Evolution is true

For this debate we will refer to the 'General Theory of Evolution' as defined by Kerkut, "all the living forms in the world have arisen from a single source which itself came from an inorganic form."[1] 1. Mutations There are many types of mutations. In essence, mutations are any change in the DNA sequence. Let's take a look at the different kinds of mutations, and see how much they really help molecules-to-man evolution (dinosaur to a bird, ape to a man). I will by referencing chapter 7, Are Mutations Part of the “Engine” of Evolution?, from the New Answers Book 2. Written by Bodie Hodge.[2] Genetic Mutations All mutations have been observed to cause a loss of information. A mutation causing a loss of information is different from a loss or gain of function, they are two separate things. Mutations can cause an organism to lose genetic information and yet gain some type of function. This does not happen often, but it has happened. So when a mutation loses information but gains a function, this is beneficial. "For example, if a beetle loses the information to make a wing on a windy island, the mutation is beneficial because the beetle doesn’t get blown out to sea and killed. Genetically, the mutation caused a loss of information but was helpful to the beetle. Thus, it was a beneficial outcome." (BH) Hypothetically, there could also be mutations that cause a gain of of new information. There are only a few alleged cases of such mutations. However, if a mutated DNA strand were built up with a group of base pairs that didn’t do anything, this strand wouldn’t be useful. Therefore, to be useful to an organism, a mutation that has a gain of new information must also cause a gain of new function. Types of Genetic Mutations Point Mutations Point mutations are mutations where one letter changes on the DNA sequence. The overall result of point mutations is a loss in genetic information. Biophysicist Lee Spetner says, “All point mutations that have been studied on the molecular level turn out to reduce the genetic information and not to increase it.”[3] Inversion Mutations An inversion mutation is a segment of DNA in a particular strand that reverses itself. This type of mutation causes a quite big loss of information. The bleeding disorder hemophilia A is caused by an inversion in the Factor VIII (F8) gene.[4] Insertion Mutations An insertion mutation is a segment of DNA, whether a single base pair or an extensive length, that is inserted into the DNA strand. Insertions usually result in a protein that loses function.[5] Deletion Mutations A deletion mutation is a segment of DNA, whether a single base pair or an extensive length, that is deleted from the strand. A few disorders that are caused by deletion mutations are facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) and spinal muscular atrophy.[6] Frame Shift Mutations There are two basic types of frame shift mutations: frame shift due to an insertion and frame shift due to a deletion. By causing the resulting protein to be nonfunctional, frame shift mutations are in most cases harmful or injurious to the organism. And these are just the basics of mutations.[7] Dr. Bodie Hodge sums it up in this way, "Pond-scum-to-people evolution teaches that, over time, by natural causes, nonliving chemicals gave rise to a living cell. Then, this single celled life form gave rise to more advanced life forms. In essence, over millions of years, increases in information caused by mutations plus natural selection developed all the life forms we see on earth today. For molecules-to-man evolution to happen there needs to be a gain in new information within the organism’s genetic material. For instance, for a single-celled organism, such as an amoeba, to evolve into something like a cow, new information (not random base pairs, but complex and ordered DNA) would need to develop over time that would code for ears, lungs, brain, legs, etc. If an amoeba were to make a change like this, the DNA would need to mutate new information. (Currently, an amoeba has limited genetic information, such as the information for protoplasm.) This increase of new information would need to continue in order for a heart, kidneys, etc., to develop. If a DNA strand gets larger due to a mutation, but the sequence doesn’t code for anything (e.g., it doesn’t contain information for working lungs, heart, etc.), then the amount of DNA added is useless and would be more of a hindrance than a help. There have been a few arguable cases of information-gaining mutations, but for evolution to be true, there would need to be billions of them. The fact is, we don’t observe this in nature, but rather we see the opposite—organisms losing information. Organisms are changing, but the change is in the wrong direction! How can losses of information add up to a gain?" P1. If evolution is true, then mutations, including genetic information gaining ones, should be observed. P2. Genetic information gaining mutations are not observed. C. Evolution is not supported by mutations. 2. Transitional Fossils While Darwin predicted that the fossil record would show numerous transitional fossils, even 140 years later, all we have are a handful of disputable examples. This 'handful' is refuted here[8], here[9], and here[10]. National Geographic also notices this. Stephen Gould, "The extreme rarity of transitional forms in the fossil record persists as the trade secret of paleontology. The evolutionary trees that adorn our textbooks have data only at the tips and nodes of their branches; the rest is inference, however reasonable, not the evidence of fossils."[11] Mark Ridley, “However, the gradual change of fossil species has never been part of the evidence for evolution. In the chapters on the fossil record in the Origin of Species Darwin showed that the record was useless for testing between evolution and special creation because it has great gaps in it. The same argument still applies. . . . In any case, no real evolutionist, whether gradualist or punctuationist, uses the fossil record as evidence in favor of the theory of evolution as opposed to special creation.”[12] P1. If evolution is true, then transitional fossils exist. P2. Darwin predicted numerous transitional fossils, we have a handful of disputable examples. C. Evolution is not supported by ‘transitional fossils’. 3. Observed Evolution "Speciation, the process by which different populations of the same species split into separate species, is central to evolution.” That’s true; Darwinian evolution requires a mechanism to create diverse species from a single common ancestor. But creationists believe observed speciation fits much better within the creation model for several reasons: Type of Change -- The effect of natural selection and mutations over time may increase diversity around the globe, but at the cost of reducing the genetic information in each individual—the opposite of what Darwinian evolution would require.[13] Speed of Change -- Such examples of “rapid” speciation show that the diversity of life we see today is possible given the original created kinds (with representatives on board the Ark) and the elapsed time since the Flood.[14] Role of Kinds -- The speciation we observe never transforms a fish into a lizard, for example, or a lizard into a bird; fish remain fish, lizards remain lizards, and birds remain birds. We see a fixity and separation of kinds even though there are minor, information-reducing changes within kinds. Also, successful hybridization (between two different “species”) reminds us of the existence of underlying kinds.[15] P1. If evolution is true, it will be observed P2. We observe natural selection and mutations reducing genetic information, and variations within kinds. P3. Evolution, in the particles-to-people sense, is not observed. The citations will be in the comments.