Hugo said: I like this sentence: “Critics also reject applying specified complexity to infer design as an argument from ignorance.”
I’m glad that this wasn’t your thought Hugo because saying that specified complexity is an argument from ignorance shows you don’t understand the fallacy or specified complexity.
Once again, the topic of the series was the question, “What is the origin of the formulated information (specified complexity) needed to build the first living organism?”
I have pointed out where Chance, Chemical Necessity and RNA replication don’t meet the criteria of Best Evidence for explaining the origin of that type of information. They do not meet the criteria for causal adequacy. They are not the best possible answer to that question. On the other hand this lack of material cause does open the door for inferring Intelligent Design.
Here is where what Hugo says about the reference that he likes parts ways with the true definition of argument from ignorance and specified complexity as it’s being used in this series. Knowledge of the absence of evidence (which I just described above), is not the same as the absence of knowledge, which is what an argument from ignorance implies.
. Chance, Chemical Necessity and RNA replication are inadequate as causal adequacy.
That’s a fact but it isn’t the ONLY fact upon which the inference to ID is based. Again, if this was an argument from ignorance, the absence of natural evidence would be the only criteria for inferring ID. But that is not the case. As well as causal inadequacy of the natural hypothesis, what we know is -
. Intelligent Agents are the only known source of large quantities of functional information.
Even if there were no other reasons, this last point on it’s own is reason enough to infer ID as the cause of the specified complexity that is found in DNA, RNA and Proteins.
“The creation of new information is habitually associated with conscious activity.”
Quastler, “The Emergence of Biological Organization” 16
We know from experience that when large amounts of specified complexity or functional information is present, Creative Intelligence or Intelligent Design has played a role. Based on our understanding of cause and effect, we know intuitively that when large blocks of intelligent, complex formulated information that is needed for life is present, intelligence has played a role.
Rather than an argument from ignorance, these posts have been an inference to the Best Evidence, or best explanation.
Eliminating Chance, Predestination and RNA replication does not mean that Intelligent Design is the winner by default. That has never been suggested. It does mean however that ID should not be discarded because of philosophical reasons or because your predetermined world-view doesn't allow for such an answer. Because we know of no other means of creating large amounts of specified complexity other than by Intelligent Agents, ID, at the very least, should remain a possible contender as to the Cause of the evidence that we observe.
All along this series has been an inference to the Best Evidence, based upon the best available knowledge.
The fact is:
. No natural causes have been found that demonstrate the ability to produce large amounts of specified information.
. Intelligent Agents HAVE demonstrated the ability to produce large amounts of specified information.
We can conclude from those two premises that “Intelligent Agents” form the best, most causally adequate explanation for the specified complexity that is found in the cell.
There is no way that that is even close to an argument from ignorance as the term is being referred to by Hugo.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
400,000,000 Children
Today, at the kid’s school Christmas concert, I heard that 400,000,000 children live each day without access to clean drinking water.
If would take about 14 billion dollars to remedy that situation. That’s a LOT of money. How could we ever afford that?
Each year, Canadians spend 35 billion dollars on Christmas presents. Hmm.
If would take about 14 billion dollars to remedy that situation. That’s a LOT of money. How could we ever afford that?
Each year, Canadians spend 35 billion dollars on Christmas presents. Hmm.
Hume Rolls Over - Again
You remember David Hume? The brilliant sceptic who was the atheist darling until -
Yes, until. This truly is a tragic tale. David Hume famously said, “I have never suggested anything so absurd as that something could begin to exist without a cause.”
Dave Hume, held in high regard by atheists until we arrived at a point in history where the evidence for the beginning of the universe points directly to a Cause called Creator God.
Poor David Hume. Consigned to the atheist dump - reserved exclusively for those who refuse to go along with atheist dogma.
This should come as no surprise of course. When push comes to shove, atheist's scientific methods and hypothesis, and observations and confirming experiments; everything they claim to hold dear can take a flying leap for all they care. For when it comes to preserving their pre conceived world-view, atheists are perfectly willing to say that something CAN begin to exist without a cause.
Atheist: “True, we don’t have any examples of where something has begun to exist without a cause. But some day science will find an example. That’s why we say that some things that begin to exist don’t need a cause. Like the universe. Hey! We’ve already got an example - The Universe!”
Well, here we go again, Mr. Hume. Even though everything that we experience, everything that we’ve observed confirms and affirms again and again that specified complexity (formulated information) is the result of an intelligent agent - yep - you guessed it.
Every day and in every way, human beings of normal intelligence are easily and quickly able to infer intelligent design as an adequate explanation for the specified complexity or formulated information that they encounter. Why? Because an intelligent mind is the only known cause of specified complexity unless -
Yes, unless. There was a time when atheists were perfectly willing to accept that formulated information (specified complexity) was / is the right term for the information that is found only in DNA, RNA , proteins and from the minds of Intelligent Agents. They were even willing to accept that the specified complexity that’s found in DNA was “required” for the development of life itself. They were perfectly willing to accept that conclusion until they starting asking, “So where did that information come from? How did that information arise?” The best answer, the most logical answer, the answer that best explains what we observe points directly to an Intelligent Mind - a Cause some call Creator God.
As one by one their naturalist and materialist explanations fall by the wayside, just as happened with origins of the universe, here too, acceptance of the implausible and the impossible becomes acceptable in atheist world.
