Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site phri.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxn!ihnp4!houxm!mtuxo!mtunh!mtung!mtunf!ariel!vax135!timeinc!phri!fritz
From: fritz@phri.UUCP (Dave Fritzinger)
Newsgroups: net.origins
Subject: Re: A new voice.
Message-ID: <323@phri.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 12-Jul-85 11:28:27 EDT
Article-I.D.: phri.323
Posted: Fri Jul 12 11:28:27 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 13-Jul-85 14:50:46 EDT
References: <2156@ut-sally.UUCP> <347@scgvaxd.UUCP> <285@phri.UUCP> <358@scgvaxd.UUCP>
Organization: Public Health Research Inst. (NY, NY)
Lines: 43

> 
>  I can just as easily say that I believe in creation because species
>  seem to have a common design. This best explains the existance of such
>  complex structures as a brain, heart, and sexual reproduction organs.
>  Biological evolution seems inadequate for the development of emotions
>  and the ability to reason. In fact, a metaphysical explanation for them
>  is required. Can you describe the physical development of love, hate, or
>  joy? What were these emotions before they evolved into the present ones?
>  Did man "reason" just a little at first, than "reason" a lot later?
>  Yes, evolution has it's answers to these questions. But, are they more
>  or less reasonable? More or less rational or logical? I believe they are
>  not. In fact, they are very incomplete. Is any naturalistic hypothesis
>  superior than a supernatural one just because it is naturalistic?
> 
>  Sounds to me like you want to believe in Evolution! I guess that makes
>  us the same!
> 
> 					 Dan

Okay, let's talk about "common design" then.  If you look at the skeletons
of various mammals, they show quite a bit of similarity.  Now, this is
quite amazing when you consider animals as diverse as a mouse and an
elephant.  But let's look at another class of mammals-whales.   What I
find most amazing, and I might add, extremely good evidence for evolution,
is the rear leg bones of the whales.  Even though they serve no purpose,
and cannot be seen from the outside, WHALES HAVE LEGS!!!  Now, this is 
easily explained by evolution, since you can say that, of course they
have the leg bones since whales are related to the other mammals. It is
just that they have degenerated, since they are not selected for-stream-
lining being a more important advantage to mammals that live in the
sea.  However, I fail to see an explanation for this phenomenon in
creationism.  I guess that you could say that the creator made a mistake,
and gave whales something they didn't need, but that certainly isn't very
satisfying.  Any other explanations for this, Dan?  By the way, this is
not the only example of this happening.  One other example that comes to
mind is the evolution of horses hooves, where you can see the gradual 
loss of toes until things reached the current state

Dave Fritzinger
Public Health Research Institute
NY,NY

allegra!phri!fritz