(2017-11-17, 02:05 PM)Steve001 Wrote: The two points I'm making with these examples is a.) the appearance of design is inherent throughout the natural world even when there is no design. b.) Why is it argued life must be the exception to the rule?
Polyani died 22 February 1976 perhaps use someone a bit more current.
From a blog his daughter started. Not someone I'd quote if I were you.
The snowflake is an exquisite example of the superficial appearance of apparent design in nature as exemplified by crystalography. I have explained how the design of living organisms is of an entirely different kind and order, embodying large amounts of complex specified information, which crystals do not. This truly does make living organisms of a fundamentally different nature than
naturally ordered structures like crystals.
There is a
natural lawlike tendency of simple H2O molecules to form certain interesting shapes (snowflakes). But there is no tendency for simple organic molecules to form themselves into the precise and vastly complicated sequences needed to form the long-chain information-bearing molecules found in living systems. That is because the properties of the "finished product" are not programmed in any way into the physics or chemical properties of the components of the system. For instance, what if you saw a doily crocheted into the pattern of a snowflake? There is no
natural, spontaneous tendency for the components of that system (wool or cotton fibers) to assume that shape. The pattern has to have been imposed by external design information. If you disagree, please explain how.
Regardless of Yockey's disavowal of any tendency toward ID, I'll stick with the quote - it represents his expert opinion on the matter.