paleonet Intelligent Design

["Andy Rindsberg" <arindsberg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Just out of curiosity, Frank, how does the Intelligent Design hypothesis
deal with animal behavior that, if designed, could be interpreted as being
cruel? I'm not just talking about lions eating zebras here. I'd like an
explanation of predatory wasp behavior. The wasps capture and sting
caterpillars, paralyzing them with a toxin. The wasp then flies to its nest,
carrying the hapless caterpillar, and lays an egg in it before walling it
away in the dark. The egg hatches inside the caterpillar and, over a period
of days, eats it alive from the inside. For more details, consult the very
readable works of Henri Fabré.

There is no evidence to suggest that the paralyzing venom acts as an
anaesthetic. To the contrary: Wasp stings hurt. And predatory wasps are
hardly uncommon; this sort of thing goes on all summer long in any garden. I
see no intelligence in the initiation of wasp behavior, but perhaps you do.
Can you explain these well-known observations in the context of the
Intelligent Design hypothesis?

I hope this example clarifies how science can address the question of
Intelligent Design.

Cheers,
Andy

Andrew K. Rindsberg



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