Fun with evolution!
My son recently showed me an online capture of a presentation about Spore, an “evolution game” in the works by the creator of the Sims. (SimAnt, SimCity, etc.) You start out with a little plankton-like creature, and with each successive generation, you can tinker with the genetics and create whole new species, eventually working up to civilations that build homes, wage war, and so forth. (If you have Flash and a broadband connection, check out this fun animation on the Spore website. Although the style bears no resemblance to the actual game.)
What occurred to me later is this irony: this game, which is supposed to be about evolution, provides an even better example of intelligent design. The creatures cannot change/evolve unless the programmers program them to, or the players reach into the eggs and reconfigure their bones and their brains. I understand and certainly believe in micro-evolution. But to believe that spontaneous change toward greater complexity happens independent of a designer seems to me to require quite a bit of blind faith.
It reminds me of an old cartoon. Two mathematicians are standing in front of a formula-filled chalkboard; in the midst of the scribbled numbers and symbols, are the words “And then, a miracle occurs.” The one fellow says to the other, “I think you need more detail here in Step Four.”
Exactly!
Whether you agree or disagree with me, have fun with the animation, anyway!
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