Page 193 - The Evolution Impasse 1
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           island of Java. Thus the fact that Java  In his following words, Johnson cla-
           Man is a genuine human becomes even  rifies why the origin of mind cannot be
           clearer.                            explained with theory of evolution:

                                                 A theory that is the product of a mind can
           Johnson, Phillip
                                                 never adequately explain the mind that
              Phillip Johnson, has been a professor  produced the theory. The story of the gre-
           of law at Berkeley University for 26 ye-  at scientific mind that discovers absolute
           ars, and is one of the world’s most im-  truth is satisfying only so long as we ac-
                                                 cept the mind itself as a given. Once we
           portant critics of Darwinism. In Darwin
                                                 try to explain the mind as a product of its
           on Trial, Johnson states that the philo-
                                                 own discoveries, we are in a hall of mir-
           sophy behind the theory of evolution
                                                 rors with no exit. 232
           was based on naturalism, and that evolu-
           tion is supported for ideological reasons:
              . . . the leaders of science see themselves
                                               “Junk” DNA
              as locked in a desperate battle against
              religious fundamentalists, a label which  Until several years ago, this term was
              they tend to apply broadly to anyone who  given to collections of DNA whose func-
              believes in a Creator who plays an active  tions were unknown to scientists. For the
              role in worldly affairs. These fundamen-  time being, they referred to these long
              talists are seen as a threat to liberal free-  sequences that they were unable to des-
              dom, and especially as a threat to public
                                               cribe as genes as “junk DNA.” They also
              support for scientific research. As the
                                               suggested that these long sections of
              creation myth of scientific naturalism,
                                               DNA, which served no purpose accor-
              Darwinism plays an indispensable ide-
                                               ding to their understanding at the time,
              ological role in the war against funda-
                                               were evidence of evolution.
              mentalism. For that reason, the scientific
                                                 According to this thesis, junk DNA
              organizations are devoted to protecting
              Darwinism rather than testing it, and the  was composed of segments that had ac-
              rules of scientific investigation have been  cumulated during the evolutionary pro-
              shaped to help them succeed. 231  cess, but which now had no use.
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