Posted on 08/31/2015 6:34:06 PM PDT by Faith Presses On
In Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species (1859) and in his later works, he referred to several "vestiges" in human anatomy that were left over from the course of evolution. These vestigial organs, Darwin argued, are evidence of evolution and represent a function that was once necessary for survival, but over time that function became either diminished or nonexistent.
(snip)
The Human Appendix
In plant-eating vertebrates, the appendix is much larger and its main function is to help digest a largely herbivorous diet. The human appendix is a small pouch attached to the large intestine where it joins the small intestine and does not directly assist digestion. Biologists believe it is a vestigial organ left behind from a plant-eating ancestor. Interestingly, it has been noted by paleontologist Alfred Sherwood Romer in his text The Vertebrate Body (1949) that the major importance of the appendix "would appear to be financial support of the surgical profession", referring to, of course, the large number of appendectomies performed annually. In 2000, in fact, there were nearly 300,000 appendectomies performed in the United States, and 371 deaths from appendicitis. Any secondary function that the appendix might perform certainly is not missed in those who had it removed before it might have ruptured.
(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...
In the case of communists, jihadists, fascists and Democrats, the brain is only a vestigial organ.
For some that will remain nameless because of lack of time and space the brain has become a vestigial organ. Commonly have receiving a PhD.
The truth about the appendix is they aren’t really sure what it does. I couldn’t gain a pound until my appendix was removed.
On the other hand, I have difficulty gaining weight my entire life and haven’t had an appendix since I was 18 month old.
i don’t doubt natural selection. we see those results change a species very quickly from generation to generation.
the problem i have is when people say macroevolution is settled science. it is not. it’s just theory. and it’s a theory you cannot test. so the scientific method can’t be applied, therefore it’s not settled. this is large scale evolution from say an amoeba to a blue whale. the timescale to see such changes happen naturally would be on the order of many millions of years.
but one thing has always nagged at me. if macroevolutionists are correct, why have so many species simply stopped evolving and stayed the same for tens of millions of years. i’m thinking of species like great white sharks and crocodiles. even as successful top predators, you would think there are still adaptations that could/would occur to make them even more successful... but the fossil record says that they’ve remained essentially unchanged for tens of millions of years. this seems counterintuitive. if evolution is a constant process brought about by random mutations that can sometimes prove beneficial.
anyway, it really doesn’t matter much to me. as a Catholic, i don’t believe in all of that young earth stuff that some Protestants do. even if we did evolve from amoebas, God was still there at the beginning to bring life from nothing. i just have a problem with accepting things to be settled science without seeing proof.
The Appendix is not considered a vestigial organ.
As published in several peer reviewed journals by researchers from Duke University Medical Center, the function of the Appendix is to provide a back up supply of healthy digestive flora to guard against cholera and other digestive disorders and diseases.
Without a healthy gut microflora, the ability to breakdown and digest food is impaired.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/thats-no-vestigial-organ-thats-my-a-09-08-24/
Phillip of Macedon, the Father of Alexander was blind in one eye and had a bad arm and leg.
He once said he had one good everything and two good balls.
You can get by without a lot but that doesn’t mean they aren’t good to have.
The appendix is a bacteria factory - it’s purpose is to replace bacteria in the lower gut ...
Yes, I know. I linked to an article about that in my Post 1, but maybe a lot of people read the article and missed my comment. I actually posted this article because, as I explained in my first comment, I used to hear all the time in the early 2000’s atheists/secular humanists using the appendix as an argument for evolution and ultimately against God’s existence, but once this news broke in 2007, they simply stopped making the claim.
That too and the coccyx as well ... the prehensile tail supposedly.
“...it really doesn’t matter much to me. as a Catholic, i don’t believe in all of that young earth stuff that some Protestants do. even if we did evolve from amoebas, God was still there at the beginning to bring life from nothing.”
I go beyond you as a Catholic or ‘some Protestants’...I believe it is all settled in the Genesis account. God created the heavens and the earth.
