More Denton: Reply to Tony (Introduction)

by Balance_Maintained , U.S.A., Wednesday, July 29, 2015, 08:03 (3405 days ago) @ dhw

DHW: Believe me, I understand how enormously complex the changes have to be, but unlike you I can't announce what cells can and can't do in conditions we don't know about. (See also my response to Tony.) Speciation happened, and ALL the hypotheses entail stretching credulity far beyond what we know (though one of them must be close to the truth). Your own set of programmes for every single innovation and natural wonder, passed down through thousands of millions of years and organisms, with each individual programme switching itself on automatically in the appropriate organism, frankly beggars belief, especially since it must also entail preprogramming the environment or allowing for every possible environmental change. (Alternatively, God personally intervening to show the weaverbird how to build its nest, etc.) But you prefer to dodge the colossal implications with your weasel word “guidance”. 
> ->DHW: The Cambrian lasted 5-10 million years, which allows for quite a few generations (I calculated the number in an earlier post.) We must assume that the necessary changes did take place in the allotted time. These innovations don't happen now, so back we go to the different hypotheses, not one of which fits in with anything we know or perhaps even can know. But mine does have a simple logic, if only I could get it across to you...-I see no reason to say that "Speciation Happened" nor do I see that "We must assume that the necessary changes did take place in the alloTted time" specifically because "these innovations don't happen now".

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What is the purpose of living? How about, 'to reduce needless suffering. It seems to me to be a worthy purpose.