Intelligent versus non-intelligent ideas about design and evolution

Dr. Darrell J. KempDepartment of biology, Macquarie University

“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’

Why is Evolution Important?

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”)

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:

1. Struggle for survival (Competition);

2. Variation (Differences among individuals);

3. Inheritance (Offspring resemble their parents).

Evolution is an emergent property (a consequence) of these rules

“Another curious aspect of the theory of (Darwinian) evolution is that everybody thinks he understands it…”

- Jacques Monod (Herbert-Spencer Lecture)

1. Initial (variable) population

25% 25% 25% 25%

2. Differential survival(selection upon ‘happiness’)

Best

OK

Worst

3. Reproduction (and inheritance)

4. Generation#28% 42% 25% 25%

5. Differential survival Went extinct

6. Reproduction

Novel variationintroduced

7. Generation#38% 42% 25% 25%8% 67% 17% 8% 8%

8. Differential survival went extinct

9. Reproduction

10. Generation#417% 75% 8%

11. Differential survival went extinct

12. ReproductionNovel

Novel

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

Gen#1

• Gen#2

• Gen#3

• Gen#4

• Gen#5

Gen#1

Gen#2

• Gen#3

• Gen#4

• Gen#5

Gen#1

Gen#2

Gen#3

• Gen#4

• Gen#5

X

Gen#1

Gen#2

Gen#3

Gen#4

• Gen#5

X

XX

Gen#1

Gen#2

Gen#3

Gen#4

Gen#5

X

X

X

X

Gen#1

Gen#2

Gen#3

Gen#4

Gen#5

EV

OLU

TIO

N !

X

X

X

X

Population evolved to be happier!!

The evidence is overwhelming!!

The evidence is overwhelming!!

Fossil record

The evidence is overwhelming!!

Fossil recordFossil record

Biogeography

The evidence is overwhelming!!

Fossil recordFossil record

BiogeographyComparative

anatomy/embryology

The evidence is overwhelming!!

Fossil record

BiogeographyComparative

anatomy/embryology

Molecular biology

The evidence is overwhelming!!

Fossil record

BiogeographyComparative

anatomy/embryology

Artificial selection

So, where do humans fit in?

HERE !!(very roughly)

Humans Related to Apes?

Shock horror!!!

Humans Related to Apes?Human DNA

and chimp DNA ~99% identical

Humans Related to Apes?

www.bushorchimp.com

Is it really so unbelievable?

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…)

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)

I.D. ‘theory’ states:

“An unspecified entity which is currently unobservable used unknown techniques and tools to design life, and/or the universe.”

?

The Flying spaghetti monster (www.veganza.org)

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

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

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!)

The power of prediction (in an uncertain world…)

The power of prediction (in a certain world…)

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”