Commentary: Are Humans Becoming More Intelligent? (Part Two)

Biomimicry
#1403c

Given 28-Oct-17; 11 minutes

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Secularist doctrine teaches that technology demonstrates the primacy of human intelligence over anything else. If we measure intelligence as the ability to adequately respond to challenging situations, humans are faring no better than ancient civilizations. As a matter of fact, archeology has demonstrated that even in technology, modern man has some gaping deficits in comparison to earlier civilization. Humans have never invented anything new, but have relied on biomimicry—mimicking what God had already created in nature. As examples, consider that Velcro mimics the adhesive properties of the cocklebur, e-readers mimic the properties of luminous butterfly wings, and medical tape inspired by spider silk which will not damage the flesh when peeled off tender skin. God created these intricacies from nothing. It is important for us to distinguish the creation from the Creator, giving the honor and worship to the Creator and not the creation.


transcript:

The common worldly belief that humans are becoming more intelligent and wiser is a deception that comes out of religions like secularism (including atheism, humanism, and even post-truth Christianity). As a result, people today look at technology and misunderstand it. They presume that since we have more technology we are “getting smarter,” just like the evolutionary story says.

But is mankind really becoming more intelligent and wiser? “Intelligence” is defined in Webster’s Dictionary as:

1) the ability to learn or understand or deal with new or trying situations … the skilled use of reason.

2) the ability to apply knowledge to manipulate one’s environment.

As always, the Bible has the answer. Notice what God prophesied about our time now:

Daniel 12:4 "But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase."

Knowledge is certainly increasing, but mankind is not becoming more intelligent and wiser as a result. We are merely mimicking what we find in God’s creation.

In ancient times, there were brilliant people, and some who were not so brilliant, similar to people today. First, let’s acknowledge an example of ancient brilliance. Many underground complexes were built in what is modern-day Turkey. These complexes in Cappadocia were completely formed by the 8th century AD, but they were believed to have been started around the 8th century BC

Derinkuyu, perhaps the most famous, is one of the largest that we know of. It is an underground, multi-story building complete with an irrigation system to bring fresh water and ventilation to bring fresh air. Its depth continued to about 200 feet (60 meters) and could hold about 20,000 people with food supplies as well as their livestock.

Journalist April Holloway writes:

The region of Anatolia in Turkey is famous for its underground cities, particularly in the region of Cappadocia where more than 40 complete underground cities and 200 underground villages and tunnel towns complete with hidden passages, secret rooms, and ancient temples have been found.

In 2015, another underground city was discovered in Cappadocia at Nevşehir, which is now estimated to be larger than Derinkuyu! The examples of mankind’s ingenuity down through the ages are too numerous to describe; and it is only through human ignorance that people today think that we are more intelligent and wiser today than they were in ancient times.

Although there are many areas of research, such as materials advancements, rapid geological processing, and biological advancements in medicine that could be described, let’s look at one in particular: biomimicry.

Biomimicry is a field in which scientists and engineers develop "new" technology based on observations of the way God designed plants, animals, and so on. In other words, it is mimicking design features from the ultimate designer, God!

Perhaps one of the most popular examples is Velcro. We have all heard of Velcro. God created it first, and we can see it with plants like the cocklebur. Velcro is abundant these days, found on everything from space suits to children's shoes. The sticky material was inspired by the way plant burrs stick to dog hair.

In 1941, the Swiss engineer George de Mestral looked at the burrs under a microscope and noticed they contained hundreds of tiny hooks that could catch on loops of hair or clothing. He developed a material based on this and called it Velcro, from the French words velours, meaning velvet, and crochet, meaning hook. Hence, George de Mestral mimicked God’s biological design.

Let’s look at a few more examples of mimicked divine designs. Sharks, the stealthy predators of the deep, may have a thing or two to teach the U.S. Navy. Shark skin contains something that resembles sleek, tiny teeth that are made of a tough material for which most biologists today prefer the more descriptive phrase, “dermal denticles” (which literally means, "tiny skin teeth") also called dentin. The dentin create tiny vortices in the water that reduce drag.

Shark skin also prevents barnacles and other organisms from glomming on, something called bio-fouling (Those sticky creatures cost the Navy at least $50 million each year, one Navy scientist estimated.) The dentin are constantly in flux, limiting the surface area to which marine hitchhikers can attach.

Researchers in Germany have developed a synthetic shark skin made of elastic silicone that reduces biofouling by 67 percent in tests. The U.S. Navy has funded work to develop similar critter-repellent coatings.

Another example: Flesh-grabbing worms have inspired a new technique for attaching skin grafts—transplants used to treat wounds or burns. The design idea was taken from a parasitic worm, of all things. The spiny-headed worm attacks the intestines of its hosts with a razor-like spine, then inflates its cactus-like head inside the tissue to latch on.

Similarly, the skin graft adhesive consists of a patch of tiny needles whose tips swell up when exposed to water, keeping the graft in place. The material is three times as strong as surgical staples, researchers say.

Another example: Inspiration from the sheen of butterfly wings has helped researchers to develop color displays for e-readers. Qualcomm MEMS Technologies created the first full-color, video-friendly e-reader prototype based on the way butterfly wings gleam in bright light. The display, known as Mirasol, works by reflecting light instead of transmitting light from behind the screen the way LCD monitors do. The new type of screen can be read in bright sunlight and has longer battery life.

Another example of God's design that is being used: Spider silk is known to be one of nature's strongest materials—five times stronger than steel by weight. Silk is both stretchy and lightweight. It must be sticky in some places to catch prey, and not sticky in others so the spider can scuttle across it.

Scientists have created a medical product that mimics this property: a flexible tape that can be peeled off a wound without damaging the tissue underneath. The sticky material could be useful for attaching tubes or sensors to the delicate skin of newborns and the elderly.

Traditional medical tape is made by applying a sticky substance onto a thin backing material. To make the silk-inspired tape, researchers apply a silicon-based film to the backing material first, and use a laser to etch a grid pattern onto the silicon. The grid makes some parts of the material sticky and other parts non-sticky, just like God’s design of a spider's web.

These are just a few examples that should whet your appetite to understand more about the amazing intricacies of God’s design in nature and how humans have been able to take God’s ideas and wisdom and use it to solve physical challenges in everyday life.

The fact that God created the universe out of nothing is an important foundational biblical theme. Hebrews 11:3 is the most explicit text about this:

Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

This picture of creation has implications for our understanding of God and the creation itself. He is distinguished from what He created. God’s creation totally depends on God, but does not emanate from Him. God is spirit and the creation is physical. Biblical descriptions of creation distinguish with great care between the Creator and the creation.

Certainly, the second commandment against graven images—that is, idolatry—in Exodus 20:4-6 reflects the creation language of Genesis 1 and makes it clear that God is tremendously jealous that He not be confused or identified with anything within the realm of creation.

The fact that all things find their origin in the creative work of God means that everything, in some way, bears witness to the creation and is revelatory of the Creator. According to the Bible, every rock and tree and creature can be said to testify of God, declare His glory, and demonstrate His handiwork.

How can humans take credit for inventing “new” things when all good things invented by mankind are based on God’s own design and Creation?

In Job 38:4, the Eternal says —

Job 38:4 "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.”

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