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From: flink@umcp-cs.UUCP (Paul V. Torek)
Newsgroups: net.origins
Subject: So simple, even a creationist can understand!
Message-ID: <786@umcp-cs.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 9-Jul-85 16:40:27 EDT
Article-I.D.: umcp-cs.786
Posted: Tue Jul  9 16:40:27 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 12-Jul-85 04:33:19 EDT
References: <2156@ut-sally.UUCP> <347@scgvaxd.UUCP> <300@azure.UUCP> <350@scgvaxd.UUCP> <535@psivax.UUCP>
Reply-To: flink@maryland.UUCP (Paul V. Torek)
Organization: U of Maryland, Computer Science Dept., College Park, MD
Lines: 16
Keywords: Re: A new voice.

In article <535@psivax.UUCP> friesen@psivax.UUCP (Stanley Friesen) writes:
>So *most*, mutations are "harmful", this is where N[atural].S[election].
>comes in, it amplifies the few "beneficial" ones that do occur.

Exactly.  One creationist expressed bafflement at the idea that mutation
could result in evolutionary chains that "go so far" as the "distance"
between radically different organisms.  But try this experiment:  flip
several (many) coins, and move to the right on a number line (start
at zero) only when you get all coins coming up heads.  This represents
movement toward an adapted complex species.  Move to the left every
time you get any result other than all heads.  Only there's one catch:
you don't get to move to the left.

You can go pretty far, with enough trials.

--the evolving iconoclast, Paul V Torek