Discussion questions:

1.  Have recent advances in molecular biology provided greater support or a greater challenge for naturalistic explanations of origins?
 

2.  Evaluate Ken Miller's claims that the cilia and flagellum are not irreducibly complex
 

3.  Evaluate the pros and cons of the co-optation argument
 

4.  Discuss Behe and Miller's conflicting views of the mousetrap analogy for irreducibly complex systems.
 

5.  J. Bennett, in his recent book  On the Cosmic Horizon, makes the following statements  (pg 170 and 171).  "A guiding principle of science is that the burden of proof falls on those who claim new discoveries."   "According to the principles of science, we should not accept the hypothesis of alien visits without strong evidence."  ...   "Perhaps because they have no strong hand to show, UFO enthusiasts often take the anti-scientific approach of placing the burden of proof on those who don't believe them." ... "Whereas a single piece of indisputable evidence could prove that they do exist, an absence of evidence can never be used to prove that they don't exist."
 

Where do you think the burden of proof should lie in this debate about the origin of irreducible complex biological systems?