Self-Control is Good, But Only up to a Point

Why do they say that the spider evolved to confuse predators? Maybe that trait just randomly evolved, but is effective at confusing predators?

But the trait would not just randomly evolve. Unless there was an environmental pressure to develop the marking, there would be no advantage and spiders with the marking would have no breeding advantage.

Why are cave fish blind? Because those fish who spent less energy forming the molecules necessary for vision had more energy to spend on reproduction and thus had an advantage.

Why do they still have eyes? Because there wasn't enough of an evolutionary push to induce the loss of the entire eye, although I would imagine that some might lack eyes altogether or that the various species may be on their way to loss of eyes.

Alice Reilly
Department of Biology
Mercer University

As if the spider knew that the markings on its back were entertaining to humans!

Seriously people, do you really believe that evolution stuff? It's so dumb, that if you take a moment to examine it critically, you will find that it doesn't stand up to a paper clip.

I'm not trying to say anything against the idea of evolution, survival of the fittest clearly plays some roll as a driver of adaptation.

I am skeptical however of the idea that a spider developed a trait in order to confuse predators, I think the timeline is somewhat confused when making a statement like that. I would say first there was a variation of traits, some of those traits were conducive to tricking predators and therefore surviving and reproducing.

I don't think a fish decided I want to use less energy so I'll become blind - but blindness is a trait that randomly pops up, requires less energy and this allowed it to survive in an environment where vision is less important than saving energy. The environment didn't cause the trait, but was a driver in choosing which traits proliferate.

The traits spiders had long ago were slightly confusing, some of them survived and had offspring who had their own peculiarities, some of them were more confusing, at least long enough to not get eaten and to pass on their genes... so forth and so on...

There's no mind to evolution itself.

For those who think God exists, he clearly MIGHT, that's a given, what we have proof of though is that he has no discernible effect on the world. Ask yourself, if the entire planet, every last one of us Human beings KNEW he existed, what would motivate us? Being good for goodness' sake? Some, sure... Personal gain would drive most of us, again, another given.

The true test of being worthy of God can only happen in a world where people have to live their lives without his influence. And that's what we have here before us today.

Why did ya have to go and sling mud at evolution, eh? See what you have wrought?

LOL, g'day folks

I'm not saying the fish just decided to use less energy and become blind. I agree with you that the traits would randomly pop up. They would not, however, stay without evolutionary pressure. So yes, they randomly pop up, but they don't randomly evolve. To evolve implies a positive influence for a trait that has otherwise randomly popped up.

Alice Reilly
Department of Biology
Mercer University