Constructing Von Neumann Machines

The ingenuity and information that it takes to construct a Von Neumann machine atom by atom is enormous. Some say that that is an impossible feat. We know of no mechanism, save one, that can construct complex machinery that is capable of self-reproduction, namely, intelligence. Here are some examples of intelligent design (notice that only one of these qualifies as a Von Neumann machine):

Can you guess which one?

Motor # 1

Motor # 2

Motor # 3

Your thoughts?

Jess wrote:
"But #3 is so elegant and sophisticated that nobody could have designed it. Ergo-it was Natural Selection!."

I'm holding out some hope here that Jess is being fecetious. But assuming he/she is NOT being fecetious, this is a classic example of argument from ignorance. While Darwinists love to slap that label on ID proponents, it's really theirs to own. "I can't understand how it could have been designed, therefore it must have evolved, regardless of how non-sensical and impossible that may be."

Jess also wrote:
"As Defender of Science Richard Dawkins has pointed out-Evolution is smarter than you."

Yeah, I love this one, too. It's a ripper. A blind, unintelligent, undirected process with no brain, no conscience, no ability to actually think, is smarter than you. The person who says this--and means it--has an extremely low opinion of their own intelligence.

The more I learn about Richard Dawkins, the more it appears that saying he's a "defender of science" is a bit like saying that Joseph Stalin was a defender of liberty.

But really, its hard to parody the ID critics, you know!