Darwinist ignorance, confusion & epigenetics (Introduction)

by David Turell , Friday, November 05, 2010, 13:46 (5132 days ago) @ dhw


> I have noticed what he's doing, and am struggling to follow the thinking. Firstly, unless I'm much mistaken, epigenetics enables animals to adapt to a changing environment and to pass on those changes. But why should adaptation produce new species? A smaller critter with longer hair is still a critter. Secondly, the only known purpose of all the adaptations is survival, and so if the changes in the environment are random, survival becomes the only "teleology". A deliberate plan to evolve one-celled critters into Man would mean that every environmental change leading to every new organ/variation/ species would have had to be organized to produce the ultimate species, which is you and me. And all the extinct species were a waste of time, because only the surviving ones could lead to us. This seems like anthropocentrism gone mad. -I certainly agree with you. I don't think that epigenentics implies teleology either. But the epigenetic mechanisms imply internal controls of the organisms to allow rapid response to sudden environmental changes. And surprise, these changes are inheritable. This is Lamark's Theory, once treated with derision. It changes our view of Darwin: this is not chance mutation, and tiny step by step changes in a species. It is rapid change and there is no chance. It is a protection from extinction. And it removes some of the power from natural selection by thwarting it in the rapid response to threat. Epigenetics literally stand 'original' Darwin theory on its head.-As for teleology, assumptions are reqired: The Maker coded progress through evolution (into DNA) for one-celled beginners to end up as humans and added epigenetic abilites to make sure the process arrived at humans.