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Join us on our quest for the extraordinary!
Sam McKee (@polymath_sam) has 9 university qualifications across 4 subjects including doctorates in history and philosophy of science and molecular biology. He researches both at two British universities and contributes to both space science and cancer research. Meet fellow polymaths and discipline leaders working on the frontiers of research from all over the world. Be inspired to pursue knowledge and drive the world forwards.
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www.sam-mckee.co.uk
Sam McKee (Polymath World Channel) (00:01.07)
Hello there, welcome to the Polymath World Channel. I'm going to be reacting to a video that popped up on my feed called Why Evolution is False. It's by a ministry I have heard of called Answers in Genesis. This is Answers in Genesis Canada. So they're going to tell us in 40 seconds why evolution is false. Let's go. If I lined up a spoon, a spork and a fork,
Would their shapes be evidence of one having evolved into another? Or would it be more likely evidence of them having been designed by the same creator? You see, a little red wagon, a tricycle, a bicycle, a Honda Civic, and a Lamborghini are all quite different, and yet all have various similar component parts as well. And that's because an intelligent designer would use similarly effective and useful parts in a wide variety of applications.
So the whole similarity equals proof of evolution argument is dubious regardless.
Sam McKee (Polymath World Channel) (01:07.918)
What have I just seen? I'm sorry, forks and spoons and sporks are similar, cars, red wagons. What? These aren't even living things. These human-made things are similar and they were designed, therefore all of the living world is designed? I was waiting for more.
I thought it was going to go somewhere. What? It's like, oh, this pen is designed. Therefore, I'm designed. I... Oh, okay. Let's be as generous as we poss...
Sam McKee (Polymath World Channel) (01:54.872)
Someone wrote that, recorded it and thought, I'll put that on the internet because that will explain in 40 seconds why evolution is false. I don't know, maybe I need to get out more. Let's be really generous and try and pick out some good argumentation here if we can to not make this video a waste of time. Forks and cars were created so we were created.
What, what have I got in common with a car apart from that you say we're both created? I mean, that's, we're not comparing living things here. These aren't apples to apples, apples to apples, apples to oranges. an intelligent designer would use similarly effective and useful parts. Or how do you know that? I suppose you know that by faith, but, you, you're presuming a great deal there.
And nature would use similarly effective and useful parts. Natural selection would use similarly effective and useful parts. What's the point? Differences and similarities show a creator. Yes, but they could also not. I mean differences and similarities can be a product of the environment, can be a product of survival, can be a product of breeding, can be a product of selection. I mean, there's not a...
that there's nothing there showing that evolution is false. You're making a claim which isn't testable and I'm making a claim that is. And the similarity equals proof argument of evolution. Okay, so I suppose he's talking about heredity, common ancestry, that sort of thing. Plenty of people have made great videos on common ancestry. I will not.
That's that here. All I'll say is, in my discipline of molecular biology and genetics, it's perfectly common to see a protein domain co-opted and used for something else or a mutation making a change to a protein that makes it more effective at doing its job. There is so much homology in proteins. I mean, one of the best examples actually is mine of DNA repair proteins. I mean, we...
Sam McKee (Polymath World Channel) (04:17.23)
have very, very strong homologs of the mutus proteins with bacteria. I mean, these are some of the oldest, most highly conserved proteins in nature. So whether it's bacteria or archaea or plants or animals, we have very, very similar highly conserved DNA repair proteins and DNA repair systems because you need that to survive. So I think that's a fantastic example of homology.
of common ancestry, just looking at how we repair our DNA. to say that, a fork and a spoon designed a car and a Honda and a Lamborghini and a red wagon, they're similar, but they're not the same. And they were all created. So similarity of proof of evolution is a bad argument. No, you need to get out more. Thank you. Looking forward to the episode coming next Wednesday.
Thanks joining me.