And then we find chaos. We do know that Lucifer, one of the highest archangels, was given dominion over the earth. Lucifer was not given dominion over a planet that had no form, covered with water. Nor was he given dominion over a lot of rocks. He had dominion over a creation...a creation that preceded the account of man’s creation in Genesis. This all ended when Lucifer reached out his had to take God’s throne, and he with a third of the angels (his third) were cast out of heaven.
When that happened I believe God wiped out the civilization that was on earth at that time with a flood. We read later in the Bible that the sun, moon and stars were ‘turned off’...instant deep freeze...the ice age that is today so difficult to explain.
In Genesis we find the Spirit of God hovering over the face of the deep. Instant thaw!
And from that point in the Genesis ‘creation’ account, what we see is ‘re-creation’.
I have no problem with the six days as literal six earth days as we know them today. And that was about six thousand years ago. The earth, though is ‘eons’ older.
As far as the ‘useless appendages’ are concerned, and the appendix in particular, man probably was mostly vegetarian in the beginning of this creation, and needed the appendix for aiding in the digestion of that vegetable matter being consumed. Later, when not needed for that function because of the more carnivorous diet, though we have always, I believe, been omnivores, still serves a purpose.
As for the ‘tits’ on the boar (in this case, the man), God created Adam first. In His image and in His likeness. With creative powers. And reproductive powers. Then God saw that man needed a help-meet, and created woman out of the man, Adam. Adam said, ‘Flesh of my flesh, bone of my bone’...so the mammary glands that Adam had, were no longer needed by him, but were needed by the woman, Eve.
Adam is told by God to ‘replenish’ the earth. This is the same instruction God gave to Noah after the Flood...’replenish’.
God also set the rainbow in the sky as a token of his promise to Noah to never destroy the earth again by Flood. Why was this so necessary? I believe it is because this is the second time God destroyed a civilization by Flood.
I could go on...and as I post this I expect all sorts of flame-throwers to come out, so flame away...I am protected...
My loins are Girt about with Truth, I have on the Breast Plate of Righteousness, my feet are Shod with the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace, I have taken up the Shield of Faith to quench your fiery darts, I have also donned the Helmet of Salvation, and taken the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God!
Had my appendix taken out in 1997.
Walked in with six pack abs.
Dr. nicked a vein and I lost over 1/2 my blood.
Walked out 11 days later and I was cut from the sternum to the pelvic bone, which was a requirement to find the vein he nicked...
Darwinian evolution is based on the premise that minor errors may sometimes be a serious serendipitous advantage leading to reproductive success.
But you don't use something like this excess brain capacity it can't giving you any reproductive advantage
Even having 10% of your brain that you're not using would be illogical from a Darwinian evolutionary perspective let alone evolving 80% 90% of brain capacity never used
... so either this excess brain capacity human have is a myth or Darwinian evolution has some holes in it
Dunno. But I have heard you use more of your brain when listening to music than any other activity.
So why wouldn’t writing and composing music require even more?
“...as I post this I expect all sorts of flame-throwers to come out, so flame away...I am protected...”
How about I throw this at you instead: You are not alone.
Thank you, my southern belle, I appreciate the support! As the hymn writer said,
God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.
Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.
His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.
Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.
William Cowper has always been a favorite of mine. His words in this hymn in a way suggest the essence of my earlier post.
Thanks for the great reply, GG. I thought I recognized the name of Cowper, but it took some time and mental effort to finally associate “variety is the spice of life” with him.
It’s amazing what penned beauty came from such a tortured soul.
Blessings to you.
Like many things we learned as kids because it was SCIENCE, this one proved to not be true, in this case, thanks to the advent of brain scans (okay - better science). Most of us use our whole brain, but not necessarily all at the same time.
Saw fascinating show on some health network where a young girl with seizures had half her brain removed. It stopped the seizures, but she obviously lost a lot of basic functionality. The fascinating part was that over time, she gained some functionality back as the brain adapted and rewired itself.
We are fearfully and wonderfully made!
Blessings to you too! And btw, ‘Cowper’ is pronounced ‘Cooper’.
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