Claim CB102.1:
In an interview in 1997, Richard Dawkins was asked to "give an example of a genetic mutation or an evolutionary process which can be seen to increase the information in the genome." Apparently unable to answer, he paused a long time and finally responded by changing the subject.Source:
AIG, 1998. Skeptics choke on Frog: was Dawkins caught on the hop?
http://www.answersingenesis.org/docs/3907.asp
Keziah Films, "From a Frog to a Prince" (video)
Keziah Films, "From a Frog to a Prince" (video)
Response:
- According to Dawkins, he paused because the question revealed that the
interviewers were creationists, that he had been duped about their
motives. He paused to think about how to handle them, and the change
of subject occurred due to the several minutes when he confronted them
being omitted from the video (Dawkins 2003).
- The question is equivalent to asking how complexity could evolve, which
Dawkins has covered in at least four books (The Blind Watchmaker,
River Out of Eden, Climbing Mount Improbable, and A
Devil's
Chaplain). He has answered the question at great length.
- The ability of a single person to answer a question is largely irrelevant. The scientific literature is rife with examples of information increasing.
References:
- Dawkins, Richard, 2003. The information challenge. In: A Devil's Chaplain, Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. http://www.skeptics.com.au/journal/dawkins1.htm
Further Reading:
Dawkins, Richard, 2003. The information challenge. In: A Devil's Chaplain, Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. http://www.skeptics.com.au/journal/dawkins1.htmWilliams, Barry, 1998. Creationist deception exposed, The Skeptic 18(3): 7-10. http://www.tccsa.tc/video/creationist_deception_exposed.pdf
created 2003-9-23, modified 2005-4-27