
What’s Up?
For centuries, scientific materialism creeped in and has influenced our understanding of nature. This belief holds that everything can be explained through material processes, making the invocation of an immaterial, divine being, unnecessary. Charles Darwin captured the imagination of the past centuries by removing the designer from the equation with his theory of evolution, particularly natural selection through random mutation. Though this theory has been the corner stone of biology and has made great progress; it also aligned with the agenda of humanism, which sought to remove God from the picture, appealing to many thinkers across generations. Despite the evidence of design, we see around us— often, scientists dismiss this proof; and would assert these to be product of chance; rendering creation as an invalid explanation for the existence of any life here on Earth.
However, in 1953, Francis Crick and James Watson discovered the famous double helix structure of DNA. DNA carries genetic information that can lead to the development of complex organisms and their traits. More importantly, Francis Crick’s work on the sequence hypothesis revealed that the information in our DNA specifies the functions of proteins.
The arrangement of codes in our DNA is an abstract concept, much like our language. To unwrap this mystery, we will use the analogy of a book to illustrate Francis Crick’s sequence hypothesis. Let us start by explaining what a book is. Letters on their own hold no meaning; they must be combined and specifically arranged to form meaningful words. Words, when placed in context and arranged grammatically in sentences, convey more complete thoughts. Sentences and paragraphs, building up to an article or a book, create complex and layered stories. The essence of a book lies in the story it tells. How this story communicates to the reader depends on the organization, specification, and arrangement of its elements. Just as a writer authors a book, the sequence of DNA codes is meticulously arranged to convey genetic information.
If we attempt to explain what a book is using the framework of scientific materialism, we can only describe the type of paper used, the chemistry of the ink, or perhaps calculate its density to determine if it can withstand a fall from a certain height, physics might help us with that. Our explanation is confined to its material form, not because there is no writer who tells the story, but because this framework does not allow for the invocation of any personal and conscious agent. We must limit our explanation to matter, regardless of the evidence of a writer’s conscious mind where the story originates. Invoking a conscious agent yonder beyond the material realm, and this is not permissible within this framework, hence there can be no scientific explanation for that.
The arrangement of nucleotide bases in our DNA dictates how a specific protein will function. A precise (non-random) arrangement is necessary for the protein to fold into its three-dimensional shape and perform its function. In other words, it is not the chemical properties of the bases, but their arrangement that makes life possible. This is why scientists describe DNA as digital information. But where does this information come from?
If the arrangement of nucleotide bases, rather than their chemical or material properties, makes life possible, how can we explain this arrangement? The bases do not appear to be arranged randomly. Based on our consistent and repeated experiences, information is typically produced by a conscious mind. So, where does this information originate? Explaining it beyond the material form shades into the mysterious.
Design without a Designer
Charles Darwin became the poster boy of science by challenging the designer hypothesis, despite the presence of earlier evolutionary theories. He frequently used the analogy of artificial selection—where humans breed plants and animals for specific traits—to explain natural selection. For example, he observed finches in the Galápagos Islands with varying beak shapes adapted to their food sources.
For Darwin, nature performs a similar selection by exposing organisms to environmental pressures. He proposed that organisms with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce. He called this process natural selection where nature itself acts as a selective force that “chooses” which traits are advantageous for survival and reproduction. This mechanism of evolution suggests that complex traits and adaptations can arise through cumulative changes driven by environmental pressures rather than by some pre-established design.
Darwin’s key contribution was to provide a naturalistic explanation for the apparent design observed in biological organisms. He posited that the complexity and functionality of living organisms do not require a conscious designer; instead, they result from natural processes. The analogy of breeding illustrates that even complex and seemingly designed traits can arise from simple, unguided processes over time.
DNA Enigma
The sequence hypothesis, proposed by Francis Crick in 1958, states that the sequence of bases in DNA determines the sequence of amino acids in a protein, which in turn determines the protein’s three-dimensional structure and function. Richard Dawkins likens DNA to digital information, comparing the sequence of nucleotides to binary code in computers. This precise genetic code ensures accurate replication and transmission of genetic information across generations. Scientists describe genetic information as highly specific and complex, akin to a mathematical formula, suggesting it originates from a mind capable of giving instructions.
Therefore, it is not purely material; there is a semantic aspect involved in the process. Hence, the current explanation for information in our DNA extends beyond material realms.
Again, where does this information come from? Based on our uniform and repeated experience, when we see information like a message on your phone or an email, we know that it comes from a conscious mind. And based on our uniform and repeated experience, when we see design, we know it is from a designer.
Science is based on the belief that nature can be understood because it is designed by a rational being. This belief motivates the founders of modern science, driving them to uncover the design of nature. If everything were accidental and random, there would be nothing to discover.
What is it for me as a Catholic?
This is not a scientific paper, so I acknowledge my biases upfront. The history of Darwin’s theory suggests that some “sciences” are not purely interested in science itself but are motivated by their worldview, particularly atheism. Darwin’s idea fits perfectly with this agenda. If you search for which scientific theory has become a fact, you will find that Darwin’s theory of evolution (Darwinism) is often cited as the only one. This is because it is promoted by sites that evangelize new atheism, not because it is truly a fact. No theory becomes a fact. So why Darwinism? Because it is a belief system masquerading as science. Try searching, “Is the theory of gravity a fact? Or quantum physics? Or any other mainstream theory a fact?” You will find they are not considered facts because theories are not facts. Atheism is a belief system that uses science to disprove the existence of God.
Since we discovered that the information in our DNA is not merely a product of material processes but rather a semantic phenomenon, we have strong reason to believe that there must be a conscious mind behind this information. The only entity that fits this criterion is God. From the beginning, everything was created through the word or information. God alone is the author of our existence, an existence rich with meaning.