Can Darwin’s theoryexplain the complexity of

nature?

DarwinismDarwinism

Gradual change over millions of years

+ survival of the fittest

Changes from primitive to complex

”If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed, which could not possibly have been formed bynumerous, successive, slight modifications, my theorywould absolutely break down”

Charles DarwinThe Origin of Species, 1872

-- the the onlyonly explanationexplanation

- a fact (as the law of gravity)(as the law of gravity)

-- Darwin Darwin –– the biology’s the biology’s NewtonNewton

- confirmed through 150 years of researchthrough 150 years of research

- The critics areunscientificunscientificignorantignorantfanaticsfanatics

””TheThe wayway ofof thethe CellCell””

”…there are presently no detailed Darwinianaccounts of the evolution of any biochemicalsystems, only a variety of wishful speculations”

(Franklin Harold, 2001)Colorado State University biochemist

”I believe that one day the darwinian mythwill be ranked

the greatest deceit in the history of science”

Prof. Søren Løvtrup”Darwinism: The Refutation of a myth”, 1987

ComplexityComplexity from from simplicitysimplicity

”The one thing that makes evolution such a neat theory is that it explains how organizedcomplexity can arise out of primevalsimplicity”

Richard Dawkins”The Blind Watchmaker”

SpecifiedSpecified complexitycomplexity

Science do only know one generator ofspecified complexity – intelligence

ChanceChance, , necessitynecessity and designand design

Chance

Necessity

Design

In In ordinaryordinary lifelife wewedistinguishdistinguish betweenbetween

threethree modes modes ofof explanationsexplanations

2+2=4roulette

ComplexityComplexity ofof naturenature”The entire cell can be viewed as a factory that

contains an elaborate network of interlockingassembly lines, each of which is composed of largeprotein machines….

…… like the machines invented by humans to dealefficiently with the macroscopic world, these protein assemblages contain highly coordinated movingparts”

Bruce Albertspresident of the National Academy of Sciences

"In brief, living organisms are distinguished by their specified complexity.

Crystals are usually taken as the prototypes of simple well-specified structures, because they consist of a very large number of identical molecules packed together in a uniform way.

…..random mixtures of polymers are examples of structures that are complex, but not specified.

The crystals fail to qualify as living because they lack complexity; the mixtures of polymers fail to qualify because they lack specificity."

Leslie Orgel

SpecifiedSpecified complexitycomplexity

OnlyOnly appearantappearant complexitycomplexity

”Biology is the study of complicatedthings that give the appearance ofhaving been designed for a purpose”

Richard Dawkins”The Blind Watchmaker”

GeneratingGenerating complexitycomplexityby by chancechance and and necessitynecessity

Richard Dawkin’s example of how evolutionaryalgorithm can generate complexity (”The Blind Watchmaker”).

He starts out with the target sentence:

METHINKS IT IS LIKE A WEASEL

Generating complexityGenerating complexity

1) Start out with a randomly selected sequence of 28 capital roman letters and spaces

WDL MNLT DTJBKWIRZREZMLQCO P

2) Randomly alter all the letters and spaces that do not agree with the target sentence

3) Whenever an alteration happens to match a corresponding letter in the target sentence, leave it and randomly alter thoseremaining

GeneratingGenerating complexitycomplexity1) WDL MNLT DTJBKWIRZREZMLQCO P2) WDLMNLT DTJBKWIRZREZMLQCO P

10) MDLDMNLS ITJISWHRZREZ MECS P

20) MELDINLS IT DISWPRKE Z WECSEL

30) METHINGS IT ISWLIKE B WECSEL

40) METHINKS IT IS LIKE I WEASEL

43) METHINKS IT IS LIKE A WEASEL

What is achieved?What is achieved?

However:

Teleological (the target is defined)The process is always going to converge (probability 1)Complexity diminisher (for something to be complex, there must be many possibilities that could take its place)Not a blind searchThe evolutionary algorithm is incapable of generating specified complexity. Specified complexity is just borrowed from the target sentence. Nothing is generated!

Illustration of the power of Illustration of the power of evolutionary algorithm to generate specified complexity?evolutionary algorithm to generate specified complexity?

PreliminaryPreliminary conclusionconclusion

Any output of specified complexity requires a prior input of specified complexity.

