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Intelligent versus non-intelligent ideas about design and evolution

Intelligent versus non-intelligent ideas about design and evolution. Dr. Darrell J. Kemp Department of biology, Macquarie University. Why is Evolution Important?. “ Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Except in the Light of Evolution” - Theodosius Dobzhansky (1900-1975) 2009 a special year:

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Intelligent versus non-intelligent ideas about design and evolution

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  1. Intelligent versus non-intelligent ideas about design and evolution Dr. Darrell J. Kemp Department of biology, Macquarie University

  2. Why is Evolution Important? “Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Except in the Light of Evolution” - Theodosius Dobzhansky (1900-1975) 2009 a special year: • 200th Anniversary of Darwin’s birthday • 150th Anniversary of the ‘Origin of Species’

  3. What Darwinian Evolution is (and isn’t): • Doesn’t explain the meaning of life • …or even, necessarily, the processes that initiated life in the first place (origin of life) • Does explain: The diversification of life forms, once life on earth initiated (i.e., the “Origin of Species”)

  4. Process of Natural selection (as Darwin formulated it…) • “Top-Down” explanation for the diversity and complexity of life forms on the planet. • Three ‘necessary and sufficient’ conditions: • Struggle for survival(Competition); • Variation(Differences among individuals); • Inheritance (Offspring resemble their parents). Evolution is an emergent property (a consequence) of these rules

  5. “Another curious aspect of the theory of (Darwinian) evolution is that everybody thinks he understands it…” - Jacques Monod (Herbert-Spencer Lecture)

  6. 1. Initial (variable) population 25% 25% 25% 25%

  7. Best OK Worst 2. Differential survival(selection upon ‘happiness’)

  8. 3. Reproduction (and inheritance)

  9. 4. Generation#2 8% 42% 25% 25%

  10. Went extinct 5. Differential survival

  11. 6. Reproduction Novel variation introduced

  12. 7. Generation#3 8% 42% 25% 25% 8% 67% 17% 8% 8%

  13. went extinct 8. Differential survival

  14. 9. Reproduction

  15. 10. Generation#4 17% 75% 8%

  16. went extinct 11. Differential survival

  17. 12. Reproduction Novel Novel

  18. 12. Generation#5 8% 42% 25% 25% 25% 58% 8% 8%

  19. Gen#1 Gen#2 Gen#3 Gen#4 Gen#5

  20. Gen#1 Gen#2 Gen#3 Gen#4 Gen#5

  21. Gen#1 Gen#2 Gen#3 Gen#4 Gen#5 X

  22. Gen#1 Gen#2 Gen#3 Gen#4 Gen#5 X X X

  23. Gen#1 Gen#2 Gen#3 Gen#4 Gen#5 X X X X

  24. Gen#1 Gen#2 Gen#3 Gen#4 Gen#5 X X X X EVOLUTION ! Population evolved to be happier!!

  25. The evidence is overwhelming!!

  26. The evidence is overwhelming!! Fossil record

  27. The evidence is overwhelming!! Fossil record Fossil record Biogeography

  28. The evidence is overwhelming!! Comparative anatomy/ embryology Biogeography Fossil record Fossil record

  29. The evidence is overwhelming!! Molecular biology Comparative anatomy/ embryology Biogeography Fossil record

  30. The evidence is overwhelming!! Comparative anatomy/ embryology Biogeography Fossil record Artificial selection

  31. So, where do humans fit in?

  32. HERE !! (very roughly)

  33. Humans Related to Apes? Shock horror!!!

  34. Humans Related to Apes? Human DNA and chimp DNA ~99% identical

  35. Humans Related to Apes? Is it really so unbelievable? www.bushorchimp.com

  36. Intelligent Design ‘theory’ Essentially an innovation (on behalf of the creationism movement) to circumvent US constitutional law (…an attempt to package creationist views up as a bona-fide scientific theory…)

  37. I.D. ‘theory’ states: “An unspecified entity which is currently unobservable used unknown techniques and tools to design life, and/or the universe.” Philip Johnson (Law Professor)

  38. I.D. ‘theory’ states: “An unspecified entity which is currently unobservable used unknown techniques and tools to design life, and/or the universe.”

  39. ?

  40. The Flying spaghetti monster (www.veganza.org)

  41. "This isn't really, and never has been a debate about science. It's about religion and philosophy."

  42. Intelligent design vs. Evolution "Both sides ought to be properly taught . . . so people can understand what the debate is about” President George W. Bush, August 1 2005

  43. Why does this matter for us? …because, what happens in the USA… …does NOT always stay in the USA (even if it is really bad!)

  44. The power of prediction (in an uncertain world…)

  45. The power of prediction (in a certain world…)

  46. Thanks for listening! “There is a grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that…from so simple a beginning, endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved”

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