Mr Spinkles,
I still have only limited time (grrrr...) but I will quickly highlight the ignorance of the skeptic websites position on irreducible complexity (IRC).
The fact is that many biological systems (such as the circulatory system etc) are made up of parts that serve no purpose by themself and can only decrease survival chances without the remainder of the system. Take the circulatory system (CS): The CS requires veins, arteries, capillaries, a heart (with functioning valves), lungs, a blood-clotting capability, and much more besides. Possesing a heart without already having something for it to pump is obviously a survival impediment to any creature. Likewise, a wild creature which possess a complete CS minus a blood-clotting ability is a suvival nightmare - one cut and the creature will bleed to death. This is a short example of a IRC system.
The above may or may not make sense, I haven't the time to check it. Nevertheless, I think the question at hand remains, "How did life get started?". I think you'd agree that the suggestion that the parts of an IRC system can have no survival advantage or original function before the first 'simple' organism. This first single celled life is itself IRC and cannot be the combination of various pre-life mechanisms brought together to form the first cell.
I may need to elucidate these points better. Should I? I am just in a major rush.....
orthodox
I still have only limited time (grrrr...) but I will quickly highlight the ignorance of the skeptic websites position on irreducible complexity (IRC).
The fact is that many biological systems (such as the circulatory system etc) are made up of parts that serve no purpose by themself and can only decrease survival chances without the remainder of the system. Take the circulatory system (CS): The CS requires veins, arteries, capillaries, a heart (with functioning valves), lungs, a blood-clotting capability, and much more besides. Possesing a heart without already having something for it to pump is obviously a survival impediment to any creature. Likewise, a wild creature which possess a complete CS minus a blood-clotting ability is a suvival nightmare - one cut and the creature will bleed to death. This is a short example of a IRC system.
The above may or may not make sense, I haven't the time to check it. Nevertheless, I think the question at hand remains, "How did life get started?". I think you'd agree that the suggestion that the parts of an IRC system can have no survival advantage or original function before the first 'simple' organism. This first single celled life is itself IRC and cannot be the combination of various pre-life mechanisms brought together to form the first cell.
I may need to elucidate these points better. Should I? I am just in a major rush.....
orthodox