Weasel and other genetic algorithms have been falsely advertised as proof of concept of Darwinian evolution in nature. Use of the term “natural selection” is false advertising because what Darwin and evolutionary biologists claim is natural is actually NOT natural.
… with Mung. In a recent comment Mung asserted that If Darwinists had to put up their hard earned money they would soon go broke and Darwinism would be long dead. I have a standing $10,000 challenge here at … Continue reading
I’ve written a genetic algorithm, which I have posted below, which implements single-step selection. The relevant line for single-step selection is line 38: fitness == 28 ? fitness : 0 Have I successfully coded a genetic algorithm? Is this a … Continue reading
This is just an effort to help keep Joe’s thread focused and to help keep it from being derailed. People can use it or not. I hope they will. CharlieM: Can someone explain to me, why is all of this … Continue reading
Richard Dawkins’s computer simulation algorithm explores how long it takes a 28-letter-long phrase to evolve to become the phrase “Methinks it is like a weasel”. The Weasel program has a single example of the phrase which produces a number of … Continue reading
In his endless pursuit of that wascally Weasel, Mung made the following silly claim: GAs are often used to demonstrate “the power of cumulative selection.” Given small population sizes drift ought to dominate yet in GAs drift does not dominate. … Continue reading
A couple recent comments here at TSZ by Patrick caught my eye. First was the claim that arguments for the existence of God had been refuted. I don’t agree that heaping a bunch of poor and refuted arguments together results … Continue reading
[moderator’s note: Nonlin.org produced this at about the same time as his “Miracles” post. I delayed this, so that they could be discussed one at a time. I’m now publishing this one.] [a note to nonlin – if all of … Continue reading
Introduction to Evolutionary Informatics, by Robert J. Marks II, the “Charles Darwin of Intelligent Design”; William A. Dembski, the “Isaac Newton of Information Theory”; and Winston Ewert, the “Charles Ingram of Active Information.” World Scientific, 332 pages. Classification: Engineering mathematics. Engineering analysis. (TA347) … Continue reading
Via a post by Jerry Coyne, I learned of an egregious smear by PZ Myers of Steven Pinker. PZ posted the following on his Facebook page: He is referring to the following remarks by Pinker. Watch this clip — the … Continue reading
I tire of keiths and his revisionist history. In a recent thread… Glen: The real question is if Mung has read and comprehended Losos’ book. keiths: Yes, which brings to mind what happened with Andreas Wagner’s book, Arrival of the … Continue reading
Introduction to Evolutionary Informatics, by Robert J. Marks II, the “Charles Darwin of Intelligent Design”; William A. Dembski, the “Isaac Newton of Information Theory”; and Winston Ewert, the “Charles Ingram of Active Information.” World Scientific, 332 pages. Classification: Engineering mathematics. Engineering analysis. (TA347) … Continue reading
Introduction to Evolutionary Informatics, by Robert J. Marks II, the “Charles Darwin of Intelligent Design”; William A. Dembski, the “Isaac Newton of Information Theory”; and Winston Ewert, the “Charles Ingram of Active Information.” World Scientific, 350 pages. Jan 31 May 1, 2017. Classification: … Continue reading
Baraminology and the Flood Presented for your amusement as a relief from all the very deep philosophy: a fine example of the cargo cult science of young-earth creationist baraminology. That label “cargo cult science” refers to attempts to ape the … Continue reading
The battle over cumulative selection and Dawkins’ Weasel program has raged on for some months [years?] here at TSZ and across numerous threads. So can it possibly be that we now, finally, have a definitive statement about cumulative selection? Mung: … Continue reading
Richard Dawkins has made his programs from The Blind Watchmaker and Climbing Mount Improbable available via a web browser interface. Sadly for our friends at Uncommon Descent, the Weasel is not included.
Recent discussions of genetic algorithms here and Dave Thomas’ evisceration of Winston Ewert’s review of several genetic algorithms at The Panda’s Thumb prompted me to dust off my notes and ev implementation. Introduction In the spring of 1984, Thomas Schneider … Continue reading
I often encounter posters here at TSZ who claim that Genetic Algorithms (GAs) either model or simulate evolution. They are never quite clear which it is, nor do they say what it means to model or simulate evolution (what would … Continue reading
About a year ago, Joe Felsenstein critiqued a seminar presentation by William Dembski, “Conservation of Information in Evolutionary Search.” He subsequently discussed Dembski’s primary source with me, and devised a brilliant response, unlike any that I had considered. This led … Continue reading
I’m working on a book that includes a chapter on Dr. Dembski, and I’m curious about a couple of assumptions I’m making. First, has Dembski worked through a specified complexity/CSI calculation for anything other than the 4 subjects Dr. Elsberry identified … Continue reading