Researching the capabilities and theoretical limits of evolution, mutation, and selection from a design perspective.
Ralph Seelke, PhD
John C. Sanford, PhD
Michael Behe’s proposals of Irreducible Complexity (IC) state that biological structures which show IC cannot evolve from mutations and undirected biological processes. Dr. Behe claims that the bacterial flagellum is one such biological component that exhibits IC. In order test Behe’s proposal in the laboratory, scientists are using gene knock-out methods to form a type III system with a missing flagellar component and see if the bacteria, on their own, can assemble the TTS into a functional flagellum. If the flagellum is not irreducibly complex, bacteria should be able to develop one through mass breeding of the bacteria with the disabled flagellum.
That's very interesting. At the Dover trial Behe was asked if he or anyone in the design movement had actually performed this experiment, or any equivalent experiment, and his answer, under oath, was no.
On the other hand, experiments similar to this one, but less ambitious, have been performed, with positive results.
In his book, The Edge of Evolution, Behe proposes that evolutionary change requiring two specific steps is impossible from the standpoint of probability, but there are observations in existing literature of two and three step adaptations. Behe's probability assumptions are observably wrong.
I suspect that the knockout technique will be used more and more in research.
[[In his book, The Edge of Evolution, Behe proposes that evolutionary change requiring two specific steps is impossible from the standpoint of probability, but there are observations in existing literature of two and three step adaptations. Behe’s probability assumptions are observably wrong.]]
You are talking about two entirely seperate topics here- adaptation does NOT produce NEW organs or parts that are not species specific- We’re talking about complex parts in the case of the ecoli ‘outboard’ motor locomotion aparatus. There is absolutely NO evidence that ecoli carried around the parts before a final natural assembly- An adaptation can only work on information already present -it can’t create NEW parts or NEW information. All of the examples I gave NEED ALL of the information present in order to function and indeed to keep the species alive. The Dover trial asked if Behe had done hte experiments BUT it did NOT require the opposing scientific view to produce any such evidence- it allowed them a hypothesis while demanding proof from Behe? Behe’s hypothesis is sound and hte other examples given are sound.