So, I've read the Origin of Species for my exams, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I'm not sure Darwin's not being a bit too... Hegelian when he talks about 'perfect' forms evolving and replacing less perfect ones. But, he is clear that evolution can produce rather useless parts like our appendix or the giraffe's tail as well. But, I think that the idea of more perfect species can be very misleading.
That said, it was a bit annoying to find that the man himself answered many of the 'issues' that are still raised about his theory of natural selection. Thankfully, he answers what I consider to be the lamest 'problem' people have with natural selection theory- "How can the eye be so perfect?", which sounds profound, but can be translated to "I don't get it! Why's that happen again?" So Darwin repeats himself very slowly in the text for them. Too bad he's not still around to keep doing so.
I also wish that more people understood why the argument that evolutionary forms are 'highly unlikely mathematically' is based on bad, and even misleading math. I'm not sure about the ethical implications of lying very loud and very often for the sake of a religion that condemns lying. But, it really can't be good. And it suggests that 'intelligent design' is more of a political movement than a theological one.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
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2 comments:
The best response to them is, well, where did God come from. Most of them will explain triumphantly that the human finite mind just is incapable of comprehending that. So we're expected to accept this and drop the subject, but we have to prove the evolutionary formation of the universe, detail by minute detail, from beginning to end. Isn't it amazing?
That's a good question. Mark Twain's question was why did God give older men hair on their faces, where it looks foolish, and remove it from their heads, where it looked good?
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