LUCA latest: Shapiro redux (Introduction)

by David Turell , Monday, July 17, 2023, 16:24 (493 days ago) @ dhw

DAVID: Only God's designing mind is capable of the biochemical complexities of living forms.

dhw: We are not talking about the biochemical complexities, but about the ability to process information, to communicate, to take decisions etc. – all the hallmarks of autonomous intelligence.

BUT, it is exactly the biochemical complexities that process the information.

Larry Moran's criticism of Shapiro's book, Evolution:

MORAN: "I once asked James Shapiro whether he believes in god(s) and whether his "discovery" of some form of directed evolution has anything to do with that belief. He declined to answer."
DAVID: we know the answer. Shapiro was a president of his Temple. Moran is a devoted Darwinist/Atheist who denies the ENCODE removal of junk DNA in his own new book.

dhw: Shapiro’s theory does not depend on the existence of God! That’s why he objects to it being equated with the ID movement. Moran’s theory depends on his faith in chance, and even you would reject such faith.

DAVID: Shapiro as a professional scientist cannot bring God into the picture.

dhw: And there is no reason why he should. He is dealing with evolution, which is Chapter Two in the history of life, not Chapter One, which is the origin of life. Theists and atheists can both use his theory – just as they can both use Darwin’s theory.

Whoa! What Shapiro studied was bacteria, which represent the unevolved start of life. They cannot represent the future.