---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Molecular machines display a key…"
description: "\"“Molecular machines display a key signature or hallmark of design, namely, irreducible complexity. In all irreducibly complex systems in which the caus..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/324/scott-a-minnich-276664_biochemistry_molecular-machines-display-a-key-signatu_706319.jpg"
---

#  Molecular machines display a key signature or hallmark of…

![“Molecular machines display a key signature or hallmark of design, namely, irreducible complexity. In all irreducibly complex systems in which the cause of the system is known by experience or observation, intelligent design or engineering played a role in the origin of the system... We find such…” quote by Scott A. Minnich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/324/scott-a-minnich-276664_biochemistry_molecular-machines-display-a-key-signatu_706319.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/324/scott-a-minnich-276664_biochemistry_molecular-machines-display-a-key-signatu_706319.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/324/scott-a-minnich-276664_biochemistry_molecular-machines-display-a-key-signatu_706319.jpg)

> ““Molecular machines display a key signature or hallmark of design, namely, irreducible complexity. In all irreducibly complex systems in which the cause of the system is known by experience or observation, intelligent design or engineering played a role in the origin of the system... We find such systems within living organisms.””

[Scott A. Minnich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-a-minnich/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Molecular machines exhibit irreducible complexity, implying intelligent design rather than random evolution.

**In simple terms:** Complexity suggests design over randomness.

Key Takeaway

Consider design in biological systems.

Themes

science design complexity

Mood

inquisitive critical

Type

Biochemistry:0 Biology:0 Complex systems:0 Complexity:0 Computers:0 Evolution:0 Id:0 Intelligent design:0 Molecular-machines:0 Science:0 Irreducible Complexity:0 Molecular Machines:0 Complexity Irreducibly:0

When to use this quote

- academic debate
- educational curricula

Key Concepts

philosophy of science biology intelligent design debate

Questions to Reflect On

- What evidence supports design?
- How does complexity inform origin theories?

A Different Perspective

Complexity can arise from natural processes without design.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Biochemistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biochemistry/) [Biology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biology/) [Complex systems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complex-systems/) [Complexity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complexity/) [Complexity Irreducibly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complexity-irreducibly-5580329/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Id](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/id/) [Intelligent design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligent-design/) [Irreducible Complexity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irreducible-complexity-2053007/) [Molecular Machines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/molecular-machines-2683532/) [Molecular-machines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/molecular-machines-124329/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/)

## Related quotes

> [“To grasp the reality of life as it has been revealed by molecular biology, we must magnify a cell a thousand million times until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-denton/to-grasp-the-reality-of-life-as-it-has-been-revealed-by-molecular/)

[Michael Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-denton/)

> [Irreducible complexity is a problem for Darwinian evolution. Whenever we see these complex functional systems we realise that they have to be designed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-behe/irreducible-complexity-is-a-problem-for-darwinian-evolution-whenever/)

[Michael Behe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-behe/)

> [In the abstract, it might be tempting to imagine that irreducible complexity simply requires multiple simultaneous mutations - that evolution might be far chancier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-the-abstract-it-might-be-tempting-to-imagine-that-irreducible/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Every application has an inherent amount of irreducible complexity. The only question is who will have to deal with it, the user or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-tesler/every-application-has-an-inherent-amount-of-irreducible-complexity/)

[Larry Tesler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-tesler/)

> [After realizing that we would eventually be able to build molecular machines that could arrange atoms to form virtually any pattern that we wanted,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-eric-drexler/after-realizing-that-we-would-eventually-be-able-to-build-molecular/)

[K. Eric Drexler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-eric-drexler/)

> [If you search the scientific literature on evolution, and if you focus your search on the question of how molecular machines - the basis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-behe/if-you-search-the-scientific-literature-on-evolution-and-if-you-focus/)

[Michael Behe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-behe/)

> [In many biological structures proteins are simply components of larger molecular machines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-behe/in-many-biological-structures-proteins-are-simply-components-of/)

[Michael Behe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-behe/)

> [Most of the people who claim to be doing systems biology are really studying simple and complex molecular machines and how they function, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-hood/most-of-the-people-who-claim-to-be-doing-systems-biology-are-really/)

[Leroy Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-hood/)

> [The other advantage is that in conventional manufacturing processes, it takes a long time for a factory to produce an amount of product equal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-eric-drexler/the-other-advantage-is-that-in-conventional-manufacturing-processes/)

[K. Eric Drexler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-eric-drexler/)

> [Protein engineering is a technology of molecular machines - of molecular machines that are part of replicators - and so it comes from an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-eric-drexler/protein-engineering-is-a-technology-of-molecular-machines-of/)

[K. Eric Drexler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-eric-drexler/)

> [Manufacturing takes place in very large facilities. If you want to build a computer chip, you need a giant semiconductor fabrication facility. But nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-merkle/manufacturing-takes-place-in-very-large-facilities-if-you-want-to/)

[Ralph Merkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-merkle/)

> [I had been impressed by the fact that biological systems were based on molecular machines and that we were learning to design and build…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-eric-drexler/i-had-been-impressed-by-the-fact-that-biological-systems-were-based/)

[K. Eric Drexler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-eric-drexler/)

> [I wanted to rewrite the code of life, to make new molecular machines that would solve human problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-arnold/i-wanted-to-rewrite-the-code-of-life-to-make-new-molecular-machines/)

[Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/)

