the idea that "evolution
is a protein dependent phenomenon", I would say that at best we can
argue that evolution has used quite successfully the nature of
proteins but one must be careful to distinguish function, which of
course is an essential part of evolution with 'design', a common
confusion."

I think a better way of saying it is that evolution has been quite
successful because of proteins. After all, there doesn't seem to be much
evidence that the blind watchmaker can do all that much without the help of
proteins.

"Of course, since evolution uses proteins, proteins appear to be quite
successful in our world for evolution."

Do you believe evolution would be just as successful without proteins?

"Lacking any other data points
it seems a bit early to conclude that proteins are essential for
evolution."

I don't argue that proteins are essential for evolution. I am suggesting
that evolution has been quite successful because of proteins. After all,
why don't you have other data points to point to?

"At best we can argue that proteins out competed its
predecessors."

So why did they out-compete their predecessors?

"But as Iain has pointed out claiming that proteins are necessary for
the success of evolution is like blaming letters for the success of
Shakespeare or notes for the success of Mozart rather than these being
given."

Okay, so I am trying to envision how you can have a Shakespeare without an
alphabet.

"Certainly science is well aware of the importance of proteins and
while some are arguing that proteins could not have evolved, others
have found, to probably noone's surprise, that proteins may be quite
accessible to evolutionary processes. Coincidence? Or by 'design'?
Well, as I stated, evolvability is how evolution 'designs' its own
processes of variation. Of course, as usual, this does not preclude an
'Intelligent Designer'."

As I stated, evolvability may largely be a protein-dependent reality.
After all, it failed the hypothetical ribo-organisms.

"While I understand your interest in just asking questions, I fail to
see the relevance of said questions."

I enjoy questions that probe beyond the surface and like to survey the
responses to those questions.

"After all, the puddle also
questioned why the depression was perfectly shaped to fit it, and
while pondering the meaning of said coincidence, the puddle slowly
evaporated."

I hear the puddle also chuckled when the swimming pool pondered the same
question.

-Mike

----- Original Message -----
From: "PvM" <pvm.pandas@gmail.com>
To: "Nucacids" <nucacids@wowway.com>
Cc: <asa@calvin.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 12:32 AM
Subject: Re: [asa] Amazing Proteins

> As I thought, there is not much here. As to the idea that "evolution
> is a protein dependent phenomenon", I would say that at best we can
> argue that evolution has used quite successfully the nature of
> proteins but one must be careful to distinguish function, which of
> course is an essential part of evolution with 'design', a common
> confusion.
> Of course, since evolution uses proteins, proteins appear to be quite
> successful in our world for evolution. Lacking any other data points
> it seems a bit early to conclude that proteins are essential for
> evolution. At best we can argue that proteins out competed its
> predecessors.
> But as Iain has pointed out claiming that proteins are necessary for
> the success of evolution is like blaming letters for the success of
> Shakespeare or notes for the success of Mozart rather than these being
> given.
>
> Certainly science is well aware of the importance of proteins and
> while some are arguing that proteins could not have evolved, others
> have found, to probably noone's surprise, that proteins may be quite
> accessible to evolutionary processes. Coincidence? Or by 'design'?
> Well, as I stated, evolvability is how evolution 'designs' its own
> processes of variation. Of course, as usual, this does not preclude an
> 'Intelligent Designer'.
>
> While I understand your interest in just asking questions, I fail to
> see the relevance of said questions. After all, the puddle also
> questioned why the depression was perfectly shaped to fit it, and
> while pondering the meaning of said coincidence, the puddle slowly
> evaporated.

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Received on Fri May 9 17:58:10 2008