Re: The Blind Watchmaker

From: Gates, James (jcg395@soton.ac.uk)
Date: Tue May 28 1996 - 11:31:56 BST


What is the blind watchmaker?

The blind watchmaker is not a person, just a process. The expression
is used to explain that a process randonly alters and amends
creatures. In this way the creatures may survive or perish, depending
if the creature, can survive in the enviroment. The creatures most
adapted to the enviroment, survive, and are more likely to dominate
over other variations. This random process of variation, has been
going on since the beginning of life on this planet, if it was not
for this there would be no life on planet as we know it. This is the
theory behind darwins process of evolution. But the blind watchmaker
is completely random, where as darwins theory uses, a filter to stop
any creatures which can not adapt to the enviroment. Richard Darwkins
who created the phrase the blind watchmaker has produced a program
that shows this process. Starting with a basic organism, such as a
tree the computer randomly morphs the organism, he has been able to
produce an evolutionary pattern which simulate animals of today.
Therefore proving that, it is indeed possible.



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