The Darwin Conspiracy

Sometimes you just have to sit and stare dumbfounded at the appalling stupidity creationists will state with absolute conviction. Here's an example that will leave you awestruck, too: a site that declares there is a Darwin conspiracy, and cites three fatal flaws that they claim conclusively prove that evolution is wrong.

[TedHOhio]

I am always amazed at some of the things Creationists do and say. A friend of mine is still trying to convince me that a river that was affected by Mt. St Helen's is an example of how the Grand Canyon was formed in one short event. Besides the fact the similarities were superficial and besides the facts a decade later the superficial appearance similarities had washed away in Oregon AND besides the fact the Grand Canyon is still there -- he insists they are the same! The whole idea of millions of years and multiple geologic and climactic events isn't beyond him, because he is a smart person, but it conflicts so hard against his world view, he can't let it go.

Don't feel sorry for him, feel sorry for me. His wife gave him a copy of the DVD "Privileged Planet" and I see a whole new line of preaching coming on. His wife is a good friend of mine as well and she doesn't agree with his viewpoint, but she feeds it because that way he can argue with me instead of her! I told her there is a special place in hell for people like her, and she just laughs and says she'll see me there!

[Feklahr]

Wow, that site is epic!

Well, more like EPIC FAIL.

[Fossil Bob]

Maybe it's a joke...?

I don't know... can't tell:) It's inane enough to be a parody!

[Katydid]

Great article from PZ Myers, as usual.

As for fatal flaw number one, I do not have any qualifications to even attempt to address it, maybe one of our resident math professors, DS or PM can respond to that fallacy.

As for fatal flaw number two, PZ links to an outstanding article by PloS. Gene duplication is a powerful mechanism of evolution.

Once a gene duplicates, only one of the copies is necessary to carry out the original function, so the other copy has permission to mutate. And mutate it does, and sometimes, after enough mutations have accumulated, the second copy ends up as a new gene with a new function. This is how the number of genes in our genome increased over multitudes of generations of evolution.

Since mutations are random events, many of them should disable the mutated genes, making it useless, and that is what happens. Many of our genes were found to be duplicated many, many times and some of the copies mutated into useless relics. These leftover, nonfunctional copies of genes, these useless relics are known as pseudogenes, and they provide powerful evidence for evolution.

However, aside from gene duplication, we now DO have evidence for the development of new information by the creation of a NEW GENE by the fusion of parts from two other genes.

As previously discussed, this gene is called SETMAR, named after a gene called SET properly fused with the coding region of a jumping gene from a family of genes called mariner transposons, the particular member of this family is a “jumping gene” called HSMAR1. The part of it that was properly fused with the SET coding gene, was the transposase-coding region called MAR.

As for fatal flaw number three, that is simply CATTYWHOMPUS!

:-)

[Darwins Stepchild]

ROFL...what a coincidence. I was crossing back and forth between reading Topix and reading Pharyngula and came to this thread just as I came to PZ's article on his blog.

I wonder...does this hold some sort of metaphysical significance?

[Darwins Stepchild]

Katydid wrote:

Great article from PZ Myers, as usual.
As for fatal flaw number one, I do not have any qualifications to even attempt to address it, maybe one of our resident math professors, DS or PM can respond to that fallacy.
As for fatal flaw number two, PZ links to an outstanding article by PloS. Gene duplication is a powerful mechanism of evolution.
Once a gene duplicates, only one of the copies is necessary to carry out the original function, so the other copy has permission to mutate. And mutate it does, and sometimes, after enough mutations have accumulated, the second copy ends up as a new gene with a new function. This is how the number of genes in our genome increased over multitudes of generations of evolution.
Since mutations are random events, many of them should disable the mutated genes, making it useless, and that is what happens. Many of our genes were found to be duplicated many, many times and some of the copies mutated into useless relics. These leftover, nonfunctional copies of genes, these useless relics are known as pseudogenes, and they provide powerful evidence for evolution.
However, aside from gene duplication, we now DO have evidence for the development of new information by the creation of a NEW GENE by the fusion of parts from two other genes.
As previously discussed, this gene is called SETMAR, named after a gene called SET properly fused with the coding region of a jumping gene from a family of genes called mariner transposons, the particular member of this family is a “jumping gene” called HSMAR1. The part of it that was properly fused with the SET coding gene, was the transposase-coding region called MAR.
As for fatal flaw number three, that is simply CATTYWHOMPUS!
:-)

Yes, Kathy...and as I have said before...you know cattywhompus when you see it.