> [“The most essential prediction of Darwinism is that, given an astronomical number of chances, unintelligent processes can make seemingly-designed systems, ones of the complexity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-behe/the-most-essential-prediction-of-darwinism-is-that-given-an/)

[Michael J. Behe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-behe/)

> [There's been times where I sold the place out, and I walked in and the guy's like, 'Uh, ID?' 'No, you can't ID me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannibal-buress/there-s-been-times-where-i-sold-the-place-out-and-i-walked-in-and-the/)

[Hannibal Buress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannibal-buress/)

## More Biochemistry quotes

> [Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/don-t-be-afraid-of-hard-work-nothing-worthwhile-comes-easily-don-t/)

[Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/)

> [After taking my B.A. degree in 1939 I remained at the University for a further year to take an advanced course in Biochemistry, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-sanger/after-taking-my-b-a-degree-in-1939-i-remained-at-the-university-for-a/)

[Frederick Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-sanger/)

> [We look at the human body as a biochemical machine controlled by genes and therefore we see a mechanical aspect to life and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-h-lipton/we-look-at-the-human-body-as-a-biochemical-machine-controlled-by/)

[Bruce H. Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-h-lipton/)

> [Her death contributed to my later interest in studying biochemistry, an interest that has not been fulfilled in the sense that my accomplishments remain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-d-boyer/her-death-contributed-to-my-later-interest-in-studying-biochemistry/)

[Paul D. Boyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-d-boyer/)

> [It's not how deep you go, it's how you go deep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-rolf/it-s-not-how-deep-you-go-it-s-how-you-go-deep/)

[Ida Rolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-rolf/)

> [In marked contrast to the University of Wisconsin, Biochemistry was hardly visible at Stanford in 1945, consisting of only two professors in the chemistry department.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-d-boyer/in-marked-contrast-to-the-university-of-wisconsin-biochemistry-was/)

[Paul D. Boyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-d-boyer/)

> [“I would not be among you to-night (being awarded the 1964 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine) but for the mentors, colleagues and students…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-bloch/i-would-not-be-among-you-to-night-being-awarded-the-1964-nobel-prize/)

[Konrad Bloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-bloch/)

> [The war project at Stanford was essentially completed, and I accepted an offer of an Assistant Professorship at the University of Minnesota, which had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-d-boyer/the-war-project-at-stanford-was-essentially-completed-and-i-accepted/)

[Paul D. Boyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-d-boyer/)

> [“It is one of the striking generalizations of biochemistry—which surprisingly is hardly ever mentioned in the biochemical text-books—that the twenty amino acids and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-crick/it-is-one-of-the-striking-generalizations-of-biochemistry-which/)

[Francis Crick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-crick/)

> [ Casein \[the main protein found in dairy\], in fact, is the most 'relevant' chemical carcinogen ever identified; its cancer-producin g effects occur in animals… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-colin-campbell/casein-the-main-protein-found-in-dairy-in-fact-is-the-most-relevant/)

[T. Colin Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-colin-campbell/)

> [To describe the overwhelming life of a tropical forest just in terms of inert biochemistry and DNA didn't seem to give a very full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-sheldrake/to-describe-the-overwhelming-life-of-a-tropical-forest-just-in-terms/)

[Rupert Sheldrake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-sheldrake/)

> [We know from astronomy that the universe had a beginning, from physics that the future is both open and unpredictable, from geology and paleontology…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-r-miller/we-know-from-astronomy-that-the-universe-had-a-beginning-from-physics/)

[Kenneth R. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-r-miller/)

> [Beyond natural history Other biological sciences take up the study at other levels of organization: dissecting the individual into organs and tissues and seeing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marston-bates/beyond-natural-history-other-biological-sciences-take-up-the-study-at/)

[Marston Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marston-bates/)

> [My brother has a Ph.D. in biochemistry, which I find so totally impressive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-bishe/my-brother-has-a-ph-d-in-biochemistry-which-i-find-so-totally/)

[Kerry Bishe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-bishe/)

> [In the 21st century our tastes buds, our brain chemistry, our biochemistry, our hormones and our kitchens have been hijacked by the food industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-the-21st-century-our-tastes-buds-our-brain-chemistry-our/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

[Browse all 72 Biochemistry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biochemistry/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Molecular machines display a key signature or hallmark of design, namely, irreducible complexity. In all irreducibly complex systems in which the cause of the system is known by experience or observation, intelligent design or engineering played a role in the origin of the system... We find such systems within living organisms.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Scott A. Minnich"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-a-minnich/molecular-machines-display-a-key-signature-or-hallmark-of-design/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Biochemistry"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-a-minnich/molecular-machines-display-a-key-signature-or-hallmark-of-design/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/324/scott-a-minnich-276664_biochemistry_molecular-machines-display-a-key-signatu_706319.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/324/scott-a-minnich-276664_biochemistry_molecular-machines-display-a-key-signatu_706319.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/324/scott-a-minnich-276664_biochemistry_molecular-machines-display-a-key-signatu_706319.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Molecular machines display a key signature or hallmark of design, namely, irreducible complexity. In all…” — Scott A. Minnich",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Scott A. Minnich",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-a-minnich/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Molecular machines display a key signature...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-a-minnich/molecular-machines-display-a-key-signature-or-hallmark-of-design/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-a-minnich/molecular-machines-display-a-key-signature-or-hallmark-of-design/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
