Evolution: more genomic evidence of pre-planning (Evolution)

by David Turell , Wednesday, March 10, 2021, 15:00 (1137 days ago) @ dhw

DAVID: You make my case. Erectus led a simple life as did original sapiens. No need for big brain.

dhw: Erectus’s brain varied from 900cc to 1200cc – a range of 300 cc. Sapiens’ brain averages 1350 cc., an increase of 150 cc. I propose that all these increases would have been caused by new tools, ideas, discoveries etc. that required additional cells. Why do you think the invention of, for instance, a new tool or weapon would revolutionize the “simple” way of life? They needed the bigger brain to implement new ideas as an improvement to their still ”simple” way of life. A hunter with a new weapon is still a hunter.

You have not described any major change in lifestyle between erectus and sapiens that would require sure a large brain expansion, compared to the way it is massively used today. God anticipated that use.

dhw: Your only objection to this theory seems to be that we didn’t need our 1350cc brain for 300,000 years, but you can’t tell us why your God would have given it to us when we didn’t need it.

DAVID: Simple concept: God anticipates needs all through evolution. Flippers given to pre-whales so thet can swim easily.

dhw: So do you think whales could have waited around for 300,000 years before they entered the water? That’s the argument you are using for the sapiens brain!

Terrible comparison. a flipper has one use, a large brain very many.

David’s theory of evolution

dhw: I do not “chop” evolution up into segments. I have it branching out into a vast bush, and 99% of the branches (including food supplies) did NOT lead to humans. And the obvious truth that past forms had no link to present forms should stop you once and for all from claiming that past forms were part of the goal to evolve present forms.

DAVID: Really? Didn't humans have to evolve from previous forms, which also had to evolve?

dhw: Yes, that’s the 1% we’re talking about. I asked you to stop restricting evolution to the one line from bacteria to humans (now bolded). And so you proceed to restrict evolution to the one line from bacteria to humans.

Not so. Everything came from bacteria. I just selected us as an example.

SURVIVAL

dhw: Please tell us what other purpose flippers serve if it is not to improve the chances of survival in a new environment.

DAVID: My view is God provides for future survival as He designs new forma.

dhw: If the purpose is future survival, it is clearly absurd to argue that the quest for survival plays no part in evolution. You simply have your God inventing means of survival in advance instead of organisms doing it themselves when needed. The purpose is still survival.

God's purpose was to produce humans.

Playing possum

DAVID: So now you have a group of possums watching a successful escape by a single possum and adopting the method. Really?

dhw: How do you think strategies originate and then survive? They have to start somewhere, and then they have to be passed on by example, communication, education (perhaps you didn’t know that parent animals teach their young) etc. Or do you think your God preprogrammed the first cells 3.8 billion years ago to pass on a design for possums plus their play-dead strategy, or does he keep popping in to give possums refresher courses?

God had to tach them somehow.