More imperfections (Miller)

December 29th, 2007  |  Published in Evolution, Biology, Science, Quotes, Religion  |  2 Comments

To adopt the explanation of design, we are forced to attribute a host of flaws and imperfections to the designer. Our appendix, for example, seems to serve only to make us sick; our feet are poorly constructed to take the full force of walking and running; and even our eyes are prone to optical errors and lose their ability for close focus as we age. Speaking of eyes, we would have to wonder why an intelligent designer placed the neural wiring of the retina on the side facing incoming light. This arrangement scatters the light, making our vision less detailed than it might be, and even produces a blind spot at the point that the wiring is pulled through the light-sensitive retina to produce the optic nerve that carries visual messages to the brain.

–Kenneth R. Miller, Finding Darwin’s God: A Scientist’s Search for Common Ground Between God and Evolution (orig. 1999; Harper Perennial, 2002), p. 101

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  1. holmegm says:

    December 29th, 2007 at 12:47 pm (#)

    So, God is only allowed to create incorruptible angel-like beings, for, ah … some reason or other.

    Speaking of eyes, we would have to wonder why an intelligent designer placed the neural wiring of the retina on the side facing incoming light. This arrangement scatters the light, making our vision less detailed than it might be, and even produces a blind spot at the point that the wiring is pulled through the light-sensitive retina to produce the optic nerve that carries visual messages to the brain.

    Maybe because He wants it to be that way? He has His own reasons, which are unknown to us?

    I mean every one of the biblical writers knew that we have physical imperfections and that we sicken and die. And they also all thought that God is perfect and capable of doing anything, presumably including creating perfect beings, if He wishes to. Yet they didn’t have a problem with this.

  2. Edman says:

    December 29th, 2007 at 2:19 pm (#)

    I need to carry a pocket version of Occam’s Razor for times like these…

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