Evolution and humans: big brain size uses energy (Evolution)

by David Turell , Tuesday, October 31, 2017, 16:19 (2578 days ago) @ dhw

DAVID: In the case of evolution, God recognized the need for better brains and with each stage created better ones for proto-humans to survive and use them to provide improved artifacts for a better life. Habilis did not sit around the fire in the cave and say I need to have a bigger brain. He could not will it. God could.

dhw: Of course habilis did not will it. When I do exercises, I do not “will” my muscles to get bigger. When organisms adapt, they do not “will” their bodies to make the necessary changes. When the illiterate Indian women tried to read, they did not “will” the brain to rewire itself. In each case, the body responds to the demands made on it. You have had your God restructuring pre-humans before they descended from the trees, whales before they entered water, fish before they stepped onto the land, and you have him expanding hominid brains before there is any reason for them to be expanded. Why must your God preprogramme or dabble all these changes in advance? We know bodies and brains change IN RESPONSE to different demands. If your God created the mechanisms that enable them to do so, why do you insist that he has to change bodies and brains IN ADVANCE of new demands?

Because the advances could not occur unless the abilities were available. The ability to have upright posture preceded the descent from the trees. Lucy walked upright but still had long muscular arms to show she also used the trees. The recent study to suggest she died from a fall from trees fits that view. The only response we know about brain use is to shrink not enlarge! The only examples you have given refer to existing organisms already changed from previous forms. Of course they adapt with what they are given! " expanding hominid brains before there is any reason for them to be expanded" is God allowing them to get to a more advanced mental status. In my view God creates advances by 'suction' pulling advances forward by design. You believe in 'pushing' from behind. Two very different interpretations which will not be resolved, since you are so fixed upon avoiding God as a necessary designer.

dhw: just as in my hypothesis organisms evolve because of the drive for survival and/or improvement: they do not change before the needs and opportunities arise.

Yes, environmental changes foster epigenetic adaptations. Species change require advanced planning and is a process we do not understand. but it is obvious planning and design are required. Again we have two very different views of the requirements for new species to appear. It cannot be a bit-by-bit stepwise process. The fossils do not show it as Gould repeatedly pointed out.