Summary

The article contemplates the intricate design of the human body and mind, questioning whether evolution alone can account for our complex biological systems or if there is an intelligent designer at play.

Abstract

The author, who identifies as agnostic, ponders the origins of human design without subscribing to a traditional religious view. While acknowledging the scientific evidence for evolution, the author marvels at the precise and efficient organization of the human body, from the placement of blood vessels to the immense processing power of the brain. The article suggests that the complexity of human biology implies a form of conscious design, akin to engineering, rather than random natural selection. It speculates on the possibility of an impersonal, collective intelligence or an "engineering department" behind the evolutionary process, rather than a singular God figure. The author also reflects on the imperfections in nature and humanity's potential for future evolutionary advancements, including moral and cognitive enhancements.

Opinions

The author is agnostic and does not dismiss the possibility of a God-like entity but prefers to rely on scientific explanations.
There is a strong belief in the scientific process of evolution, with an emphasis on the adaptability of species over time.
The author is awestruck by the human body's complexity, suggesting that it appears to be a carefully designed masterpiece rather than a fluke of nature.
The article posits that the intricacies of human anatomy and cognitive abilities imply the involvement of an intelligent designer, similar to how a human would design a robot.
The concept of God or a higher power is questioned, with the author leaning towards a collaborative effort by an "entire engineering department" rather than a single divine being.
The author acknowledges that neither science nor the concept of God is infallible, citing evolutionary mistakes and extinctions as evidence.
Humanity is seen as having the potential for significant improvement, both biologically and socially, possibly leading to enhanced abilities such as telekinesis or improved empathy.
The article concludes with a hopeful outlook on the future of human evolution, suggesting that whatever force or intelligence is guiding us is akin to a genius or a God.

If There’s No God, Then What ‘Designed’ Humans?

Are our bodies and minds really just the result of evolutionary trial and error? Or is there something else?

I’d like to start off by saying I’m not religious — but I don’t want this to come off as anti-religion. I’m agnostic — I don’t really believe in a God figure per se, but I also can’t disprove there’s one. However, assuming some individual “God” isn’t up there designing us, who or what is?

Are we a fluke of nature, or a carefully designed masterpiece? Is God constantly updating our firmware, and adding on new features from a virtual shop?

I am a firm believer in science and evolution. I believe that species adapt over many centuries (or longer) to become more resilient. There’s no doubt the scientific link between some ancient beasts and modern creatures. However, human bodies in particular amaze me.

Yeah, I get that certain human attributes naturally disappear and others take their place over time to ensure our survival. You call that evolution and move on, right? But who decided to declare some of our features obsolete (like a tail, for example) while other features evolved?

These all seem to me like conscious decisions by an entity that can understand how certain features will work in certain environments. It seems to me like this requires intelligence and awareness, the way it does for a human to design (and later upgrade) a fully functional robot. It seems very deliberate and calculated, not random at all.

The human body is an amazing feat of engineering — but who is the engineer?

This is the part where someone who believes in God would simply say we were created in his image, which has different interpretations. I personally don’t think there’s some ultimate being that became the blueprint for humanity. (If there is, what created the blueprint, to begin with?)

Whether we’re talking in metaphors or reality, someone or something had to “design” a living being. Yes, our “design” is programmed into our DNA, but where did the source code for that DNA come from? Who is the “IT guy” that’s updating the code? Who is giving them the orders to update the code?

We are incredible feats of engineering

We have all of these complex systems — circulatory, respiratory, digestive, nervous, and so on. Each system is very intricate, and they function together (most of the time, I hope.)

Did evolution — essentially a concept — figure out the best place to put lungs in our bodies, how to heal our wounds, and how to conserve our energy when we’re cold? Did evolution just gift us with opposable thumbs for working with our hands? Is science to thank for our ability to walk on two legs?

How the heck did evolution configure 100,000 miles of blood vessels perfectly inside our skin shells? And on that note, how did evolution figure out where to place all our major vessels so that our movements wouldn’t interfere with them?

Oh, and most of us also have this powerful brain that can reason (and imagine) beyond a supercomputer, with 86 billion neurons all communicating. If we looked at the brain in processing speed, it can outpace a modern CPU. In fact, this science article claims that the human brain performs (an equivalent) 1 billion calculations per second, faster than the world’s fastest supercomputers. It’s also estimated our memory is around a million gigabytes, the equivalent of 300 years of video.

Anyways, my point wasn’t to brag about how powerful the human brain is. We know that not everyone uses it to its capacity. But the point is that something has rigged up our bodies and brains to work this efficiently. Somewhere along the line “it” made a breakthrough — maybe around the time, we learned to cook with fire?

As I said, I can’t disprove a God, so I won’t attempt to. Believe as much as you’d like. But I doubt it’s one or two dudes (or dudettes) calling all the shots. I sense it’s an entire engineering department, with brilliant minds assembling to create the final schematics.

Either way, we’ve learned that God (and science) isn’t perfect

Perhaps science is the God. Evolution seems to have its own consciousness and makes its own decisions. I suppose we could call this Mother Nature, except Mother Nature isn’t always perfect, as God supposedly is. Sometimes she makes mistakes. Sometimes she gets it wrong like she has in the past.

That’s part of the reason that it’s amazing we exist — that we can build, love, learn, and dream. We can even build AI algorithms that dream for us.

Can humans be improved? Of course we can, from an evolutionary standpoint. We could be faster, and stronger. We could access our subconscious minds at any time. We could develop telekinesis. We could learn to be better to each other, becoming more powerful as a unit — kind of like how brain neurons cooperate to achieve amazing feats.

One thing’s for sure — whatever happens in the future, whatever “it” is that decides where humans go from here, is a genius.

A God, you might say.

Whether we’re purely the result of science, or created by some kind of God, I just hope humans stick around long enough for us to solve these mysteries. That’s up to the engineer, I suppose.