Human evolution; "Little foot's" balance mechanism (Introduction)

by David Turell , Thursday, January 31, 2019, 14:54 (2121 days ago) @ dhw

dhw: […] if God exists, he is the driving force behind life and evolution, and his wish to enable organisms to survive is the driving force behind what you believe to be the special designs that enable them to do so.

DAVID: It seems you are understanding what I believe. It is not illogical.

dhw: No it’s not. It is totally logical that the doer is the driving force behind the action, and the purpose is the driving force behind the doer. The purpose of fins, camouflage and migration is survival, and it is therefore illogical to say that survival is not a driving force in evolution. Thank you. Your other illogicality is dealt with on the “Big brain” thread.

DAVID: You have the argument totally backward. I accept that God is the doer and He wants to evolve humans.

Not “accept”. These are your beliefs. For argument’s sake, I am accepting God’s existence, but a) questioning your belief that his sole purpose was to produce H. sapiens (see “Big brain evolution”), and on this thread b) questioning your belief that survival is not a driving force in the process of evolution.

DAVID: Survival has to be designed into each stage or evolution stops. Survival is required but the driver is God. It is illogical to you because you do not see the driving mechanism as I do.

dhw: Of course life has to survive or it stops. Once more: I see TWO driving mechanisms in your scenario: 1) Your God as the creator is the driving force behind life and evolution. 2) The reason for his designing all the innovations, lifestyles and natural wonders is to ensure that life SURVIVES. The reason for doing something is a driving force. Concrete example: if, as you believe, your God designed pre-whale fins, the reason for his doing so was to enable the pre-whale to improve its chances of survival in the water. How can you possibly argue that the reason for doing something is not a driving force?

Wrong nuance of meaning. When you drive your ancient VW you are careful not to crash. That is caution about necessary survival. God drives evolution with the same caution about survival of the organism s created.