Keynote Speech at Biology Conference Falsifies Major Claim of Darwinism
Keynote Speaker at International Biology Conference Falsifies Major Claim of Darwinism
by Sal Cordova
Hailed as “the greatest biologist since Darwin,” Ronald Fisher is credited as author of “biology’s central theorem” what is known as Fisher’s Fundamental Theorem of Natural Selection.[i] An informally stated corollary of Fisher’s theorem is that a population will continually increase in fitness.
Sanford’s book examines the impact of mutations that are invisible to selection.
However, for decades it has been noted that many populations are declining in fitness. Geneticists such as Michael Lynch[ii], Alexey Kondrashov[iii], Bryan Sykes[iv], and many others have been warning the human genome is crumbling and the damage is likely irreversible. Thus, Fisher’s Corollary could not be right because it did not agree with observable facts.
Fisher Revisited and Revised
Noticing the incongruence with Fisher’s Corollary and observational evidence, retired Cornell geneticist John Sanford began work with UVA professor Bill Basener on correcting mistakes in Fisher’s theorem and corollary to include the handling of harmful mutations. Basener is also emeritus professor in the School of Mathematical Sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). He and Sanford published their revised theorem in the Journal of Mathematical Biology. (See 22 Dec 2017.)
Because the issue of declining fitness would be of keen interest in the discipline of conservation biology, Basener gave the keynote address at the “International Conference on Ecology, Ecosystems, and Conservation Biology” that included presentations by participants from 14 nations. He received a friendly welcome despite the grim implications of his mathematical derivations for the human genome and for Darwinism. His talk was titled, “The Fundamental Theorem of Natural Selection with Mutations.”
Basener was kind enough to provide a recording of his keynote address. Watch it here on YouTube.
Evidential Implications and Emotional Opposition
What does this have to do with belief in Creation? First off, Basener’s paper and presentation were by all standards pure science, but pure science has a way of having metaphysical implications. For example, Ernst Haeckel rejected Louis Pasteur’s experimental evidence against spontaneous generation because if Pasteur were right, “we must have recourse to the miracle of supernatural creation.” In the present day evolutionary biologists have been insanely angry at the NIH, particularly the Billion Dollar ENCODE-pioneered set of projects which argues against the idea of junk DNA. Evolutionary biologist Dan Graur said ENCODE is “bonkers”[v] because “If ENCODE is right, evolution is wrong.”[vi]
Now, if Basener, Sanford, and the genetics community are right that many observed genomes are deteriorating, including that of humans, then how could we have evolved in the first place?
Thankfully, as a matter of medical necessity and environmental conservation, researchers are finally paying attention to the facts even if the facts appear friendly to creationist theory which speaks of a world that is intelligently designed—but also cursed.
[i] Wikipedia entry on Ronald Fisher. Comment by Richard Dawkins.
[ii] Lynch, Michael. Rate, molecular spectrum, and consequences of human mutation. PNAS, Jan 10, 2010. http://www.pnas.org/content/107/3/961
[iii] Kondrashov, Alexey S. Crumbling Genome: The Impact of Deleterious Mutations on Humans. Wiley, 23 May 2017.
[iv] Sykes, Brian. Adam’s Curse: A Future without Men. WW Norton & Co, 27 May, 2005.
[v] Gruar, Dan. Rubbish DNA: The functionless fraction of the human genome. arXiv, 22 Jan 2016. https://arxiv.org/abs/1601.06047
[vi] Klinghoffer, David. Dan Graur, Darwin’s Reactionary. Evolution News & Science Today, 21 June 2017.
Salvador Cordova has appeared on National TV, radio shows, newspapers, books and magazines for his work in promoting Intelligent Design and Creation Science. He is a former scientist and engineer in the aerospace and defense industry and presently serves as a professor and researcher in the area of Christian apologetics at small Bible College through the generous support of a private foundation. He also manages a small privately held investment fund which he has run on the side since 1997. He has 4 science degrees including an MS in Applied Physics from Johns Hopkins University and is presently working on a PhD. On April 28, 2005, he became one of the few creationists to ever appear in a cover story of the prestigious scientific journal Nature which covered his work on behalf of intelligent design. The most famous member of the Intelligent Design club he organized at George Mason in 2005 is Biologist Caroline Crocker who was featured in the Ben Stein’s motion picture documentary Expelled. Mr. Cordova is currently working on research with renowned Cornell geneticist John Sanford, inventor of the gene gun.