Doesn't this sort of make nonsense of the Intelligent Design theory?

Question

I have to wear glasses, because I have nearsightedness and astigmatism. Earlier today, before I put on my glasses and as I was feeling my way around the apartment, I thought to myself, "Boy, I would be screwed if I lived in a hunter-gatherer society!" It also made me think of something else. According to the ID theory, everything was designed by an Intelligent Designer (called God by many), and everything designed by this designer has a purpose. Well, if that's the case, why do so many people (and non-human animals, for that matter) have physical and mental disabilities? What purpose do they serve?

p l gray: Actually, it argues for Darwin's theory. If I lived in a hunter-gatherer society in which I didn't have access to corrective lenses, I would've been weeded out long ago, since I either would've fallen in quicksand or else become some animal's dinner.

Answer 1

That's why Intelligent Design is a crackpot theory not worth the paper it's printed on.

In every population of living things the weak, deformed, disabled and defective becomes victims to predators or disease, usually before they are capable of breeding and passing on their characteristics to future generations. This is how a population remains strong, viable and able to compete against predators which are also being subjected to the laws of natural selection by gradually becoming stronger, faster, more cunning etc etc (the weaker ones also dying for not being able to compete).

The other side of this coin is that occasionally a genetic mutation brings with it an advantage and this enables a species to better survive in a particular environment. If the advantage is great enough then over many generations this mutation will become generally incorporated into a species or population because proportionally more individuals carrying the mutation will survive and breed in each sucessive generation.

You are correct that without glasses you would be a complete liability in a hunter-gatherer society and it is only in comparatively recent times that poor eyesight has stopped being a factor in deciding whether you get to contribute to the next generation - in earlier times human society may have supported you in return for you performing menial tasks but you would have been unlikely to have found a mate. Still earlier I suspect that you may have been driven away from the tribe as an expensive liability.

The fact that you (and I - because I also wear spectacles) are alive and able to discuss this proves the case for the only form of Intelligent Design that ever has existed - the intelligent design BY humans that have evolved through natural selection brains capable of devising technologies that enable them to solve problems to improve their chances of survival.

Answer 2

What purpose do they serve in the propagation of the species? Additionally, what purpose does homosexuality serve? I'm only asking this because, from a biological/evolutionary perspective, it doesn't serve to propagate the species. I'm not asking out of hate or intolerance. I, honestly, have no idea where I stand on ID vs. evolution. If you think about it from this perspective then homosexuality, for an evolutionist, is just another genetic aberration and, as a result, a handicap. It does not serve nature. I'm simply trying to make a point, not inflame or hurt someone.

I do have trouble squaring the law of entropy with evolution. How does everything progress from less order and complexity to more order and complexity when the law of entropy would seem to imply that everything should be moving from order and complexity to chaos and simplicity?

Answer 3

In "The Food of The Gods" by Terrence McKenna, he postulates that the evolution of man was aided by the use of psylociban (mushrooms), which in low doses enhance vision - making early man better hunters. But, the continuous use of the substance would have negatively affected our eyesight...why would our eyes strive for better vision when it is handed to them?

There have been studies recently about vision. claiming that for most vision problems, the use of corrective lenses becomes a crutch for the eye. And not only do they not provide a long term cure for bad vision, but they may also cause it to get worse.

I don't have much to say about Intelligent Design...except for that most Christians believe that everything happens for a reason...and if you are born with a disability, you are given an obstacle by God to overcome. God most likely gives everyone obstacles, they just come in radically different forms and degrees. I'm not a Christian...and I don't really agree with the ID theory.

Answer 4

There is no incompatability with Intelligent design and Darwin's Theories IMHO. God created all that is and how everything has worked from the Big Bang until now. When giving man an explanation of how they came to be here, God would have had to use metaphors, or would have to give everyone knowledge far before their time if they were to comprehend. Still, in the Bible and the Big Bang, the first thing created, was light.

Try to explain to someone way before Newton,or Galileo. Try to explain to someone with no concept of elements, atoms, or intervals of time stretching back 12 billion years or more. Yes, God could give him the knowledge, he is God. Then who would understand his explanation and believe it to be true? Even in our enlightened age, there are those who cannot comprehend, so they choose to believe something else. Who can blame them, it's hard for anyone to conceive of the amount of time that has passed since life began on this planet. That so many mutations and such varriation has occered in ANY conceivable amount of time by accident seems preposterous. In truth, man can hardly conceive ofthe amount of time since he has come forth on this planet, and that is only 1/5 of 1% of the time since life first began on Earth.

Answer 5

I believe the Intelligent Designer created everything perfect, with a purpose for everything. But everything is not still perfect, and you should know that, not because of your astigmatism, but because of so much disaster in the world, natural and human-caused. I don't believe disaster is caused on purpose, but can be used for good, for instance a flood can irrigate and bring seeds of life to different terrains just as people are strengthened by crisis. Disabilities on the other hand can have a purpose. May make you appreciate life more, or make you more humble. It sounds really tacky, but your question...
Although evolution theory are believed by many to be more than confirmed true still have unanswered questions. I truely believe one theory complements the other..

Answer 6

Modern optometrics has made most visual problems less of an issue than they used to be. You're right that in an earlier society people with vision problems would be weeded out of "the herd" but that doesn't mean that they would stop occuring. In animals birth defects still occur and weaker animals die as a result. I don't think that vision problems prove that ID is nonsense. ID is nonsense because it tries to take a religious belief and dress it up as science.

Answer 7

Yep, you're unique. You should thank god for this handicap! In fact, I'm sure you do every day!

Yes, you (and I) would be of little use in a hunter/gatherer society, and therefore would be much less likely to live long enough to pass on our defective genes (without my contacts, I'm not even sure I'd see a lion coming).

Answer 8

Christians who support the Intelligent Design theory ignore many aberrations and exceptions to their reasoning.

I have heard the explanation that G-d sends us "the innocent children" (with special needs) in order to give us a chance to show charity, to do service in the spirit of kindness, etc.

Such purposeful creation of abnormality might have some logic to it, but certainly would be the hallmark of a cruel god, or one who is less than perfect.

Answer 9

There are two types of disabilities, acquired (by accidents or other events in a person's life time) and genetic. Both types of disabilities may be advantageous at times. For example, color blind people may have an advantage seeing targets through camoflage in combat ( --> http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/99/a2107199.shtml )
If a genetic change can be advantageous, it can get passed along to future generations. For example, sickle cell anemia is a handicap sometimes, but protects people from malaria and is passed on in other environments.

Answer 10

Basically it comes down to this. Many people do not believe in God and want to live without him in our lives. So, God allows this. We on our own, and man has done well doing this. As we can see we have everything in control. Heck, we have solved wars, diseases, natural disasters and world hunger. But, when people return to God we see a Blessing, but, until then we all suffer the consequences of those who not want God. I can take it either way for now. My brother wore glasses and started to eat more correct according to what the Bible says and his eye sight got better not worse, so, there could be something to doing it God's way instead of our way. But, like I say, I just go with the flow and we will all die one day, because in solving our problems we see man has overcome death too. ;-)