Book report

The Blind Watchmaker: Why the Evidence of Evolution Reveals a

Universe without Design
–Richard Dawkins

In these chapters author tries to explain evolution by his arguments , he addresses life as complicated
things . He tries to define simple and complicated things in the universe. Complicated things are living
organisms such as bacteria, chimpanzees, humans etc. while simple things are rocks, rivers, stars,
galaxies, etc. He calls simple things as stuff of physics and complicated things mentioned above as stuff of
biology. He defines study of living organism as the study of things which gives us the illusion that they are
designed for a purpose while stuff of physics such as rocks, sun, fluids, stars doesn’t tempts us to invoke
the intelligent design idea that these are designed for a purpose. But we can’t say that everything which is
complicated and designed for a purpose is a biological object for example , computer is complicated and
designed for purpose but its function can be predicted.

He says physics is not simple because its involves complex mathematical calculations but the object what
is being studied in physics is simple because it can be defined mathematically but biology is complex
because we can’t predict function of a biological organism. For example , even function of cell or a tissue
cannot be defined mathematically yet. He says that nature works as a blind watchmaker , it has no
foresight, it has no purpose for its individuals even if it had been given a role of watchmaker it would be
blind watchmaker that’s why the name of book is blind watchmaker. He defines further complex things on
the basis (1) hetrogenity in composition and (2) probability of getting that unique configuration and its
unique function associated with that configuration after random assembling .

He defines complexity further as probability not getting a configuration C with probability P in its all
possible configurations. Thus we can say that complexity is directly proportional to not getting that unique
configuration with unique feature after assembling. He explains how complex things such life came into
existence by reductionist approach that Single step complex creation will not work He says that every living
organism is the product of step by step modification from simple beginning and probability of becoming that
unique organism is random. Every Iiving organism is the product of continuous sorting and selection over
generations .So there is nothing like end product, because progeny serve as carrier of parent genes to
maintain continuity. But this continuity mechanism is not full proof and it may possible that some small
mistake has been occurred in gene while it is being passed on to next generation. These mistakes are
known as mutation. Mutation is the only reason of evolvent of new species and organism and their unique
features. After this nature chooses those who atre more viable and able to reproduction. This supports the
hypothesis of nature’s selection rule. A mutation is good only if organism and its progeny and their progeny
are viabl e and able to reproduce their progeny. The developemental and reproductive process together
ais known as evolution. A organism preferred over another by nature on the basis of its fitness i.e. to
compete with others and win. The process of evolution is very slow and it occurs continuously and step by
step generation over genrations.

Ms17199
Ankit Yadav