"We are survival machines – robot vehicles blindly programmed to preserve the selfish molecules known as genes. This is a truth that still fills me with astonishment.” Richard Dawkins, The Selfish Gene

Curious statement, is it not? While Dawkins is astonished at what he proclaims to be a profound truth, I am astonished at his reference to, and acknowledgement of, “blind programming.” How can something be programmed without a programmer to do the task? Moreover, blind programming seems to be a contradiction in terms. All programming is deliberate. If not, why would something be programmed at all? I would therefore argue that programming could never be done in a blind state. 

So what is this musing doing in a science blog?

Statements such as Dawkins’ stray beyond the boundaries of science and plunge headfirst into theology and philosophy. Once one passes beyond the “visible” bounds of science, he enters into the realm of belief and faith. Richard Dawkins, an outspoken atheist, is articulating a belief in the unknown or invisible with a vigor and assuredness comparable to my belief in a programmer God. I believe the evidence is overwhelming that programming of the universe and all life within it necessitates a programmer, an omnipotent doer, a God. Dawkins sees it differently. One of us is very wrong! But the point here is that we are both treading beyond the range of visibility, beyond the limits of science. We are both expounding our beliefs. 

I would argue that Dawkins is blind to the evidence. He would argue that I am blind and fail to see the nothingness of life’s origins and development. I can only argue from an evidential viewpoint not from scientific proof. He cannot argue from a scientific basis because the argument is beyond the visible boundaries of science. 

I’ll stand on the overwhelming evidence indicating that this universe and all life and existence within it were indeed deliberately programmed. Aren’t all tangible programmed products the result of efforts put forth by deliberate programmers? Just ask folks like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs if their products happened by accident out of the nothingness of space.