David Bailey
Member
The discussion following the latest podcast with Tim Freke and Richard Cox has raised yet again the question of whether natural selection is really the mechanism behinf (most) biological evolutionary change, or whether we need to look for a better mechanism - probably a non-material one.
Here, for example is one amazing view of evolution. The author, Donald Hoffman, sticks to the principle of evolution by natural selection, but at what cost?
The Discover Institute want to replace natural selection by Intelligent Design. I think this probably makes sense if you interpret Intelligent Design in its broadest sense, rather than taking a Christian perspective.
The big problem is that natural selection only works if you have a smooth 'fitness landscape', so successive mutations can each be selected because the raise the fitness of the organism slightly.
The problem is that mutations in DNA don't work like that. To create a protein with (say) 100 amino acid residues, you have to make a whole blizzard of mutations, and most of the steps along the way will not help the organism at all - so Natural Selection can't pick the right one. Only the last step or two can be guided by NS.
Please discuss!
David
Here, for example is one amazing view of evolution. The author, Donald Hoffman, sticks to the principle of evolution by natural selection, but at what cost?
The Discover Institute want to replace natural selection by Intelligent Design. I think this probably makes sense if you interpret Intelligent Design in its broadest sense, rather than taking a Christian perspective.
The big problem is that natural selection only works if you have a smooth 'fitness landscape', so successive mutations can each be selected because the raise the fitness of the organism slightly.
The problem is that mutations in DNA don't work like that. To create a protein with (say) 100 amino acid residues, you have to make a whole blizzard of mutations, and most of the steps along the way will not help the organism at all - so Natural Selection can't pick the right one. Only the last step or two can be guided by NS.
Please discuss!
David