Convergence: an animal outside standard descent (Introduction)

by dhw, Thursday, August 03, 2017, 10:55 (2462 days ago) @ David Turell

DAVID’s comment: Convergence is a strong indicator there is a design mechanism in the evolutionary process. There may have been one or more initial starts to life but the concept of common descent needs to recognize, the chain of relationship is not so common.

dhw: I agree that there is a design mechanism, and I suggest that the design mechanism is what has enabled life to diversify into all its many forms, as all the different organisms use their (perhaps God-given) intelligence in order to cope with or exploit their environments rather than to serve the single purpose of producing the human brain. And yes, maybe life did start more than once. Darwin, in theist mode, says so himself: “There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed by the Creator into a few forms or into one.” (My bold)

DAVID: Simon Conway Morris has championed convergence as a key issue in understanding evolution, and has written a book called Life's Solution; Inevitable Humans in a Lonely Universe, which underlies my point about our big brain as the final point.

I don’t have any problem at all with convergence: as I said before, it makes perfect sense that intelligent organisms should come up with similar solutions to similar problems. How that can mean your God started life with the sole purpose of producing the human brain I really don’t know, and although of course I acknowledge the uniqueness of our capabilities, how anyone can assume he knows the final point of evolution is beyond me. Sadly, none of us will be around to prove otherwise.