Increase in Genetic Information

Yet Another Creationist Myth: "Evolution Cannot Produce New Genetic Information"

"No matter what example is offered as evidence that mutations can generate an increase in information, Creationists naturally have rationales for regarding that example as a case of loss of information. But every time Creationists "prove" another mutation to be an example of information loss, they add one more item to the list of biological changes which don't require a gain of information! If this pattern continues, Creationists will eventually "prove" that no biological change requires an increase in information; hence, they will have destroyed their own argument." (From reference 23 below)

One of the topics Mr. Knapp discusses on his website has to do with the formation of new genetic information in biological systems.. As might be expected, he is an advocate of the creationist claim that an increase in genetic information cannot be caused by purely-naturalistic mechanisms. He cites the writings of creationists Timothy Wallace, Werner Gitt, and Lee Spetner to support his position on this issue. Creationists find it difficult to define exactly what they mean by "information" in a biological context and to agree on a common definition among themselves. "Information," according to creationists, seems to be whatever they think, at the moment, cannot be adequately explained by naturalistic processes. Whenever evidence is presented to demonstrate information increase in genetic systems in accordance with their current definition, creationists move the goal posts and redefine "information increase" so as to exclude the latest example.

What follows are some articles and references which demonstrate that, despite creationist claims to the contrary, new genetic information can, and is, routinely added to biological systems through mechanisms consistent with the theory of evolution. The flaws in the reasoning of Wallace, Gitt, and Spetner regarding this issue are also discussed in certain of the articles.

Disclaimer - Since some of the following references list a number of examples of evolution-induced increases in genetic information, there is some unavoidable duplication between the them.

1. Can New, Beneficial Genetic Information Arise?

2. Apolipoprotein AI Mutations and Information

3. Numerous examples of genetic information increase in biological systems via evolutionary mechanisms

4. How to Measure Information

5. Is there a law of conservation of information?

6. Can evolution cause an increase in information?

7. Does "microevolution" merely select pre-existing variation?

8. Spetner and Biological Information

9. A short review of Spetner's book, "Not By Chance"

10. A more detailed review of Spetner's book, "Not by Chance"

11. Information Theory and Creationism: Werner Gitt

12. Discussions with a Creationist [Timothy Wallace] about the Second Law of Thermodynamics