In his Dead Dog post Sal quotes Jonathan Wells as follows:
If we place a small amount of sterile salt solution in a test tube at just the right temperature and acidity, add a living cell, and then poke a hole in that cell with a sterile needle, the contents will leak out. We will have in our test tube all of the molecules needed for life, in just the right proportions (relative to each other) and already assembled into complex specified DNAs, RNAs, proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates. But we will not be able to make a living cell out of them. We cannot put Humpty Dumpty back together again.
Later Sal specifically addresses Neil Rickert with the following question:
I said “dead dogs stay dead dogs.” What say you?
To which Neil responds:
In the context of that dreadful quote from Jonathan Wells, I’m not sure what I would say.
Wow! Who knew we would have an outbreak of DDS (Darwinist Derangement Syndrome; see our glossary for a description of the symptoms) here at UD on the first day of spring. Maybe there is something about the vernal equinox that, like the phases of the moon for a werewolf, brings on the outbreak.
I would ask Neil a question though. You say the Wells comment is “dreadful.” It is most certainly true. Why, then, do you consider it dreadful?