[Gillette]

Katydid

We can use your gene expertise on the thread "Evolution No established Truth" where Wilson claims emphatically that no mutation has ever been beneficial to an organism.
http://www.topix.net/forum/news/evolution/T2K...

We pointed him to the lactose gene found in northern Europeans, but he was WAY to clever to accept THAT!:)

[TedHOhio]

Darwins Stepchild wrote:

ROFL...what a coincidence. I was crossing back and forth between reading Topix and reading Pharyngula and came to this thread just as I came to PZ's article on his blog.
I wonder...does this hold some sort of metaphysical significance?

Only if you heard the theme to the Twilight Zone playing in the back of your mind when it happened! If so, then don't cross paths with any black cats or Rod Serling look-a-likes or the consequences .... well let's just say that you might be forever to be beat up and abused in online forums by fundie religious types ... damn, too late!

[Darwins Stepchild]

TedHOhio wrote:

<quoted text>
Only if you heard the theme to the Twilight Zone playing in the back of your mind when it happened! If so, then don't cross paths with any black cats or Rod Serling look-a-likes or the consequences .... well let's just say that you might be forever to be beat up and abused in online forums by fundie religious types ... damn, too late!

Abused...yes. But beat up? Never. They only wish they could.

[Matt from Akron]

Another example of "Why let bothersome facts get in the way of an agenda?"

Goebbels would be proud.

[hexene]

Darwins Stepchild wrote:

<quoted text>
Yes, Kathy...and as I have said before...you know cattywhompus when you see it.

You know that Cattywhompus is a very powerful mystical factor.....so beware when you start hearing the Twighlight Zone music.....you never know what will hit you if you are silly or ignorant enough to fall into the Cattywhompus zone of Kathy's.

[Darwins Stepchild]

hexene wrote:

<quoted text>
You know that Cattywhompus is a very powerful mystical factor.....so beware when you start hearing the Twighlight Zone music.....you never know what will hit you if you are silly or ignorant enough to fall into the Cattywhompus zone of Kathy's.

Do Dee Do Dee...Do Dee Do Dee...

[Paul]

Forrest Gump said it best: "Stupid is as stupid does".

[polymath257]

As mentioned in the blog, the Hardy-Weinberg law is a standard for the area. It's fairly basic, and mostly applies to equilibrium populations, but it's a good candidate.

[Katydid]

Gillette wrote:

Katydid
We can use your gene expertise on the thread "Evolution No established Truth" where Wilson claims emphatically that no mutation has ever been beneficial to an organism.
http://www.topix.net/forum/news/evolution/T2K...
We pointed him to the lactose gene found in northern Europeans, but he was WAY to clever to accept THAT!:)

Aye, aye El Capitán!

I have attempted to educate Wilson, and also the one know as "Wiggy", do not hold your breath though!!

8^)

[Katydid]

hexene wrote:

<quoted text>
You know that Cattywhompus is a very powerful mystical factor.....so beware when you start hearing the Twighlight Zone music.....you never know what will hit you if you are silly or ignorant enough to fall into the Cattywhompus zone of Kathy's.

There is a dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension where man lives in harmony with dinosaurs, where the beasts work for man, providing transportation, power to run factories and assistance in doing household chores (like vacuuming).

It is in an area we call “The Cattywhompus Zone”.

Imagine if you will…………………………

Bedrock.

WILMMMAAAA !!!!!!!

8^)

[TedHOhio]

Katydid wrote:

<quoted text>
Aye, aye El Capitán!
I have attempted to educate Wilson, and also the one know as "Wiggy", do not hold your breath though!!
8^)

Just know that if your efforts to educate fails, it is not because you did a poor job! Your posts are always EXCELLENT reading. It's just that your audience is doing the equivalent of "Hear no evil" and "See no Evil" while they post.

