dhw:Big brain evolution: comparing chimp and brain organoids (Evolution)

by David Turell , Tuesday, February 26, 2019, 15:53 (2095 days ago) @ dhw

dhw: But you admit that you cannot explain why your God chose to design millions of niches, including those involving different dragonfly reproductive systems, when all he wanted to do was design the brain of H. sapiens.

DAVID: But it is explained and you've agreed. If evolution is the method along the way everyone who survives has to eat.

dhw: The method along the way to what? I agree that all organisms have to eat. That does not explain why your always-in-control God chose to spend 3.5+ billion years designing millions of econiches, life forms, lifestyles and natural wonders if the ONLY thing he wanted to design was the brain of H. sapiens. And that is what you cannot explain, so you try to gloss it over with comments like the next one:

I don't gloss over the issue. You want to have me give you an explanation as to why God evolved humans over time. Of course I can't explain it, as you note, because I view it as God's decision to achieve His goals through evolution. That is my explanation: it was God's choice.

DAVID: Of course there is no direct link between fireflies and human brains. It is all part of evolution as I view it. To repeat, I make perfect sense to me.

dhw: Of course it’s part of evolution, as is every other life form, lifestyle and innovation. But that does not explain why he “chose” to design them all when the ONLY thing he wanted to design, according to you, was the human brain.

DAVID: Quibbling. Econiches are needed for food supply. Each time you tell me I don't make sense to me I'll repeat the point.

dhw: Yes, econiches are needed for food supply. Nothing whatsoever to do with your belief that God’s only purpose was to design our brains, so it does not explain why he spent 3.5+ billion years not designing the only thing he wanted to design.

The only way to solve the problem you have created as to why God used 3.5 billion years to create humans is ask God and He is not talking. Your human logic fights with the history of God's actions.

Dhw: The “logical” thoughts I have offered you are all theistic. But I am satisfied with your earlier acknowledgements that you can't explain why your God chose to spend 3.5+ years not fulfilling his only purpose, and that all my alternative theistic explanations are logical and possible. I do not ask you to believe in any of them.

DAVID: I am satisfied also. Within your frame of reference I recognize your thoughts are theistic and logical possibilities.

dhw: Thank you. My frame of reference is exactly the same as yours: we agree that life exists, there have been countless econiches, lifestyles, natural wonders and life forms extant and extinct, of which humans are the latest, and there may be a God who created life.

And I would add, once life was started, God guided all the rest which has happened as you described.