#38414: notheory — 09/02  at  09:48 AM
A creationist says something foolish

Does this deviate from their usual behavior?

And i love it when people attempt to justify their disbelief the capabilities of evolution, or artificial neural network based on computer modeling. The genetic algorithms and stylized neural network models that are used for modeling are such pale imitations (if you'll go that far) of the real thing, that positive results are usually taken with a grain of salt. Negative results, unless extreme care is taken, are totally meaningless. And IDCers aren't known for their extreme caring (as indicated by the exemplar provided by the blogger above!).

#38429: — 09/02  at  10:49 AM
A creationist says something foolish

Isn't that redundant?

#38449: — 09/02  at  11:38 AM
I'd love to see a book on this topic. Is there one?

I envision each chapter expounding some highly complicated set of connections (a la James Burke*, perhaps?). Then, each chapter would end with the same rhetorical question: something along the lines of "And people think anyone, let alone an all-powerful being, would design it this way?"

*Note: two links there.

#38450: — 09/02  at  11:41 AM

each chapter expounding some highly complicated set of connections

I should have been more specific. I meant 'set of connections that describe "twisted, convoluted, surprisingly bizarre" biological systems'.

#38460: notheory — 09/02  at  12:06 PM
Er... well, really any study of the optical system makes that point clear. All the photo receptors in the eye lay behind a layer of stuff, including the wiring which is connected to them. The wiring then all runs to the blind spot in the eye where the optical nerve connects. Then for some wacky reason, the optical nerve connections run alllll the way to the back of the brain for processing (an interesting side effect of this, is that if you're hit really hard in either the front or the back of the head, you lose the ability to see). And that's not even to mention all the possible defects that can afflict the visual system.

This is information that's studied in a number of fields. Even a casual brush with the layout of the visual system should make it clear. The point is that most people don't even have a casual familiarity w/ biological visual processing.

#38461: — 09/02  at  12:24 PM
Well, there's one chapter (or maybe two) outlined...

#38467: notheory — 09/02  at  12:38 PM
I guess my point is, we shouldn't need a book, because the claim is so insipid.

Short of that, i wonder if Talk.Origins has anything on the subject.

#38468: notheory — 09/02  at  12:40 PM
here's something at least.