Codes, Evolution, and Intelligent Design

Percy,I checked Wikipedia and they didn't mention DNA. I have trouble going as far as you go with the concept of code applied to DNA.I think it's called the genetic code because it was initially a mystery as to how the molecule functioned. I much prefer thinking about RNA as a template for the assembly of proteins, and DNA a template for the assembly of RNA. I don't think of this as an encoding decoding operation. It's called the genetic code because we were trying to understand it by "decoding" it but that doesn't mean anything was ever encoded. It doesn't function as a code but as template. It looks to me like at first RNA or something was self replicating and then began to replicate other proteins.Not sure if this makes sense to you or if I've expressed it very well.lfen

I think the term "Big Bang" has in the same way as "genetic code" lead to unfortunate misunderstandings in the general public. These catchy shorthand buzz words can create long standing problems. I don't see how we will ever get free of them though. Korzybski had an idealistic program for language but unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately?) no one controls language. It has a life of it's own it seems.lfen