Paley’s teleological argument in the watchmaker analogy suggests that the complexity of animal organisms is sourced from the intelligence of the creator, God. One of the examples of animal features that can be compared in complexity to a watch analogy is the development of night vision. Night vision provides a significant strategical advantage for animals; however, not all animals followed the same evolutionary paths and developed the skill. Furthermore, night vision requires specific changes in the organism implemented differently in various animals. In general, nocturnal animals’ eyes have more cells responsible for light absorption, which allows an increased amount of light in their photoreceptors (Sohn, 2019). However, other animals who do not necessarily live in the dark also have special reflective layers at the back of the retina, which significantly enhances their eyes’ light-absorbing capacities compared to humans.
The research on the development of night vision in animals suggests that three primary adaptations allow nocturnal animals to see at night. The pupils in the human eye widen to absorb more light, and therefore people can see better in the dark. Some animals, such as raccoons, have large eyes, which improves their ability to see at night. Furthermore, animals like owls have more light rods in their eyes, meaning that they constantly observe the world brighter than it is. Lastly, many mammals have a reflective tissue layer in their eyes which reflects light in the dark and increases light absorption (Sohn, 2019). The chapter discussed evolution from the point of religion and the argument for God’s existence. The complex construction of animals’ eyes and different methods that allow evolutionary changes to see better at night time serve as an example of intricate design crafted by a higher intelligence. Moreover, the design has a clear purpose and functions, which is proved by the fact that, unlike animals, humans do not have night vision ability.
Reference
Sohn, E. (2019). The eyes of mammals reveal a dark past. Nature. Web.