Panda’s Thumb: extraordinary design?

Does the panda’s thumb disprove intelligent design? Or is it one of the most extraordinary manipulation systems in the mammalian world, as a respected study shows? In this episode of Identify the futurepresenter Casey Luskin speaks with philosopher Dr. Stephen Dilley on his recent paper evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the iconic panda thumb argument for evolution.

Harvard scientist and science historian Stephen Jay Gould is known for his theory that science and religion are non-overlapping magisteria and are best kept separate. Yet one of his favorite arguments for evolutionary processes was the panda’s thumb, which is supported by a theology-laden premise: namely, that God wouldn’t design the panda’s thumb that way, therefore some clumsy, step-by-step natural process is responsible. But does this argument hold up to philosophical and scientific scrutiny?

In this conversation, Dr. Dilley the assumptions implicit in the panda thumb argument. He also explains that what is considered by some to be sub-optimal design may actually be an engineering trade-off. Optimizing a structure can sometimes come at the expense of certain design limitations. Ultimately, Dilley believes that the panda’s thumb may be more of a problem for an evolutionary view than a design perspective: “If the very best studies indeed praise the thumb for its efficiency, its dexterity and its precision… The panda’s thumb could pose a problem for evolutionists. Download the podcast or listen to it here.

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