Page 193 - The Evolution Impasse 1
P. 193
191
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.