Abstract
Science’s theory of evolution purports to explain life and its historical dynamics in a physics/material-only fashion. But this entails a broad reliance on DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) for inheritance (and thus blueprints), which appears to be implausible for a number of unusual innate behaviors. The immediate unfolding challenge, though, is that the inheritance role is conveniently testable via searches for the DNA origins of a number of human behavioral and health tendencies, and despite enormous efforts those searches have thus far largely failed (i.e., the “absolutely beyond belief” missing heritability problem). This existing case for DNA’s inadequacies will be briefly reviewed herein. The subsequent main analysis considers some big challenges facing DNA associated with some evolutionary dynamics—the acquisition of color vision in primates; instinctive behaviors including the egg-laying practices of emerald jewel wasps; kin selection; and our natural religious beliefs. Together these challenges strongly suggest that the acceptance of DNA as the (complete) language of life was premature. The haphazard and ambiguous nature of DNA/genetic specifications is very unlikely to have provided a vehicle for the exacting blueprints required for the many instinctive behaviors or capacities. Life appears to be more complex than biologists believe. Two possible alternative explanations are briefly considered in the wake of these discussions. Finally, does anyone—beginning with academics—care about this unfolding foundational failure?
Highlights
Biology’s Vision for DNAThere are enormous expectations placed on deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
Science’s theory of evolution purports to explain life and its historical dynamics in a physics/material-only fashion. This entails a broad reliance on DNA for inheritance, which appears to be implausible for a number of unusual innate behaviors
The subsequent main analysis considers some big challenges facing DNA associated with some evolutionary dynamics—the acquisition of color vision in primates; instinctive behaviors including the egg-laying practices of emerald jewel wasps; kin selection; and our natural religious beliefs
Summary
Consistent with this, Pinker went on to add that science’s “understanding consists not in a mere listing of facts, but in deep and elegant principles, like the insight that life depends on a molecule that carries information, directs metabolism, and replicates itself” (Pinker, 2013) Consistent with this the pioneering geneticist Craig Venter answered the question “What is life?” with the expression, “DNA-driven biological machines” [t]here is no such thing as fate, providence, karma, spells, curses, augury, divine retribution, or answered prayers—though the discrepancy between the laws of probability and the workings of cognition may explain why people believe there are Beyond this sweeping dismissal of materialism-challenging phenomena, Pinker went on to directly characterize the contemporary default intellectual dismissal of religions with:. A reminder here is that “gene” denotes a subset of DNA which provides a template for the construction of the body’s protein molecules, “genome” denotes the collection of an individual’s genes (and sometimes loosely as the whole DNA molecule)
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