Automotive and Human Evolution

One of the most dangerous types of arguments is the argument from an analogy. In fact, I think that argument is rarely used to good effect. Illustration from analogy, yes, but no additional weight of argument supplied otherwise.

Ed Brayton discusses another example as Bill Dembski, always the master of spin, claims that vestigial organs can indicate a designer. His analogy? The development of the automobile, and particularly the running board.

Running board, appendix; running board, appendix. No, I don’t get it. (FWIW, I’m aware of arguments about precisely how “useless” an appendix is. Substitute your favorite vestigial organ as desired.)

Ed’s comment is on point:

What an odd argument – “I found something that humans designed that had an unnecessary aspect to it; therefore, God would have created things just like that too.” As if God learned how to design from his own creation? Just bizarre reasoning. Of course, the good thing about invoking God as an explanation for things is that He could have created absolutely anything in any way at his whim.

Certainly God can do anything he wants. It happens he wanted to allow evolution to produce the variety of life we now have. Get over it, Bill. God doesn’t need your spin.