My favorite part of her presentation was the mention of Paley’s famous paradigm of Natural Theology regarding a clock. This merely states that the parts that combine to make a watch can only create a watch. The point being that everything created has a purpose for its creation. The fact being, a design is desired by a designer, and therefore, obtains a purpose. I liked this theory best because it connects with the theological belief that everything happens for a reason because god has a plan for us all. Although separate sides of a still ongoing war, I believe the two complement each other’s theories. All life forms were created for a purpose from god as a creator, which fits religious and scientific categories. Anelli also stated how evolution is not always idealistic because species evolve to survive current situations but not as practically as they could. For instance, sleep apnea, hiccups, and the design of eyes are all poorly constructed to be more harmful than helpful. Yes, all were created for a reason –because god intended it to be so and because more species would have become extinct if they did not adapt to their surroundings in anyway they could, impractical but still works. I would also like to point out the saying “if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.” This saying implies that however structurally unsound certain features are, they do the job they were intended to do. Theology and scientific research are battling one another, but both follow the same theories and casualties regarding change and reasoning.
Alicia, I am also drawn to Paley’s “Watchmaker” analogy. Although Darwin came to different conclusions than Paley, it is fascinating to know how much Paley influenced Darwin’s concepts on evolution. I thought Dr. Anelli’s comment in the end about how faith and science can co-exist in the minds of many individuals (including scientists) speaks to just how complex the world is and how little we really understand. Despite our vast knowledge of science gained since the time of Darwin, the fundamental “whys” of the universe are still a mystery and are certainly left to individual interpretation.