Randy Isaac « ASA Book Discussion

ID Prediction #4

By Randy Isaac, on March 11th, 2010%

“Informational accounting will reveal that any improvements in replicase function in ribozymes are the result of active informa¬tion supplied by ribozyme engineers.”

This is the experimental biochemistry version of the computer simulation prediction (see #2). Meyer discusses in some degree of detail how origin-of-life researchers strive to demonstrate experimentally how replicase functions can arise from various RNA-world . . . → Read More: ID Prediction #4

ID Prediction #3

By Randy Isaac, on March 9th, 2010%

“Future experiments will continue to show that RNA catalysts lack the capacities necessary to render the RNA-world scenario plausible.”

Meyer presents another set of predictions that relate to the “structure, organization, and functional logic of living systems.” This is the first of four predictions in this field.

Several chapters of the book are devoted to analyzing proposed origin-of-life . . . → Read More: ID Prediction #3

ID Prediction #2

By Randy Isaac, on March 8th, 2010%

“Informational accounting will reveal that sources of active information are responsible for putatively successful computer-based evolutionary simulations.”

This is closely related to the first prediction, extending it to the realm of computer simulations of evolution as well as the real world of physical processes. The idea is that even a computer program designed to imitate evolution by . . . → Read More: ID Prediction #2

ID Prediction #1

By Randy Isaac, on March 6th, 2010%

“No undirected process will demonstrate the capacity to generate 500 bits of new information starting from a nonbiological source.”

This prediction relates to the causal powers of materialistic mechanisms. It is derived from the primary claim of ID which, according to Meyer, is that information, in particular complex specified information, can only be generated by an intelligent . . . → Read More: ID Prediction #1

ID Predictions

By Randy Isaac, on March 6th, 2010%

Meyer acknowledges that critics of ID have claimed that ID is not scientific, in part because it isn’t testable. He devotes chapter 18 to presenting six reasons why he believes ID is truly science. In Appendix A, Meyer suggests a dozen predictions derived from the claims of ID. These predictions, he claims, constitute a set of . . . → Read More: ID Predictions

Validity of Historical Sciences

By Randy Isaac, on February 24th, 2010%

One of the best parts of Signature in the Cell is Meyer’s defense of the historical sciences. Meyer acknowledges his debt of gratitude to Charles Thaxton for private discussions beginning in the 80’s about historical sciences, or origin sciences as Thaxton calls it. Thaxton wrote The Mystery of Life’s Origins in 1984 together with Roger Olsen . . . → Read More: Validity of Historical Sciences

Complex Specified Information Without an Intelligent Source

By Randy Isaac, on February 16th, 2010%

Meyer claims that specified complex information can only arise from an intelligent source, justifying that claim by citing a series of examples. One of those examples is computer code. In my previous post, I suggested that this was not an adequate example because of fundamental differences between computer code and DNA information. An obvious question is . . . → Read More: Complex Specified Information Without an Intelligent Source

DNA Information and Computer Code

By Randy Isaac, on February 12th, 2010%

Meyer specifically cites computer code as an analogy to DNA information. In fact, he insists that it is more than an analogy. In chapter 17, he addresses several critiques of ID including the claim that it is based on analogy. On page 386 he states “Although a computer program may be similar to DNA in . . . → Read More: DNA Information and Computer Code

Information and complexity

By Randy Isaac, on January 29th, 2010%

A more detailed explanation of how to think about information and complexity can be found in a recent lecture I gave at Gordon College. To follow the lecture, it is helpful to have these notes.

I’ll try to summarize the key points here once more.
Information is physical complexity which may occur through natural causes or crafted . . . → Read More: Information and complexity

Information from an Intelligent Source

By Randy Isaac, on January 24th, 2010%

In light of the comments by Jon and Bill, I’d like to devote this post to restating what I’ve already posted but in somewhat different terms to hopefully make it clearer. I’m trying to make two specific points.

Point #1: Meyer devotes his book to showing that CSI always comes from an intelligent source and since DNA . . . → Read More: Information from an Intelligent Source

ASA Book Discussion