The Brain: More Intelligent Than Previously Believed

KEY POINT: Evolutionists often argue against creation based on perceived flaws in natural design. However, the concept of optimal or over-design can actually be used as a scientific argument against evolution. The neoDarwinian explanation, which relies on natural selection and random change, does not account for foresight or anticipation. Therefore, when we observe designs in nature that can only be described as perfection or over-design, it challenges the idea of evolution.

Optimal Design Challenges Evolutionary Explanations

Evolutionary theory suggests that natural selection acts on random changes in order to promote survival and reproduction. It is not concerned with achieving the best possible outcome but rather with what works at the time. As a result, evolutionary processes often lead to what some interpret as "jury-rigged" or suboptimal designs.

When we encounter designs in nature that exhibit perfection or over-design, it poses a problem for the naturalistic worldview. These designs are unlikely to arise by chance alone. The chances of such complexity and efficiency being produced solely through random processes are exceedingly small.

Examples of Over-Design

1. Compensation for Disabilities: Individuals who become blind can develop new neural pathways that enhance their auditory and tactile capacities to compensate for their loss of sight. Similarly, deaf individuals process sign language using the same brain areas used by hearing individuals for spoken language. This phenomenon, known as cortical plasticity, raises questions about why such mechanisms exist if evolution were true. Natural selection does not possess compassion or a concern for individual well-being. Disabled individuals would face elimination without the support of caring families and friends. The explanations provided by evolutionary mechanisms strain credibility in attempting to account for such marvels.

2. Extraordinary Brain Capacities: Some individuals possess exceptional brain capacities, such as remarkable memory or calculation skills. These abilities are often seen in people regarded as mentally handicapped, commonly referred to as "idiot savants." These individuals can recall intricate details of their past experiences or accurately provide information about specific dates. Even if such extraordinary brain capacities appear in only one out of a billion individuals, it implies that the genetic information for these abilities was coded into the human genome at some point. Natural selection, which is primarily concerned with survival, cannot account for the unnecessary development of such stunning heights of cognitive ability.

The Surprising Decision-Making Capacity of the Brain

For many years, it was believed that humans rarely made rational decisions. This understanding stemmed from research conducted in the late 1970s that earned a Nobel prize in 2002. It seemed logical to evolutionary thinkers that a decision-making machine built through blind selection for survival would not be optimal. The enormous processing power of the brain itself is already difficult to explain through naturalistic means.

However, recent research challenges this assumption. Alex Pouget, an associate professor of brain and cognitive sciences at the University of Rochester, discovered that most of our decisions are made unconsciously and result in the best possible outcomes. Pouget's research involved studying patterns of moving dots on a computer and monitoring the activity of individual neurons during decision-making processes.

Considering this capacity for optimized decision-making, it becomes evident that the brain exhibits optimal design in this particular function. This finding further strengthens the case for an intelligent creator who designed the brain with intention and foresight.

Why This Matters

The concept of optimal design poses a significant challenge to the theory of evolution. When we observe designs in nature that exhibit perfection or over-design, it raises questions about how they could have arisen through blind natural processes alone. These observations align more closely with the idea of an intelligent creator who intentionally designed living organisms with specific purposes and capabilities.

Think About It

Consider the complex and intricate designs found throughout nature. How do these designs challenge your understanding of the origins of life? Do you think they are more likely the result of random chance or intentional design?