Suddenly, the origin of life doesn’t need specified formulated instructions. It just happened. Suddenly, specified complexity doesn’t need an Intelligent Agent for its existence. It just happens.
When one’s life is governed by an a priori rejection of any evidence that challenges your faith, in atheist world, making up solutions is as easy as falling off a piece of cake. (Yes I know. A mixed metaphor.)
In atheist world, like the beginning of the universe, when it comes to formulated information and the origin of life - “Nothing did it!”
Coming soon to an atheist meet-up near you
“Material life has always existed.” OR
Atheist: “Even though we don’t know of any specified complexity or formulated information that doesn’t find its origin in an Intelligent Agent, some day science will discover an example. Therefore, we say with complete and total blind atheist faith, “An Intelligent Agent is not required for specified complexity or formulated information. Like in the first living cell. Hey! We’ve already got an example.””
Hang on David Hume. Rolling over that fast can make you dizzy.
Yes, until. This truly is a tragic tale. David Hume famously said, “I have never suggested anything so absurd as that something could begin to exist without a cause.”
Dave Hume, held in high regard by atheists until we arrived at a point in history where the evidence for the beginning of the universe points directly to a Cause called Creator God.
Poor David Hume. Consigned to the atheist dump - reserved exclusively for those who refuse to go along with atheist dogma.
This should come as no surprise of course. When push comes to shove, atheist's scientific methods and hypothesis, and observations and confirming experiments; everything they claim to hold dear can take a flying leap for all they care. For when it comes to preserving their pre conceived world-view, atheists are perfectly willing to say that something CAN begin to exist without a cause.
Atheist: “True, we don’t have any examples of where something has begun to exist without a cause. But some day science will find an example. That’s why we say that some things that begin to exist don’t need a cause. Like the universe. Hey! We’ve already got an example - The Universe!”
Well, here we go again, Mr. Hume. Even though everything that we experience, everything that we’ve observed confirms and affirms again and again that specified complexity (formulated information) is the result of an intelligent agent - yep - you guessed it.
Every day and in every way, human beings of normal intelligence are easily and quickly able to infer intelligent design as an adequate explanation for the specified complexity or formulated information that they encounter. Why? Because an intelligent mind is the only known cause of specified complexity unless -
Yes, unless. There was a time when atheists were perfectly willing to accept that formulated information (specified complexity) was / is the right term for the information that is found only in DNA, RNA , proteins and from the minds of Intelligent Agents. They were even willing to accept that the specified complexity that’s found in DNA was “required” for the development of life itself. They were perfectly willing to accept that conclusion until they starting asking, “So where did that information come from? How did that information arise?” The best answer, the most logical answer, the answer that best explains what we observe points directly to an Intelligent Mind - a Cause some call Creator God.
As one by one their naturalist and materialist explanations fall by the wayside, just as happened with origins of the universe, here too, acceptance of the implausible and the impossible becomes acceptable in atheist world.
Suddenly, the origin of life doesn’t need specified formulated instructions. It just happened. Suddenly, specified complexity doesn’t need an Intelligent Agent for its existence. It just happens.
When one’s life is governed by an a priori rejection of any evidence that challenges your faith, in atheist world, making up solutions is as easy as falling off a piece of cake. (Yes I know. A mixed metaphor.)
In atheist world, like the beginning of the universe, when it comes to formulated information and the origin of life - “Nothing did it!”
Coming soon to an atheist meet-up near you
“Material life has always existed.” OR
Atheist: “Even though we don’t know of any specified complexity or formulated information that doesn’t find its origin in an Intelligent Agent, some day science will discover an example. Therefore, we say with complete and total blind atheist faith, “An Intelligent Agent is not required for specified complexity or formulated information. Like in the first living cell. Hey! We’ve already got an example.””
Hang on David Hume. Rolling over that fast can make you dizzy.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
“No living molecule is self-reproducing. Not only is DNA incapable of making copies of itself, but it is incapable of “making” anything else. The proteins of the cell are made from other proteins, and without that protein-forming machinery nothing can be made.”
Richard Lewontin, “The Dream of the Human Genome.”
Richard Lewontin, “The Dream of the Human Genome.”
A coded system is always the result of a mental process… It should be emphasized that matter as such is unable to generate any code. All experiences indicate that a thinking being voluntarily exercising his own free will, cognition, and creativity, is required… There is no known natural law through which matter can give rise to information, neither is any physical process or material phenomenon known that can do this
Werner Gitt, In the Beginning Was Information, CLV, Bielenfeld, Germany, pp. 64-7, 79
Werner Gitt, In the Beginning Was Information, CLV, Bielenfeld, Germany, pp. 64-7, 79
Classic Atheism
"your spelling makes it difficult to take any of this seriously."
There ya go. A perfect excuse for Judgement Day. "Creator God, that man made one spelling error in every 50,000 words typed. That means that I did't need to take seriously any of the warnings that I've received about your existence."
Sure. You go boy. And if it turns out that your wrong, well, I'm sure that a loving God will understand. :)
There ya go. A perfect excuse for Judgement Day. "Creator God, that man made one spelling error in every 50,000 words typed. That means that I did't need to take seriously any of the warnings that I've received about your existence."
Sure. You go boy. And if it turns out that your wrong, well, I'm sure that a loving God will understand. :)
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