All the specified complexity we get out of an evolutionary algorithm has first to be put into its construction and into the information that guides the algorithm.

Darwinian evolution cannot generate specified complexity.

”…first of all that many innovations cannot possibly come into existence through accumulation of many small steps,

and even if they can, natural selection cannot accomplish it, because incipient and intermediate stages are not advantageous”

Prof. Søren LøvtrupDarwinism: the refutation of a myth, 1987

”What do you think we are evolving into?”

How do we distinguish between design and chance?

SpecifiedSpecified complexitycomplexity

Probabilistic complexity

Conditionally independent pattern

Probabilistic resources

Specificational complexity

Universal probability bound

W. Dembski, 1998

ProbabilisticProbabilistic complexitycomplexityProbability can be viewed as a form ofcomplexity

The greater the complexity,the smaller the probability

A combination lock

1) Numbers 1 to 39 in 3 alternating directions –probability 1/64 000

2) Numbers 1 to 100 in 5 alternating directions –probability 1/1010

The complexity in ”specified complexity” refers to improbability

ConditionallyConditionally independent independent patternpattern

The patterns must be independent of the events. The patterns not artificially imposed afterthe fact.

KMKKKMMKMMKKKKKMKMKKMMMKKMKMMMKMMMKKKKKKKMMKKKMKKKKMKKKMKMKMMKKMMMMKKKMKKMMKMKMKMMMMMKKMMKMMMMKMMMM

Probability: 1/1030

0100011011000001010011100101110111000000010010001101000101011001111000100110101011110011011110111100

01

00011011

000001011100101110111

0000000100100011010001010110011110001001101010111100110111101111

00

The specfied in ”specified complexity” refersto such conditionally independent patterns

Binary numbersin ascendingorder.

Not a trulyrandom event

ProbabilisticProbabilistic resourcesresources

Replicational and specificational

Specificational resources refer to the number of opportunitiesto specify an event

Replicational resources refer to the number of opportunities for an event to occur

N targets on a wall (specificational resources)M arrows (replicational resources)

Probabilistic resources – product MN

SpecificationalSpecificational complexitycomplexity

KKKKKKKKKK

Design or chance ?

Both sequences have the same probability – 1/1000. The patternof the first is much simpler. Minimum description length.

KKMKMMMKMK

Universal Universal probabilityprobability boundbound

1080 elementary particlesTransition from one physical state to another

not faster than 1045 times per secondThe universe is younger than 1025 seconds

The total number of specified eventsin the cosmic history cannot exceed1080 x 1045 x 1025 = 10150

SpecifiedSpecified complexitycomplexity

Matches conditionally

independent pattern

Low specificational complexity

Below universal probability

bound

High probabilistic complexity

Not by Not by chancechance

The French mathematician Emile Borel proposed1 in 1050 as a universal probability boundbelow which chance could definitely be precluded (never attributed to chance)

Design Design criterioncriterion((specifiedspecified complexitycomplexity))

Forensic scienceArtificial intelligenceCryptographyArcheologySearch for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI)

Research program – monitor millions of radio signals from outer space. Many natural objects in space produce radio signals. Looking for signs of design among all natural, researchers run the signals through computers programmed with pattern-matchers.

SETI(Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence)

SETI signalSETI signal110111011111011111110111111111110111111111111101111111111111111110111111111111111111101111111111111111111111011111111111111111111111111111101111111111111111111111111111111110111111111111111111111111111111111110111111111111111111111111111111111111111111011111111111111111111111111111111111111111111011111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111110111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111110111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111101111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111011111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111101111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111110111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111110111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111101111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111110111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111101111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

Signal in the movieContact (based on a novel by Carl Sagan).

It is a sequence of1126 beats and pauses, re-presenting theprime numbers from 2 to 101.

The SETI researchersin Contact took it as decesive confirmationof an extra-terrestrialIntelligence.

DesignDesign

Is it contingent?Is it complex?Is it specified?

Start

Contingency?

Complexity?

Specification?

Design

yes

yes

yes

Necessity

Chance

Chance

no

no

no

Explanatory filter

DesignDesign Start

Contingency?

Complexity?

Specification?

