27th August 2012
“Evolution is not a theory; it is a fact, every bit as much as the historical fact that William the Conqueror landed in 1066.”
“Evolution is not a theory; it is a fact, every bit as much as the historical fact that William the Conqueror landed in 1066.”
August 27th, 2012 at 6:05
anti – evolution religionistas are good for big laffs.
reminds me of ” whistling past the graveyard . ”
August 27th, 2012 at 6:22
Not to nitpick, as I’m a huge Attenborough fan, but actually Evolution is a theory and a fact, just like Gravity is also a theory and a fact.
It’s very disappointing to me at all that this point needs to be made to so many Americans. That they don’t know this already conclusively shows that science education in the USA has failed so miserably and completely as to be utterly worthless.
August 27th, 2012 at 7:28
I don’t think I fully ‘got it’ (that it’s elegant fluid explanatory fact) until second year high school biology class where is suddenly ‘clicked’ for me. Most didn’t get that far in bio. but many do get the religious creationist tripe their whole lives. The religious conmen have a vested interest in continual reinforcement of their message while it seems merely elective to schools and the media.
August 27th, 2012 at 7:57
Defiantnonbeliever,
Yes, and that such con men have been so successful is why I’ve long ago concluded that Americans are, for the majority, gullible idiots. And that hurts to say, b/c I am American.
August 27th, 2012 at 14:52
The part that so many of our American brethren miss is this:
Mr Darwin was not theorizing on the existence of evolution. His theory was only about the mechanism thereof, a.k.a.; Natural Selection. Any dog breeder knows that evolution exists, and just takes the NATURAL part out of the process and substitutes their own judgments. What I can’t understand is the dog breeders who manage to talk themselves out of the knowledge that their vocation (or avocation) requires.
August 27th, 2012 at 14:56
Because it was not supported by evidence, the God hypothesis does not gain the status of being a theory.
To become a scientific theory, an idea must be thoroughly tested, and must be an accurate and predictive description of the natural world.
There are no, at least none have ever been found, supernatural attributes to our natural world, or its known universe.
Really very simple.
And Dan if nit-picking is in order gravity is also scientific law.
August 27th, 2012 at 15:50
Q: Where did Cain get his wife?
A: Genesis is the record of the God who was there as history happened. (says who?) It is the word of One who knows everything,(says who?) and who is a reliable witness from the past. (says who?)Thus, when we use Genesis as a basis for understanding history, we can make sense of questions that would otherwise be a mystery. (Or we make mystery out of what would otherwise answer a question badly)
August 27th, 2012 at 19:46
Dan, I doubt Americans are any more gullible than anyone else, it’s just a matter of their education. Our irresponsible media omits much and fails to weigh opinions while adds and entertainment promote all sorts of junk ideas, preachers and politicians flat out lie, all of which garbles reality instead of clarifying it. While I believed in evolution much earlier it was seeing enough examples of the mechanisms that cemented it for me. I went on to learn more but one ahha moment sticks in memory, a little like solving an algebra problem and being able to do it again with confidence. I might have had a harder time learning it if I’d been fed conflicting narratives at the same time but I was fortunate to remain ‘unchurched’ for the most part. I’m thankful there is the ongoing influence of public tv to act as continuing ed for us and wish it were more extensive, and without the religion nonsense mixed in.
August 27th, 2012 at 21:06
If a person develops a habit of accepting claims without evidence and reason to back that claim, then such habits of thinking will influence their approaches in areas like politics and social policies — and this affects us all.
Even accomplished, intellegent, educated people are susceptible to being gullible.
August 28th, 2012 at 0:34
Kittie, I didn’t see your invite until just now. I’m in Fort Worth at the end of November for a corporate event. Week after Thanksgiving. I have only the Monday night free.
I have put Miracle in the Andes, by Nando Parado on my children’s reading list.
Carbon14, when you get a moment would you share those statistics debunking sexism as a major cause of wage discrepancies between genders? Nothing to crazy say just a peer reviewed article?
August 28th, 2012 at 0:45
Oh and Carbon14, more evolved meaning having got past the point of being quick to extreme behavior, beating the chest instead of reasoning, fighting, ego first. I’m sure you don’t need many more examples as it is rather obvious.
On balance one gender is still wrapped up in this Neanderthal thing, while the other has advanced beyond. That is unless you think aggression and violence is the future of human evolution. Science would disagree with you on that. For reference see:
The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined [Hardcover]
Steven Pinker (Author)
August 28th, 2012 at 16:24
Steven Pinker – I just read a sample of that book and I liked it alot.
Ft. Worth is about a 5 hour drive – school night – not looking good. Are you east coast or west coast based?
We could be headed back to the east coast in the future… Maryland, D.C. area. or Baltimore – maybe live in Frederick….
Had the young earth creationist tell me that micro evolution has been proved but nothing else… so evolution is false… I figured that was the least of his belief issues…lol