The rapid rate of die-off of speci=
es is
especially the case for large mammals on land and sea. They cannot withstand the human onslaug=
ht.
It is likely that they, or their
children, will.
What is the Origin Determines Destiny thesis?
Weak form:
“If evolution can explain the origin and develo=
pment
of this universe and its inhabitants, then there is no need for any kind of
personal God at all. “For what a m=
an
believes about ultimate origins and about God’s revelation concerning creat=
ion
will inevitably affect his beliefs concerning destinies and purposes.”
-- =
Henry
Morris, The Twilight of Evolution, 1963
Strong form:
“Ultimate origins inevitably affect destinies a=
nd
purposes.”
The strong form of the Origin Dete=
rmines
Destiny thesis is an expression of physical determinism. It says that persons cannot rise above =
their
origins; their future is determined, constrained, limited by their past.
Reasons why origins don't matt=
er:
The Origin Determines
Destiny thesis is a form of the naturalistic fallacy: attempting to draw a
conclusion about how things ought to =
be
based solely on
The Origin is Destin=
y thesis
is not necessarily so. Particular
destiny beliefs do not follow by
necessity from particular origin beliefs.
And regarding the strong form, particular actual origins do not
necessarily lead to particular destinies. The Origin is Destiny Thesis is a=
non
sequitur.
The underlying philo=
sophy
that insists on starting with origins is reductionistic and materialistic,
whether it comes from the left (Darwinism) or right (Creationism, Intellige=
nt
Design). By focusing so much attention on origins, we are trapped in the pa=
st and
are distracted from seeing clearly the signs of the times in which we are
living now.
Affirmatively, we ca=
n rise
above our origins. We do it all the
time. Life is not analogous to
Schaeffer's alpine lake that cannot rise above its source. “If anyone is in Christ he is a new
creation. The old has passed away,
behold: the new has come!” (I Cor.=
5:17)
Life is not like a w=
atch or
any other kind of deterministic machine. Life, like computer networks, oper=
ates
in a series of “levels”. What is g=
oing
on at higher levels is not determined by what is going on at lower levels.<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> This is the principle of Gratuity: it s=
hows
why, biologically, "origins" are irrelevant.
There are many worki=
ng models
of top-down design that don’t involve an “intelligent designer”: the brain;
group velocity; the B-Z reaction; Holland's "Hidden Order";
Kaufmann's and Gell-Mann’s complex adaptive systems; Brian Arthur's idea of
diminishing returns, emergent economic systems, genetic algorithms, neural
networks etc. (Complexity theory).
Kierkegaard was the first philosopher to
recognize the fallacy in prior philosophy, in which it was presumed that
theoretical thought was able to apprehend God.
Likewise today, Creationism and ID presume that the “designer” is
God. Scientism presumes that by
explaining things scientifically, God’s existence is disproved. Both views are fallacious.
Anthropology is the =
most
frustrating science: Anthropos always tends to erase his tracks (by killing=
off
older cultures and melting down their artifacts). James Houston's comment: dead bones tel=
l us
little about living persons -- their beliefs, their goals, their aspiration=
s. We don’t know enough of the relevant fa=
cts to
describe human origins sufficiently to use this as a basis for guiding our =
future
choices.
Genesis is extremely=
terse
in describing life before the Fall.
This text, even if it is believed to be revealed, has been interpreted in many different ways by v=
arious
Jewish, Christian and Muslim scholars over the centuries.
There is a huge
incommensurability between human time, measured in hours and days and
years, and scientific times, measu=
red in
nanoseconds and billions of years.
Humans cannot detect events at these time scales. Physics describes time simply as a dim=
ension,
a length. This has little to do wi=
th the
actual way in which we experience time, as past, present, and future. Free will and consciousness are also pa=
rt of
the human, but not scientific description of life.
As knowledge grows,
ignorance grows too (Leadbeater, The
Weightless Society). We need an
anti-
mi·cro·evo·lu·tion
Function: noun
: comparatively minor evolutionary change involving the accumulation=
of
variations in populations usually below the species level.
|
Source: |
|
|
|
The Avian Flu Virus H5N1 is microevolving rig=
ht
now. It is mutating and spreadin=
g, as
are other viruses. This is a par=
t of
the Global Biotic Crisis in the near term.
It is important that the global public understands how this happen=
s,
and how to prevent it. PROMOTE MICROEVOLUTION IN SCHOOLS.
PUT IT IN THE TEXTBOOKS. =
CREATE
LAB DEMONSTRATIONS. |
A Litmus Test of Beliefs
Try this:
Make a list of all the problems in the world.
Now ask, for which of these problems is your bel=
ief a direct
solution?
“The kingdom above or the darkness below . . . i=
t is
for us to choose." -- Monod