Scientists find brain evolution gene

I have no background in biology but I've never completely bought the explanations of why the evolutionary process has seemed so erratic. From a strictly common sense point of view it would seem to me that evolution would occur gradually and evenly throughout time if it was stictly a natural process with no external intervention.Here is an article that has a biologist saying that, "he has a hard time believing it unless something unusual happened in a mutation. It's not part of normal evolution."It seems to me that this would at least make him think that just maybe there might be a metaphysical explanation. That in my view would seem like a reasonable POV but he then says that it must have been the stress of leaving the trees and walking on two legs. If speciation or micro-evolution is the only evolutionary process, as I have heard argued on this forum, then why would there be any stress involved. Sounds like he is really grasping at straws.Either there is a creator or there isn't. Is evolution part of a great design by a metaphysical designer or is it all random chance and natural selection. Is the evolutionary process manipulated along the way. There are intelligent people on both sides of all of these questions. It seems to me that Theists will often allow their biases to totally disregard very strong evidence that is contrary to some of their specific beliefs, (like evolution vs Biblical literalism), but that Atheists do exactly the same thing, as in this case, in support of their faith.It seems to me that instances like this would at least cause an atheistic biologist to consider the metaphysical even from a Deist POV. Edited by GDR, : typo

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Everybody is entitled to my opinion.

Hi jar. We are both Theistic so I'll start off with it a given that there is a creator that you and I call God. What we are trying to come to an opinion on here is "where does God fit into the evolutionary process".As Christians we believe that Christ is God incarnate. Once we accept that as truth we have accepted the fact that God does intervene physically in his creation. Why would you not consider the possibility that God intervened in the evolutionary process at this point?I go back to the quote from the article: "he has a hard time believing it unless something unusual happened in a mutation. It's not part of normal evolution."If it's not part of normal evolution I think that it is fine to look for a naturalistic solution which may or may not be correct, but I also believe that a metaphysical solution should be agreed to as a possibility. I'll be the first to admit that as a Theist the first thing that occurs to me is to see God in the process whereas a Deist or Atheist would see anything but.They seem to have discovered a point in the evolutionary process where humans seem to have evolved in an entirely different direction than any previous or subsequent species. The discoverer states that it isn't part of normal evolution. We not only have developed to have a much higher intelligence than any other species but we also have a much more highly developed consciousness. (We may be the only life form with consciousness, but personally I don't hold to that.)Once again you can go back to the weak anthropic principle and come up with naturalistic solutions as to why this occurred but I still maintain that it is very reasonable to assert that God could have intervened at this point in the process. When I consider both of your "wows" you're right. I do see the hand of God. I'm not suggesting at all that my conclusion is scientific or that there is any empirical evidence one way or the other. I'm just saying when I take a bird's eye view of this universe, this world, and the life on it, I just come to the conclusion that the likelihood of there being an Intelligent Designer", (not to be confused with the ID movement) is much greater than not. Once I have accepted the concept of their being a designer and I read articles like we are discussing I think, once again" that there is a strong likelihood that this mutation was caused by something more than random chance and natural selection.

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Everybody is entitled to my opinion.

Says who? It is one or the other but it can't be proven either way. It is just opinion based on whatever we want to base it on. As Theists we have to conclude that the Hand of God was involved somewhere. Why not conclude that it is here in this instance? If not here, then where would you bring it in?

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Everybody is entitled to my opinion.

Actually I agree with this. I wouldn't want to see people stop looking for naturalistic solutions on the assumption that God did it. Some day at some point I would guess that we will come up against something where there is no natural solution. I wonder if we will recognize that point or if science will just spin its wheels until the end of time.The quote you gave was interesting in that they think that there was something besides random chance and natural selection involved in the evolutionary process. If they are shown to be correct I would imagine that will throw biologists into a bit of a tizzy.[RAZD]One can with equal incredulity claim that from a "strictly common sense point of view" that god's design handiwork should occur evenly thoughout time ...[/qs]I can't say that I agree with this statement. If I'm building a house I'll work some days and some days I won't. If a river is gradually eroding a rock it will happen largely evenly every day. A natural process should be consistent but creation can be consistent or inconsistent.I have no doubt that there are a number of circumstances in all fields of science where I would suggest that there is interference, and I'll be proven wrong. However, maybe not. Actually, the question of how much God intervenes in his creation is one of the biggest questions that I have about my faith. I truly have not formed any firm conclusions, but I know when I die and get to heaven, I'm definitely going to all the lectures. Thanks for the reply
Greg

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Everybody is entitled to my opinion.

I can't see where your last statement is pertinent. It seems more likely that God would prepare a place for us and the rest of his creation in advance of our arrival. If we assume that God designed the evolutionary process then it would also follow that it was going to take time for us to evolve to the point we are at now.It works either way. What are millions of years in time to a God that is outside of time? Once again, I truly would be interested in your opinion of where and how often God has and is intervening in His creation.

I don't see anything cruel. Just because one species succeeds another doesn't make it cruel. Every individual life comes to an end. I tend to think that the end product are beings with consciousness. There may in the future be beings with a more advanced consciousness than ours. I don't know, but right now it seems to be us.As Christians we believe that God came and lived among us as one of us. He didn't come as a Collie. It seems to me that makes us at least a little bit special.

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Everybody is entitled to my opinion.

Good point and I have to say I don't know. I'm not a literalist but in the OT there are several stories such as Adam talking to God in the Garden of Eden. It really is a very interesting question. The Bible talks about angels. Maybe the guy sitting next to you at Starbucks is one. Frankly I'm from Missouri on that but I wouldn't say that I completely dismiss the idea either.I have to admit when it comes to question of science or theology I'm a lot better with questions than I am with answers. (Mind you I don't let lack of knowledge get in the way of expressing an opinion. )

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Everybody is entitled to my opinion.

I don't know one way or the other but I know I sure have trouble communicating with little four legged friend. I do believe that consciousness is eternal. I also believe that many animals have consciousness of a lower form than our own and that is likely eternal as well.How's that for being off topic. Sorry Percy but jar just has a way of doing that to people. I'm not saying that it requires outside intervention. I'm just saying that the circumstances are such that metaphysical intervention would be one of the possible (although not scientific),conclusions for why it evolved the way it did.

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Everybody is entitled to my opinion.

To be honest I see God in all of creation. I would agree that the physical universe is primarily designed to function naturally without intervention, but I also do believe that God does sometimes intervene. Why and when He intervenes is a complete mystery to me.Why are you so concerned that we not see ourselves as special? I think that even Atheists would tend to think that we are more highly evolved than any other Earthly species.

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Everybody is entitled to my opinion.

Let's just say that it is human consciousness that makes us unique. I'm not sure what special means in this context anyway.We are certainly different than other species. For instance what other animal is concerned with the fact that another species might become extinct.

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Everybody is entitled to my opinion.