EVIL LOUTION? Why do you still resist? Science doesn't work?

by Terry 95 Replies latest jw friends

  • seattleniceguy
    seattleniceguy
    Who created every thing Evolution?

    This question doesn't even make sense. It's like saying, "Who created everything, gravity?" Evolution is just the name for a phenomenon. Evolution is not a person. It did not create anything. It is simply a process by which living organisms change over time. The theory of common descent holds that all living things that we know of descended from common ancestors, but does not rule out the existence of other organisms whose origins are completely different. Furthermore, it doesn't even try to describe how life came to exist, although there is a separate theory, abiogenesis, that grapples with that.

    So the answer to the above question is, no. Evolution did not create everything. However, it seems to have been the mechanism by which life has come to exist in its present diversity.

    SNG

  • XQsThaiPoes
    XQsThaiPoes

    There is more than one type of evolution and they all are not in the feild of biology. Some astronomers do think gavity did create everything after the big bang. I don't see how that is invalid.

  • funkyderek
    funkyderek

    Pole:

    It's good rhetorics, but after you've suggested Skinner as a possible introduction to what you've called "modern linguistics", I guess this statement applies much more to you than to me - at least as far as linguistics goes.

    Hey, you started with the sarcasm, but we'll see.

    Chomsky and Skinner are mutually exclusive in many respects, but maybe that's what you mean - getting a little bit of both approaches?

    I said it wasn't my area. I didn't say I was an idiot.

    I have no rigid agenda concerning language origin anyways - just some questions.

    Heh. I don't believe that for a second. But never mind. The Socratic Method is a perfectly valid tool of debate. Using it pre-emptively is a little strange though. Still, maybe this is the only subject you know anything about.

    1) You suggest that "the ancestors of humans had the same ability to communicate as modern apes" and that this ability has gradually developed into the thousands of human languages we have today. Would you then say that this gradual improvement also works over shorter perdiods of times - that is the "historical" periods of time that we know something about for sure (as opposed to the prehistorical ones, no written records, etc.)? For instance would you say that languages spoken four thousand years ago should be more complex or less complex than languages spoken today according to your theory?

    No I wouldn't, any more than I would say that modern elephants should be bigger or smaller than elephants 4000 years ago.
    Language on that time scale is shaped far more by cultural evolution than biological.

    2) There are thousands of languages all around the world. According to the evolutionary view most of them must have evolved for many thousands of years independently of one another - just like human races (take Australia and North Canada for instance). Would you then assume that some of them should be less developed or less complex than others because they have been shaped by different environmental factors?

    You really seem to have a problem with the timescales involved. We're not talking about something that happened in the last 10,000 years. If you think we are, then you're in the wrong argument.

    3) Please name some features that you think all human languages have in common and which make them different from "animal communication".

    Semanticity, arbitrariness, flexibility of symbols, naming, productivity and displacement. Admittedly I had to look those up but I have a vague memory of studying this subject briefly in the past. Anyway, some of these features are shared by various animal communication systems. Some are not.

    In this way we will know what we are arguing about.

    Well, when you find out, can you let me know?

  • GentlyFeral
    GentlyFeral

    XQsThaiPoes,

    the magic that does not evaporate they call a discovery.

    The things that do not evaporate are those which are replicable by anyone who cares to repeat the experiments under the scientific method. In short - they are not magic.

    GentlyFeral

  • Terry
    Terry

    Nature.

    What we call Nature is what Evolution is. The nature of the forces which interact produces effects. The effects are changes.

    Changes are beneficial some time and often they are not.

    Beneficial changes allow a species advantage.

    Case in point: in our current society, if you are a beautiful and skinny woman with blue eyes and blonde hair and a radiant smile (all physical characteristics) you have an advantage in choosing among more mates than someone who is less so.

    With this sort of physical advantage which leads to a wider selection of mates; a wealthy mate who has many advantages to confer might tip the scale of selection.

    And the beat goes on......

    Evolution is merely nature doing what comes naturally. No biggie.

    Terry

  • AlanF
    AlanF

    hooberus said:

    :: Any number of things. Like finding human and dinosaur skeletons mixed in the same fossil bed.

    : Such as scenario would not necessarily falsify evolution.

    Of course it would. Your dismissal is a straw man, because I'm talking about absolutely, solidily verified finds of the sort that could not be dismissed by the sort of excuses you've proposed. In other words, if solid scientists found absolutely solid proof that human and dinosaur skeletons were mixed in the same fossil bed, then evolution would be falsified.

    Your exuses are merely that, because we're not talking about what dishonest people might do to explain away evidence they don't like, but about what honest people would do when confronted with incontrovertible proof.

    So, hooberus, why didn't you answer my simple question? Let's try again:

    What experiment or observation would falsify creation?

