| Published 2011 |
Before you begin reading this book, you ought to know that it is no light read. I took biology in high
school in the early 1980s and am familiar with the essentials of the cell (the nucleus, DNA,
mitochondria, and so forth) but this book goes well beyond a simple sketch of the cell. Nevertheless, it
is well worth reading and, beyond the mere anatomy of the cell, one can glimpse a philosophy of
religion which is very correct from a Christian understanding which supposes that God created life.
____________________________________________________________________
1. Richard Dawkins, The Blind Watchmaker (New York: Norton, 1987), 80.
____________________________________________________________________
Brownian motion is the random motion of particles suspended in a fluid. On the other hand, Brownian
ratchets (conceptual machines with a gear on one end of an axel, which gear can move at will but in
only one direction) are limited in their mobility, being restricted to moving only within certain physical
limits. But before researchers developed this Brownian ratchet technology, it already existed inside
cells. For example, the molecular motor kinesin, a protein which uses energy to create motion within
a cell, resembles two golf clubs with intertwined shafts. Each “club” takes its turn detaching from the
inside cell wall as the other stays attached and, as they work in unison to control its overall motion, it
can transport cellular cargo.
Another aspect of intelligent design involves creating organs or processes which operate using precise
timing. Messenger RNA are sequences of DNA that transfer information from the nucleus to amino acid
sequences of proteins. If too many of these sequences are left around, they direct the creation of
proteins beyond what is needed and impede cell function. Remarkably, only messenger RNA which is
needed for short-lived cell processes have rapid decay rates while those needed for longer durations
have shorter ones.
People who used computers during the computer bulletin board days remember uploading or
downloading files using various error-checking protocols. Those protocols dealt with an odd or even
number of computer bits which were turned either on or off. In even parity the number of “on” bits must
be an even number, and in odd parity the number of “on” bits must be an odd number. Rana says the
bases adenine, guanine, thymine, and cytosine are unique in that when they alone are used to create
DNA, they impart the genetic code with error checking capabilities. This is because in DNA molecules
guanine only joins with cytosine and adenine only joins with thymine. If the hydrogen bonds between
the bases are considered analogous to electrical signals which are either on or off (either “1” or “0”),
then when the bases are paired correctly the number of “on” bits is always an even number. Incorrect
arrangements yield incorrect parity. No other group of four bases can do this.
Rana summarizes his arguments and examples near the end of his book and reveals the personality
of the Creator in whom he believes. This Creator is capable of fine tuning and quality control, is
intelligent because he incorporates communication systems in each cell, uses the same processes in
numerous animals much as we might use the wheel in bicycles and cars, and inspires his creation (us)
to mimic him in our inventions. While such evidence may not be sufficient to conclude that Christianity
is true, the Creator of the Bible certainly comes to mind as a prime candidate for the task of creating
what Rana describes. LSI
__________________________________________________________________________
Jeff Stueber is a member of the LSI Board of Directors and a free-lance writer living in Watertown, Wisconsin. He
is a member of St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church, Watertown.
__________________________________________________________________________
school in the early 1980s and am familiar with the essentials of the cell (the nucleus, DNA,
mitochondria, and so forth) but this book goes well beyond a simple sketch of the cell. Nevertheless, it
is well worth reading and, beyond the mere anatomy of the cell, one can glimpse a philosophy of
religion which is very correct from a Christian understanding which supposes that God created life.
____________________________________________________________________
1. Richard Dawkins, The Blind Watchmaker (New York: Norton, 1987), 80.
____________________________________________________________________
Brownian motion is the random motion of particles suspended in a fluid. On the other hand, Brownian
ratchets (conceptual machines with a gear on one end of an axel, which gear can move at will but in
only one direction) are limited in their mobility, being restricted to moving only within certain physical
limits. But before researchers developed this Brownian ratchet technology, it already existed inside
cells. For example, the molecular motor kinesin, a protein which uses energy to create motion within
a cell, resembles two golf clubs with intertwined shafts. Each “club” takes its turn detaching from the
inside cell wall as the other stays attached and, as they work in unison to control its overall motion, it
can transport cellular cargo.
Another aspect of intelligent design involves creating organs or processes which operate using precise
timing. Messenger RNA are sequences of DNA that transfer information from the nucleus to amino acid
sequences of proteins. If too many of these sequences are left around, they direct the creation of
proteins beyond what is needed and impede cell function. Remarkably, only messenger RNA which is
needed for short-lived cell processes have rapid decay rates while those needed for longer durations
have shorter ones.
