I'm offended by Islam

[downbeatplumb]

That's the thing. Gradual steps suggest small changes. Small changes happen when it works best at each small stage. Each small stage has to be leading towards a whole system change. ie. little things that detect light towards a complicated system. Let's forget the eye. Let's go with any small system out there.

Let's talk about the mouse trap analogy because it's more simple. You have various parts right. But if they don't work together, then we have problem. It's useless.

You can talk about there being wooden planks on the ground in nature (analogy) but it doesn't mean the step of adding some useless parts that will lead eventually to a system of parts that is useful is possible. However, if it's guided by a designer, it can very well happen, because there is purpose.

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In the case of the turning thing in bacteria. This is an example Michael Behe cites. What's the point of developing that partially while it doesn't work? It's a mutation, then another mutation, then another mutation, that is all leading to a system, yet in between, those mutations were not useful until you have the system. OF course, once you get the turner, then all sorts of random mutations by natural selection, can lead to positive change in that turner and make it better. But it's to get to that turner that is the hard part and seemingly impossible, and even seemingly more unlikely to the very least.

Evolution makes use of what is available. Sometimes giving things entirely different uses. The best example I can think of is the double jointed jaw bones of early creatures being re-purposed as the bones of the inner ear.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution_o...y_ossicles

If it had a direction evolution would have just made really good double jointed jaws. We also end up with features that are not helpful because of the route evolution has taken. Womens hips are not ideal for child birth because we evolved from quadropeds our backs are prone to injury for the same reason. We have a vestigel tail and appendix. Even fertilisation has to take place in an environment that mimics the sea so the sperm can swim towards the egg.