How is it that we view IC and ID?

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Maybe I should look at a few of his utternaces and see if they were worth replying to anyway? [Gerhard QUOTE]As for the second part (Peter disagreed that DNA was a medium for code) my sister, a biochemistry major, laughed her head off. Basically you have just attempted to nullify her field and all of genetics.[end Gerhard quote]
Your sister should perhaps rather read a bit more deeply on the role of imagery and metaphor in scientific thought and you would be better be off reading a bit more about the subject before sounding off so smugly.

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The "code" metaphor was not used seriously (rather than casually) until 1954, but Crick was one of the first to realise that as a metaphor it was flawed.

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At the very least DNA could best be regarded as a cipher rather than a code. But then, I wouldn't want to pick little holes in your argument, when you are so accomodating of others. (as if ...)

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Your sister and yourself should perhaps read Lily Kay's excellent book "Who wrote the book of life?" Her key analysis is unanswerable: that "once a commitment to a particular representation of life is made - material, discursive and social - it assumes a kind of agency that both enables and constrains the thoughts and actions of biologists." She effectively deconstructs the notion of DNA as code, not only demonstrating out that is a mere and inadequate metaphor, but reminding us that "code" and "information" are themselves metaphors.

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The way that you describe her book makes Kay sound almost Kuhnian in her approach to how science works. While I agree that the metaphors used can and do effect how science operates it is not an absolute (which is where IMO the Kuhnian approach falls down).As to the info theory, this really is a hot area in theoretical biology. While I do think that "information" is contained within the genetic architectures of life forms I do not agree with the narrow view espoused by many of the creationists on this and other boards. One description of information is Instructional Information described by Collier (sp?) where the the instructional information is a physical array or system where the information depends solely on the properties of the system. This basically removes a requirement for a designer from the system. There is a decent book "Evolution as Entropy" and while I disagree with a number of the statements in the book it does provide a decent overview of some of the thinking in the bioogical community in this field. Maybe Gerhards sister should read some of this info before she hurts herself laughing.------------------
"Chance favors the prepared mind." L. Pasteur
Taz

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[This message has been edited by Dr_Tazimus_maximus, 05-20-2002]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Mister Pamboli:
Collier contributed, "Entropy and information in evolving biological systems. Biology & Philosophy 4 (1989)" is essential reading.[/B][/QUOTE]Hey, I spelled it right, and without the reference in front of me either. Damn, that is a first. While I am an excellant biochemist, my spelling STINKS.------------------
"Chance favors the prepared mind." L. Pasteur
Taz