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Gerald Lenner, Ph.D.November 14, 2008

“I Prefer Experimental Science !”

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Talk Outline

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• Experiment, the essence of science (Scientific Method)• Is the theory evolution verified by experiment ?

– Origin of life ?– Organic evolution and fossils ?– “Parallel structure” enigma ?

• Conclusions and good things

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Science Scientific Scientific Fiction Plausibility Fact(Speculation with (Arguments based on (Verified by Scientific Words) Scientific Principles Scientific Method)

Less Experiment More Experiment

Study of Origins

How Confident Are We of About Our Origins ?

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The Scientific Method

1) State the question

2) Form a hypothesis

3) Do experiments

4) Interpret data and draw conclusions

5) Revise theory

Good theories are predictive and falsifiable

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Scientific Method Example

The sphere is fastest - try this at home

Theory - true ?

Notice how the theory, F = ma, is predictive and subject to falsification.

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Can we replicate the history of the earth in the lab ?

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Cambrian Explosion

4.5 Billion 3.5 2.0 1.0 0.6 present

Earth “Organic Soup” Photosynthetic Animals Man Formed Plants 4 m.y.a.

The Theory of Evolution

Time Scale - billions of years before present

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Cambrian Explosion

4.5 Billion 3.5 2.0 1.0 0.6 present

Earth “Organic Soup” Photosynthetic Animals Man Formed Plants 4 m.y.a.

How did life begin ?

How did life evolve ?

Experimental Proof ??

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Where did life start ?• Charles Darwin’s “warm little pond”• Undersea hydrothermal vents• Ocean foam

Where did the building blocks come from ?• The early atmosphere• Comets, asteroids, and meteorites

How did life start ?• Soup theory - “RNA first” and “Protein first”• Crystalline clay substrates• Pyrite (fool’s gold)• Self-organization

How about creation ... ?

Popular Ideas Regarding the Origin of Life

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Amino Acids & Proteins

Amino Acids (20)

Protein Structure Assembly

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Miller / Urey Experiment (1953)

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How probable is the spontaneous formation of life ?

?=+

Odds of a given (a priori) n length protein to be spontaneously formed goes as (1/20)n, for example P100 = 10130 : 1

What are the chances of life spontaneous forming on earth ? According to Hoyle and Wickramasinghe, 1040,000 to 1. About as likely as a tornado going through a junkyard and assembling a Boeing 747 !

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C. S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain Book OrganismNot many yeas ago when I was an atheist, if anyone had asked me, “Why do you not believe In God?” my reply would have run something like this: “Look at the universe …

Paragraph Cell

years Not would many “Why ago when anyone Look an atheist, if universe … asked had me, do not believe In reply would have run you something I was my like this: “at the God?”

Sentence DNA

oears Not woeld many “Whes agu wten anyeone Loek an atheist, yf univqrse … asked had se, do not bwlieve In reptly wokld hyve run yoa somwthing I uas mi tike this, “rt tte God?”

Word Protein

Ms&k eas E.j w eism Tjme,shji fyhdSoik 3R trcvjh0sS yskS dfGuyj oo ijkg FDr kYoy F djRH Ojbn p;.eRe ipbsT ug]j RCVb

Letter(Case correct)

Amino Acid L - only

ms&k Eas EJ W Eism tjMe,Shji fyHDSoIk #R trcVjh)sS ysKS dFGuYj oo iJkg FDR KYoy F djRH oJBN p;.ERe ipBsT ug]j RCVB

Letter Amino Acid Right & Left

Origin of Life / Language Analogy

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LIVING CELL

BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS

LARGE MACRO-MOLECULES(proteins, DNA, RNA, etc.)

SIMPLE ORGANIC MOLECULES(amino acids, etc.)

EARLY ATMOSPHERE

Biological Necessities for Life

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EARLY ATMOSPHERE -• Evolutionists theorize a reducing atmosphere, evidence

supports oxidizing atmosphere.• If oxygen is present, molecules oxidize, if no oxygen, no

ozone layer UV from sun breaks molecules down.

SIMPLE ORGANIC MOLECULES -• Effects of dilution must be overcome.• Same energy needed for bonds also destroys them.• Incompatibility - molecular reactions with each other.

Problems with the Evolutionary Origin of Life

Details - Part I

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LARGE MACRO-MOLECULES (proteins, DNA, RNA, etc.) -• Chemical interactions.• Polymerization is not energetically favored.• How do you get correct sequence of amino acids to form proteins?• How are only L-amino (left amino acids) selected for life?

BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS -• No spontaneous self-assembly.• You need DNA to make proteins but you need proteins (to make a

the cell structure) to make DNA.

LIVING CELL -• No “simple” cells are found.• “Statistical proteins”? Smallest genetic mistake causes devastating

effects.

Problems with the EvolutionaryOrigin of Life Details - Part II

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Cambrian Explosion Example

Trilobites

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Theoretical Evolution of Man

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Can the moths

become blue ?

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Fruit Fly Mutations

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Gaps in the Fossil Record

Fish to amphibian Bat

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Fossil Record (con’t)

Plesiosaur Seal

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How Much is Science ?

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Parallel Structure Enigma

Thomas Eisner and Daniel Aneshansley

Bombardier Beetle

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Why Believe in Evolution ?

People Don’t Commit Intellectual Suicide

Simon says; → Oxygen weighs 16 amu → F = ma → Genes are stored in DNA → People evolved…

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Why do Christians Care ?

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Conclusions - Good Things

• The theory of evolution has severe problems– No explanation for the origin of life– No support in fossil record– No explanation for parallel structure development

• You can believe in an intelligent designer - no conflict with empirical science

• You can place confidence in Genesis

• If God created a very complex world which is tarnished by the fall, God can create another world that is perfect (heaven) just as easy.

• If God built it, he can fix it.