Aquaman & Marine, Boy Where Have You Gone?

Last Wednesday I picked up a USA Today and read an Op/Ed "debate" titled, 'Intelligent design': What do scientists fear? For some reason the voice from the left, Bob Beckelis, seems to think that ID should be allowed in schools, stating:

"But if this debate continues to be viewed as an attempt by fundamentalist Christians to get their beliefs into the public schools, then intelligent design will never get a fair hearing, and it deserves one. The scientists who view intelligent design as a science, not a dogma, believe that the smallest building blocks of life are so complex that they couldn't simply evolve from amoebas. That's about as far as I can go in my understanding of all this.

It bothers me that ideas derived from "missing evidence" or "we have no other explanation (or don't like the current explanation) so it must be true" arguments are taken as valid reasons to teach in school. What's even worse is how ignorance in Bob Becelis' case fuels his point of view. At least with Cal Thomas, the conservative side of the discussion, I understand he has an agenda.

Evolution continues to be on my mind lately, partially because it remains in the news, but mostly because I find it fascinating. I manage to drag it into most dinner party conversations. This past Friday (Oops!) I did it again.

A friend of mine, Jack Sadler, mentioned a few theories I'd head about, but never bothered to learn. The Aquatic Ape Theory, was the one that took up most of the conversation. Neither of us believe it (right, Jack?).

Per Wikipedia:

Aquatic Ape Theory states that the ancestors of human ancestors went through one or more periods of time living in a semi-aquatic setting and that this accounts for many of the characteristics of species in the Homo genus that are not seen in other primates, such as chimpanzees or gorillas.

The theory identifies such human anomalies from other primates as minimal body hair, salt tears, and reproductive traits which are similar to aquatic mammals, as well as a special bond we have with dolphins.

Besides the missing fossil record to support Aquatic Ape Theory, what bothers me the most about the AAT is the way that supporters tend to believe that a lack of evidence seems to make the idea stronger. In large part it reminds me of conspiracy theories such as the JFK assasination, Area 51, Paul is Dead. In each of these cases, there is a spark of "It could have happened," which then turns into a mad dash to find specious reasoning to defend it. Yes, there are many gaps in the human fossil record, but taking a leap to say, we must have lived in the water is too close to the stoned-mind theory "did you ever think that our galaxy could be an atom on the finger of a giant?"

Like Michael Moore's Farenheit 911 movie, the entertainment value of sifting through the clues of a mystery are limitless. To imagine that we are decended from swimming apes, possibly one branch of which became the citizens of Atlantis, is the kind of stuff that will keep me poring over the cheapest internet sites and watching the Fox network for Alien Autopsy programs. As fun as it is, there is no more scientific value in the Aquatic Ape theory than in believing that astronauts never landed on the moon. Indeed!

I have a hard time taking anyone's word when they tell me outrageous information. I was really hot for a girl I knew several years ago who told me about ghosts in her house. I kept nodding my head in fascination, all the while thinking she was half-nuts, but really attractive. I didn't buy into her tales at all. It wasn't just because I'm a skepdic, but also because perceptions are often wrong. Think of the difficulty of finding a true description of a criminal when several witnesses are interviewed. More importantly, sometimes people just lie or force a "reality" so others will believe them. As a matter of fact there is a current controversy over Wikipedia, which I often use for info, over absolutely incorrect information added by the outside sources who can add to the free information site.

In the case of the Aquatic Ape theory, it's just a fantasy that would be so cool if it were true, but there's no real reason to believe it. The same is true of Intelligent Design. What possible reason is there for thinking that there was a creator? It isn't about the complexities of life that "need" a creator, it's just that we want to believe. This isn't not enough for me.