    The reason you failed to answer the question is that the standard of falsifiability that you want to apply to evolution proves that the notion of creation is not scientific -- which goes against everything that you so-called "scientific creationsists" want the world to believe. You've accepted this standard, and you don't want it to be applied to your religious belief. Don't you know that holding double standards is dishonest?

    The fact is that evolution is falsifiable in principle by means of experiment and observation. Creationism is not, because it's a religious belief based on the Bible.

    Hooberus, your intellectual dishonesty continues to please me. You make my job of showing that young-earth creationists are generally dishonest so much easier.

    AlanF

  • AlanF
    AlanF

    heathen said:

    : There are still some species alive today that date to the dinosaur age such as crocks and sharks wich have relatively stayed the same genetically .

    How does that falsify evolution?

    AlanF

  • hooberus
    hooberus

    Of course it would. Your dismissal is a straw man, because I'm talking about absolutely, solidily verified finds of the sort that could not be dismissed by the sort of excuses you've proposed. In other words, if solid scientists found absolutely solid proof that human and dinosaur skeletons were mixed in the same fossil bed, then evolution would be falsified.

    Your exuses are merely that, because we're not talking about what dishonest people might do to explain away evidence they don't like, but about what honest people would do when confronted with incontrovertible proof.

    The first two points below are "excuse" scenarios which could be proposed to deny the apparent relationship. 1. the human fossils are stratigraphic leaks 2. the dinosaur skeletons are reworked specimens However the last two points below are points which easily could save evolution even if "scientists found absolutely solid proof that humans and dinosaur skeletons were mixed in the same fossil bed" Evolution would not be falsisifed it would be modified. 3. dinosaurs survived into more recent times 4. redraw evolutionary trees with mammal evolution occurring earlier than now believed

    So, hooberus, why didn't you answer my simple question? Let's try again:

    What experiment or observation would falsify creation?

    The reason you failed to answer the question is that the standard of falsifiability that you want to apply to evolution proves that the notion of creation is not scientific -- which goes against everything that you so-called "scientific creationsists" want the world to believe. You've accepted this standard, and you don't want it to be applied to your religious belief. Don't you know that holding double standards is dishonest?

    The reason why I didn't answer your question is because I have asked what experiment or observation would falsify evolution. If evolution is really so "scientific" and vulnerable to falsification as is often claimed, then evolutionists should present scenarios which would really falsify it. Moving the subject to creation does not prove that evolution is a falsifiable theory. As for "double standards" it should be kept in mind that it has been the evolutionists here that started the practice of attempting to use the issue of "falsifiability" as a weapon against creation being considered equally with evolution. Therefore I am simply asking them to apply their own standard to themselves.

    The fact is that evolution is falsifiable in principle by means of experiment and observation.

    If it is then provide evidence.

    Hooberus, your intellectual dishonesty continues to please me. You make my job of showing that young-earth creationists are generally dishonest so much easier.

    Personal accusations against critics of evolution (a standard tactic).

  • AlanF
    AlanF

    hooberus, much devotion to YEC-ism seems to have made you into either someone without apparent intellectual processing ability, or without intellectual honesty. Twice now I've answered your question in a simple manner, and twice now you've ignored the points. So let's try number three, eh?

    You originally asked:

    ::: What experiment or observation would falsify evolution?

    Among other things I answered:

    :: Finding human and dinosaur skeletons mixed in the same fossil bed.

    Now that's a perfectly good and true answer, because if such skeletons truly were mixed together, then the geological time scale would be demonstrated to be wrong, and in fact, evolution would be proved not to have happened.

    What you're studiously missing is the point that the mere fact that it's possible for people to find ways to ignore certain evidence related to a theory doesn't mean that the theory is in principle unfalsifiable.

    This is a very simple point, hooberus, but you're either too dumb or too dishonest to admit understanding it. If you admitted understanding it, you'd have to trash arguments made by your moronic YEC mentors.

    Let's see how you miss the point. You replied to my last attempt to clue you in, in this way:

    : The first two points below are "excuse" scenarios which could be proposed to deny the apparent relationship.
    : 1. the human fossils are stratigraphic leaks
    : 2. the dinosaur skeletons are reworked specimens

    Yes, these potential excuse scenarios exist, but it does not follow that evolution is therefore unfalsifiable.

    In your next comments you again claim that the fact that excuses can be found means that evolution is in principle unfalsifiable:

    : However the last two points below are points which easily could save evolution even if "scientists found absolutely solid proof that humans and dinosaur skeletons were mixed in the same fossil bed" Evolution would not be falsisifed it would be modified.

    : 3. dinosaurs survived into more recent times
    : 4. redraw evolutionary trees with mammal evolution occurring earlier than now believed

    Again, the points are not whether evolutionists would modify the theory in the face of such evidence, but whether such evidence can exist, and whether the existence of such evidence falsifies evolution in principle.

    There's a big difference between whether something will be done and whether something can be done.

    :: So, hooberus, why didn't you answer my simple question? Let's try again:

    :: What experiment or observation would falsify creation?

