Thoughts on evolution...

[podling]

What with all the talk in the news about "intelligent design" (god is a really clever set-dresser who wants us to think we're doing something with our 'science' stuff) and creationism (take a myth, make it your reality), it occured to me that I never really got evolution. I mean, I get the concept, but I failed the test once where you're supposed to take these oh-so-highly specially selected nuts and bolts and organize them in a hierarchical evolutionary thing. And you know, I didn't understand it then, and I still don't. I'd fail it again. I know I would. Does this mean I have to believe in the spaghetti monster?

Comments

[aussie-nyc.livejournal.com]

Maybe read some Stephen Jay Gould essays? He explained complex evolutionary concepts with amazing clarity.

[elephantgiraffe.livejournal.com]

And the spaghetti monster claims another one

[khavren.livejournal.com]

I understand evolution, but I don't understand what you mean by specially selected nuts and bolts in a hierarchical evolutionary thing

[podling]

Well, you had to take these nuts and bolts and show how they supposedly evolved in a family-tree type way. Like a relatively simple bolt spawned a plain bolt and one with screw-type marking. And these eventually lead to a screw and a plain nail, or something.

[d2leddy.livejournal.com]

Spaghetti grows on trees.

I always say.

[betra.livejournal.com]

I think asking us to believe that nuts and bolts evolve naturally is just silly. Those really ARE the product of intelligent design. [wink]

The test should have had a bunch of weird little mammals that eventually become something like a giraffe. It would be a bit more practical to use a realistic example, IMO.

[astrophysicat.livejournal.com]

they were obviously secretly trying to get you to believe in intelligent design by ascribing evolutionary principles to things that don't even breed.

[podling]

You may have a point there. Though to be honest, while intelligent design is a... questionable, to say the least, theory in regards to the universe, it does make sense for nuts and bolts, among other human-made things. In my opinion, intelligent design sounds like it should be a course name for designers or engineers or something... Like, "The Principles of Intelligent Design teaches students how to incorporate ideals of form, function, and cost into their creations, for better marketability and usefulness." But sadly, that is not the case. Unless the proponents of intelligent design are trying to tell us that the entire universe is actually a student project? Thought not.