DESIGN: FACT OR ILLUSION?

 

(Otherwise titled “The Big Bang”)

Apparently celebrated evolutionist Richard Dawkins, among others, claims that while all of nature “looks” like it’s been designed, that’s actually just an illusion: it really isn’t designed at all (and he knows because he’s been around for all eternity, and has existed throughout the entire universe, of course).

Well, there’s a story going around with some relevence which may or may not be true: I’ll leave the decision to you, but it goes something like this…

One day Mr Dawkins was preparing to leave his house for yet another lucrative book-signing session, when a large explosion in the driveway in front of the house shook the building. Striding towards the front door, which was now hanging on one hinge, he gasped in shock and horror at the scene which met his eyes.

Where his beloved new limousine had been parked the night before there was now a tangled mass of charred and smoking debris, and the first confirmation that this debris was the remainder of his beautiful car was the sight of a steering wheel hanging from the oak tree. Something resembling an exhaust pipe had wrapped itself around the “No Religious Proselytizing Here” sign, and a hub cap, still wobbling, had somehow landed on the head of the Charles Darwin statue which adorned the garden fountain.

Moving mouth-agape towards the wreckage, Richard was now painfully taking on board the cold, stark reality that this was indeed his new limo. Over there was the hood… and over there was the hood…and way, way over there was the hood.

“Oh Dear!” exclaimed Richard with some degree of passion and consternation, “This is terrible!”

From the corner of his eye Richard detected his chauffer shuffling reverently from the garage.

“Dennis!” burst Richard, now in bitter tears…”what in God’s name has happened to my new car?

“My car…my new car…! It was so beautiful…it was so comfortable…it was so …so…expensive!

“It had leather upholstery, it had eight cylinders, it was fully equipped with all the optional electric extras…it had a state of the art guidance system and built in television! It was designed by the finest automobile technicians…!”

“No sir!” interrupted the chauffer gently, but with an undeniably wry grin, “you only thought it was designed –  that was just an illusion!”

Copyright © by Nick Fisher, September 2012

11 thoughts on “DESIGN: FACT OR ILLUSION?”

  1. It’s quite easy to use the fact that Richard Dawkins wasn’t there when the earth originated and developed until it became what it is now as a reason that he would be wrong. In fact, nobody of us was there, does that mean we are all wrong? Probably – I would say.
    You use the metaphor of a nondesigned car to show that a nondesigned thing would not work.
    Fortunately, this is not the case for cars in real life. Unfortunately, it is so for nature.
    In nature there is a lot of stuff that doesn’t work. What to think of human rudimentary tail bones? Or the rudimentary leg bones in whales?
    Or maybe more evident, hiccups. Why do we have such a reflex? Why does our nervous system make us do that? It has no use whatsoever and it can be quite annoying. It makes no sense! Except of course in light of evolution. The same reflex exists in amphibians that can switch between the use of gills and the use of lungs (tadpoles for instance). These have a reflex that shuts the channel between the lungs and the mouth hole when going under water and breething there. When on land, they open the channel between the lungs and the mouth hole. A hiccup occurs! Why would we have a nervous system that provides us with a reflex that’s annoying and only useful when you’re an amphibian? I’m not giving the answer, but I’ll give you a hint. It starts with the letter E.
    (to keep things pleasant I used hiccups as an example, but I could’ve also used many diseases that humans are vulnerable to as a result our origin –> the analogy with the non-designed car starts to make actual sense)

    Kind regards,
    Sjors.

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    1. I think it should have been obvious to you that I meant that you are relying entirely on probability for the creation of a baby or Moonlight Sonata, whereas I rely on a supremely inteliigent Creator. If you want to think that I am deluded as I’m sure you do, that’s fine. I wouls far rather be “deluded” than without hope. End of conversation.

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      2. Thanks for your very thoughtful comments. In answer, I would say that given the multitude of conditions which have to be in place in our universe, solar system and world, and which have to be finely tuned and constant for our beautiful world to support life, you have nothing else to rely on for evolution but chance, at fantastic and impossible odds to boot.

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      3. Regardless what the world looks like, you, as a person living inside of it, will always consider it to be “beautiful.” This is a bias.

        Regardless of which hypothetical world we live in, there will always be a different “multitude of conditions” for that universe to exist.

        In short, gawking at the world or universe and saying, “Wow! Science can never explain this! It therefore must be God!” is not the way to answer deep questions.

        Evolution is not a “chance” event. It is probability over vast time. If you don’t understand the difference, you should do so research into how evolution works. It might interest you.

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      4. Thank you, I’ve had evolutionism stuffed down my throat for several decades – that’s enough for me. I’ve seen no evidence for it whatsoever, only the “findings of those who share your bias. I have solid reasons for believing as I do, and I have no time for blind faith, despite what you probably think. We all choose where our hearts will be, and the consequences that follow. You have chosen to believe in your ‘probability”: I have chosen to believe that there is a more intelligent being than man, and that He is able to do more than we are. If you wish to have meaningful discussion, that’s great, but if you wish to convince me that all believers including myself are ignorant and that you are the enlightened one, please don’t bother, I have much better things to do with my time.

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