    :: The reason you failed to answer the question is that the standard of falsifiability that you want to apply to evolution proves that the notion of creation is not scientific -- which goes against everything that you so-called "scientific creationsists" want the world to believe. You've accepted this standard, and you don't want it to be applied to your religious belief. Don't you know that holding double standards is dishonest?

    : The reason why I didn't answer your question is because I have asked what experiment or observation would falsify evolution.

    To which I gave you a perfectly good answer. Having answered your question, I posed another.

    : If evolution is really so "scientific" and vulnerable to falsification as is often claimed, then evolutionists should present scenarios which would really falsify it.

    They do that regularly in the course of research and writing papers and critiquing others' ideas. No one is going to publish elementary ideas like what I've stated above because they're trivially true.

    : Moving the subject to creation does not prove that evolution is a falsifiable theory.

    Duh. You're right, it doesn't. But I can still ask any questions I want. And the fact that you consistently refuse to answer hard questions proves that you know that YEC-ism is unfalsifiable and unsupportable except by blind belief. Your response here is a thoroughly dishonest tactic.

    Do I have to start a brand new thread dedicated to you before you'll answer my question? Or will you continue to ignore it?

    : As for "double standards" it should be kept in mind that it has been the evolutionists here that started the practice of attempting to use the issue of "falsifiability" as a weapon against creation being considered equally with evolution. Therefore I am simply asking them to apply their own standard to themselves.

    Which they do, and which I've shown is quite easy to do.

    :: The fact is that evolution is falsifiable in principle by means of experiment and observation.

    : If it is then provide evidence.

    I've done it three times now. Let's see if it sinks in.

    :: Hooberus, your intellectual dishonesty continues to please me. You make my job of showing that young-earth creationists are generally dishonest so much easier.

    : Personal accusations against critics of evolution (a standard tactic).

    Stating demonstrated facts is not a personal attack. The fact that you've twice completely ignored the answers I've given proves that my statement is correct.

    AlanF

  • hooberus
    hooberus
    hooberus, much devotion to YEC-ism seems to have made you into either someone without apparent intellectual processing ability, or without intellectual honesty.

    more personal insults/assusations.

    Twice now I've answered your question in a simple manner, and twice now you've ignored the points. So let's try number three, eh?

    I believe that I have dealt with some of your points in a manner that would be invoked by evolutionists should you proposed falsification scenarios come to pass.

    You originally asked:

    ::: What experiment or observation would falsify evolution?

    Yes this is what I originally asked and this is the subject that I would like to discuss (ie: the falsifiability of evolution).

    When I said "what experiment or observation would falsify evolution" I was not asking if it is possible to conceive of certain obssrvations which could potentially falsify certain current sub-hypothesis within evolution, but the overall theory concept. For example evolutionists once believe that ramapthicus was transitional, between extinct apes and modern man. However, with newer data evolutionists have generally abandoned this hypothesis. However they still hold to the concept that humans are the product of descent from animals ulitimately from pond scum.

    Among other things I answered:

    :: Finding human and dinosaur skeletons mixed in the same fossil bed.

    Now that's a perfectly good and true answer, because if such skeletons truly were mixed together, then the geological time scale would be demonstrated to be wrong, and in fact, evolution would be proved not to have happened.

    Evolutionists could potentially keep the currently accepted geological timescale generally intact by claiming that the certain dinosaurs found with the human fossils lived into relatively recent times (similar to the situation with the coelacanth).

    Even if such as situation did demonstrate that the currently accepted geological time scale to be wrong, "evolution" not be "proved not to have happened," only certain current sub-concepts with evolution would be potentially falsified should this situation occurr. Evolutionists would quickly propose new geologic timesacles moving mammal evolution further in to the past. For example I believe that evolutionists one believed that the earliest fish did not evolve until the devonian, however now that fish have been found in the early cambrian, evolutionists have simply moved the date of their evolution back. "Evolution" was not "proved to have not happened" only the current sub-hypothesis.

    UNDER CONSTRUCTION

    : Moving the subject to creation does not prove that evolution is a falsifiable theory.

    Duh. You're right, it doesn't.

    So since we agree on this then lets stick to the subject here.

    But I can still ask any questions I want. And the fact that you consistently refuse to answer hard questions proves that you know that YEC-ism is unfalsifiable and unsupportable except by blind belief. Your response here is a thoroughly dishonest tactic.

    Of course you can ask any questions that you want, however, I will be sticking to the subject of the falsifiablity of evolution. Your attempting to move the subject to creation as well as engaging in personal accusations does not help your case. I do not consider the fact of sticking to a specific subject (ie: the falsifiablity of evolution) to be an exapme of a "thoroughly dishonest tactic."

    Do I have to start a brand new thread dedicated to you before you'll answer my question? Or will you continue to ignore it?

    UNDER CONSTRUCTION

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