People who used computers during the computer bulletin board days remember uploading or
downloading files using various error-checking protocols. Those protocols dealt with an odd or even
number of computer bits which were turned either on or off. In even parity the number of “on” bits must
be an even number, and in odd parity the number of “on” bits must be an odd number. Rana says the
bases adenine, guanine, thymine, and cytosine are unique in that when they alone are used to create
DNA, they impart the genetic code with error checking capabilities. This is because in DNA molecules
guanine only joins with cytosine and adenine only joins with thymine. If the hydrogen bonds between
the bases are considered analogous to electrical signals which are either on or off (either “1” or “0”),
then when the bases are paired correctly the number of “on” bits is always an even number. Incorrect
arrangements yield incorrect parity. No other group of four bases can do this.
Rana summarizes his arguments and examples near the end of his book and reveals the personality
of the Creator in whom he believes. This Creator is capable of fine tuning and quality control, is
intelligent because he incorporates communication systems in each cell, uses the same processes in
numerous animals much as we might use the wheel in bicycles and cars, and inspires his creation (us)
to mimic him in our inventions. While such evidence may not be sufficient to conclude that Christianity
is true, the Creator of the Bible certainly comes to mind as a prime candidate for the task of creating
what Rana describes. LSI
__________________________________________________________________________
Jeff Stueber is a member of the LSI Board of Directors and a free-lance writer living in Watertown, Wisconsin. He
is a member of St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church, Watertown.
__________________________________________________________________________
Review of
Fazale Rana,
The Cell's Design
by Jeffrey Stueber
Fazale Rana,
The Cell's Design
by Jeffrey Stueber
One aspect of supernatural design is what Rana calls the “watchmaker
prediction.” This idea is derived from 18th and 19th century theologian
William Paley who argued that if you were to find a watch on the
ground, you would not suppose that it came into existence merely by
chance because of the numerous inner components which have to
exist in order to make it work. Recently Richard Dawkins borrowed this
same mythical watch analogy to argue that nature is a blind
watchmaker (hence the title of one of his books).1 Rana argues that
many of the processes inside the cell could not have originated by
chance,much as watch parts cannot originate by chance. These
processes are similar to the contraptions we are creating now. As we
discover more about the cell, we should expect to uncover more such
processes. Hence, Rana concludes, the cell must have been
designed by a Designer more creative and intelligent than we; and we
are now, with our scientific technology, learning to mimic his creativity
and intelligence. The following example should suffice.
prediction.” This idea is derived from 18th and 19th century theologian
William Paley who argued that if you were to find a watch on the
ground, you would not suppose that it came into existence merely by
chance because of the numerous inner components which have to
exist in order to make it work. Recently Richard Dawkins borrowed this
same mythical watch analogy to argue that nature is a blind
watchmaker (hence the title of one of his books).1 Rana argues that
many of the processes inside the cell could not have originated by
chance,much as watch parts cannot originate by chance. These
processes are similar to the contraptions we are creating now. As we
discover more about the cell, we should expect to uncover more such
processes. Hence, Rana concludes, the cell must have been
designed by a Designer more creative and intelligent than we; and we
are now, with our scientific technology, learning to mimic his creativity
and intelligence. The following example should suffice.
People who used computers during the computer bulletin board days
remember uploading or downloading files using various error-checking
protocols. Those protocols dealt with an odd or even number of computer
bits which were turned either on or off. In even parity the number of “on”
bits must be an even number, and in odd parity the number of “on” bits
must be an odd number. Rana says the bases adenine, guanine, thymine,
and cytosine are unique in that when they alone are used to create DNA,
they impart the genetic code with error checking capabilities. This is
because in DNA molecules guanine only joins with cytosine and adenine
only joins with thymine. If the hydrogen bonds between the bases are
considered analogous to electrical signals which are either on or off (either
“1” or “0”), then when the bases are paired correctly the number of “on”
bits is always an even number. Incorrect arrangements yield incorrect
parity. No other group of four bases can do this.
remember uploading or downloading files using various error-checking
protocols. Those protocols dealt with an odd or even number of computer
bits which were turned either on or off. In even parity the number of “on”
bits must be an even number, and in odd parity the number of “on” bits
must be an odd number. Rana says the bases adenine, guanine, thymine,
and cytosine are unique in that when they alone are used to create DNA,
they impart the genetic code with error checking capabilities. This is
because in DNA molecules guanine only joins with cytosine and adenine
only joins with thymine. If the hydrogen bonds between the bases are
considered analogous to electrical signals which are either on or off (either
“1” or “0”), then when the bases are paired correctly the number of “on”
bits is always an even number. Incorrect arrangements yield incorrect
parity. No other group of four bases can do this.