Design

yes

yes

yes

Necessity

Chance

Chance

no

no

no

Code: 34-98-25-09-71

10 billion possibilities

1) No law of nature turn to theright combination. Contingent

2) Random twirling of the lock’sdial will not help. Complex

3) It is constructed to be specified. 4) One combination opens the lock.

It is specified complexity

If it is opened, then someone knewand chose to dial the correct combination

DarwinianDarwinian mechanismmechanism-- chancechance and and necessitynecessity

”Random mutations plus natural selectionare one surefire way to generate

biological information”

Paul Davis (1999)”The Fifth miracle”

SpecifiedSpecified ComplexityComplexity as as InformationInformation

What sort of information?

– Pure statistical sort of information?– Just flip a coin 100 times, and you will get incredible improbable

sequence

– Specified complex information?– No biologists question whether the functional systems are specified.

SpecifiedSpecified or or unspecifiedunspecified

Random typing:

pitrlkhgferfotmnvcdeseiopcqkjgewa(unspecified complex information)

the(non-complex specified information)

Random typing cannot produce a meaningful text- information that is both complex and specified.

StochasticStochastic processprocess

Stochastic processes provide the most general mathematical means for modelling the joint action of chance and necessity

Since chance and necessity, and their combination characterize natural causes, it follows that naturalcauses are incapable of generating ComplexSpecified Information.

A stochastic process is one whose behavior is non-deterministic in that the next state of the environment is not fully determined by the previous state of the environment.

StochasticStochastic modelsmodels

tsunami

Remove any one of these five components, and the mousetrapwill not function

A mousetrap cannot function unless all components are in place.

A mousetrap must have

platformhold-downbar

spring hammercatch

Michael Michael BeheBehe

Is he a fraud? crank? knave?

His work, we are told, has been ”thoroughly discredited”, ”completely demolished” and ”utterly destroyed”

Biologists reassure each other that Behe has been refuted

Nobody has provided an actual refutation of Behe

They attack a caricature of Behe

Author of ”Darwin’s Black Box”

IrreducibleIrreducible complexitycomplexity

Behe has focused attention on a major conceptualproblem in evolutionary biology

Some structures are provably inaccessible for a direct Darwinian pathway because they have irreducible complexity

Irreducible complex systems require numerous componentsspecifically adapted to each other and each necessaryfor function.

On any formal complexity-theoretical analysis they are complexin the sense required by the complexity-specification criterion.

Specified complexity and irreducible complexitythe connection

The structure consists of at least 20 proteins, and additional30 are used to the construction, function and maintanence.

””TheThe most most efficientefficient machinemachine in in thethe universeuniverse””

The flagellum is an acid-powered rotary motor with a whip-like tail for navigationin watery environment(on E. coli bacterium).

On a darwinian view, a bacterium with a flagellum evolved via the selection mechanism from a bacterium without flagellum.

For this mechanism to produce the flagellum, chancemodifications have to generate the various proteins, thenpreserve them, gather them to the right location in thebacterium, and then properly assemble them.

How? Selection can only build on partial function, and gradually improve it.

1. lys-sensitive celler2. ansamlinger av lys-sensitive celler uten nerveendinger3. en optisk nerve omgitt av pigmenterte celler og dekket av et

gjennomskinnbart lag4. pigmentceller i en grop av økende dyphet5. lyset slipper til slutt kun inn i et lite hull6. en linse dannes over hullet hvor lyset slipper inn7. denne linsen modifiseres med en iris, muskelfester og annet

som gjør organismen i stand til å danne mer komplisertebilder og fokusere bedre

Evolusjon av synet ?

Kipling: ”The Elephant’s Child”

”wishfulspeculations”

When light enters the eye, it first passes through the cornea, then the aqueous humor, lens and vitreous humor. Ultimately it reaches the retina, which is the light-sensing structure of the eye. The retina contains two types of cells, called rods and cones. Rods handle vision in low light, and cones handle color vision and detail. When light contacts these two types of cells, a series of complex chemical reactions occurs.

A photon of light causes a change in the shape of the molecule 11-cis-retinal, which in a picosecond changes to trans-retinal.

(picosecond = time required for the light to travel the breadth of a single human hair)

This forces a change of the shape of the protein rhodopsin.

1 2

3 4