The Uncommon Descent blog reports that “in the planetary science journal, Icarus, two scientists argue that the genetic code bears the hallmarks of an intelligent cause.” The blog quotes the abstract which reads in part:
It has been repeatedly proposed to expand the scope for SETI, and one of the suggested alternatives to radio is the biological media. Genomic DNA is already used on Earth to store non-biological information. Though smaller in capacity, but stronger in noise immunity is the genetic code.
Kind of interesting — an intelligent design high-five but using that to promote intelligent ET life . . . intelligent designers instead of an intelligent Designer.
Where have you heard that before?
Hmmmm … It’ll come to me any minute now.
The full scientific paper can be downloaded here.
Intelligent Design simply means intelligently designed. Whether it be one or more is a side issue and is based on personel opinion. Years ago I wrote that SETI was pointing their equipment in the wrong direction. If your looking for “complex specified (encoded) information”/CSI then the genome seems to be a great place to look. Even SETI makes no claim as to who, what or how many. This is a straw man argument.
The wording here isn’t at all clear. I can’t tell if you agree, disagree, or both. I’m not sure the paper is making an “argument” (“proposal” would likely be more accurate).
I agree that the article published in Icarus should not be taken lightly or marginalized with trivial responses such as the many I have seen or heard of in recent days by a few different people out there in the blogosphere.