I am always amazed, and I shouldn't be, at the capacity for self-delusion. I am sure there are areas where I delude my handsome, thin, full-head-of-hair, self, but when a dozen obviously smart people tell you the same thing in a bunch of different ways and you have to start creating arguments with no basis in reality, that should be a decent indicator something ain't kosher.

Oopppps, went by the mirror. Delusions all gone :-( Yup, the bald spot is shaped like Antarctica today. Nope, it wasn't a Fun House mirror, that's all me. Still ugly as sin. Oh well delusions dashed. Gonna just have to stick around and dash a few for other folks!:-)

[Katydid]

TedHOhio wrote:

<quoted text>
Just know that if your efforts to educate fails, it is not because you did a poor job! Your posts are always EXCELLENT reading. It's just that your audience is doing the equivalent of "Hear no evil" and "See no Evil" while they post.
I am always amazed, and I shouldn't be, at the capacity for self-delusion. I am sure there are areas where I delude my handsome, thin, full-head-of-hair, self, but when a dozen obviously smart people tell you the same thing in a bunch of different ways and you have to start creating arguments with no basis in reality, that should be a decent indicator something ain't kosher.
Oopppps, went by the mirror. Delusions all gone :-( Yup, the bald spot is shaped like Antarctica today. Nope, it wasn't a Fun House mirror, that's all me. Still ugly as sin. Oh well delusions dashed. Gonna just have to stick around and dash a few for other folks!:-)

What is the alternative? We all just have to keep doing our best, trying to educate and most importantly, convey to people of faith that biological evolution does NOT equal atheism. If people of faith are erroneously led to believe (by certain militant and fundamentalist atheists whom also just happen to be evolutionary biologists) that by accepting the facts of evolution they are denying the existence of God, what do you think they will do?

Fron a good article that was in the NYT two summers ago:

Dr. Owen Gingerich, emeritus professor of astronomy at Harvard said of Dawkins:

'in simultaneously defending evolution and insisting upon atheism, Dr. Dawkins probably “single-handedly makes more converts to intelligent design than any of the leading intelligent design theorists.” "

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/25/science/25b...

[Katydid]

Oh, shoot, I do not want to make anyone register for the Times, you can read a copy of the Times article here also:

http://evolutionandchristianfaith.org/index.p...

[TedHOhio]

Katydid wrote:

<quoted text>
What is the alternative? We all just have to keep doing our best, trying to educate and most importantly, convey to people of faith that biological evolution does NOT equal atheism. If people of faith are erroneously led to believe (by certain militant and fundamentalist atheists whom also just happen to be evolutionary biologists) that by accepting the facts of evolution they are denying the existence of God, what do you think they will do?
Fron a good article that was in the NYT two summers ago:
Dr. Owen Gingerich, emeritus professor of astronomy at Harvard said of Dawkins:
'in simultaneously defending evolution and insisting upon atheism, Dr. Dawkins probably “single-handedly makes more converts to intelligent design than any of the leading intelligent design theorists.” "
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/25/science/25b...

I tend to put Dawkins in the same boat as a militant fundie, while they are coming from opposite directions, they are both pretty much using the same tactics. Dawkins doesn't want to believe in any form of God, fine. He doesn't have to. But when he 'preaches' I get annoyed. By the same token when some ID'iot claims not to accept Evolution, I say the same thing. It's when they are preaching against science I get annoyed. And when either mis-characterizes the other, then I tend to get real annoyed and start making comments :-). Extremists of any variety tend to drive people toward the other side!

You know the mental picture of Dawkins along in a small boat with only a militant fundamentalist evangelical Christian might be fun! Now there is a Reality show! "Boating with Dawkins!" Today we see who survives with a Dr. Dawkins, our resident militant atheist, vs Ann Coulter, Conservative mouthpiece! Will the boat travel to the Left or to the Right or will it be destroyed on the Shoals of Uncertainty! Stay tuned for this exciting battle!