Do you believe in Darwin's Theory of Evolution?

[quote name='zionoverfire']Silly question. Evolution is simply the change in the gene pool between generations.[/QUOTE]


well some people do not believe in it at all not even a lil so I just wanted to test the cag waters
 
[quote name='Ikohn4ever']well some people do not believe in it at all not even a lil so I just wanted to test the cag waters[/QUOTE]

I'm suggesting that you won't find many of those people here. Mainly from your "not enough evidence" choice I assumed you wished to refer to the Darwinian theory of evolution. If that's the case I know we have a few topics on the like that buried deep down in this forum.;)
 
As others have sort of said, you really do need to be clearer what you mean by 'evolution'. The scientific theory of evolution is rather easily demonstratable - not believing in it is rather like not believing in gravity: anyone who doesn't believe in it is quite clearly not a rational person. If you mean Darwinian evolution, on the other hand, then there's at least some room for debate (from a philisophical perspective, at least.)
 
[quote name='zionoverfire']Silly question. Evolution is simply the change in the gene pool between generations.[/QUOTE]

uh, no.

that is PART of the ongoing theory.

you're leaving out punctuated equilibrium, frustration of means, bottleneck effect, migration, natural catastrophes, mutation, etc.

evolution is not the change from generation to generation, in fact, many species can go eons without change from generation to generation and in one fell swoop alter the genetic code due to the previously mentioned circumstances.

Gould is a good place to start to get evolution into layman's terms.
 
When I was in a Catholic high school (didn't last long), we were taught that the theory of evolution was wrong. At Berkeley when I took general bio last semester, I was taught that this is the only explanation for why things are the way they are today.
 
[quote name='vietgurl']When I was in a Catholic high school (didn't last long), we were taught that the theory of evolution was wrong.[/QUOTE]

How about the position of the earth in the solar system? Was it still a flat piece of land in the center of the universe?
 
evolution as an umbrella theory to explain how creatures are what they are today is far more sound (and widely acceped) than, say, creationism, but still leaves many questions. And in some senses, evolution is as much a defendable response to the why's of progress as it is to say God made things so.
The theories concerning evolution are plausible, but still imperfect.
 
[quote name='Sleepkyng']uh, no.

that is PART of the ongoing theory.

you're leaving out punctuated equilibrium, frustration of means, bottleneck effect, migration, natural catastrophes, mutation, etc.

evolution is not the change from generation to generation, in fact, many species can go eons without change from generation to generation and in one fell swoop alter the genetic code due to the previously mentioned circumstances.

Gould is a good place to start to get evolution into layman's terms.[/QUOTE]

Um no, that's all part of various other theories that fit under Darwinian evolution. Evolution itself really is just the change in the genetic makeup between generations, most people don't seem to understand that.
 
The first step, formation of amino acids under the conditions present in pre-life earth, has already been duplicated in a lab.

And we know from radioactive decay that the earth itself has been around for billions of years, a lot more than 6,000 (which creationists often claim).

6,000 years ago was the beginning of recorded history, not Life, the Universe, and Everything.
 
While natural selection is pretty much a proven item, the overall picture is still somewhat murky. I'm open to wherever the search for truth leads us, but I can't say I accept the overall theory as anywhere close to fact at this point in time.
 
[quote name='vherub']evolution as an umbrella theory to explain how creatures are what they are today is far more sound (and widely acceped) than, say, creationism, but still leaves many questions. And in some senses, evolution is as much a defendable response to the why's of progress as it is to say God made things so.
The theories concerning evolution are plausible, but still imperfect.[/QUOTE]

That's why it is called the "theory" of evolution and not the "law" of evolution.
 
[quote name='vietgurl']When I was in a Catholic high school (didn't last long), we were taught that the theory of evolution was wrong. At Berkeley when I took general bio last semester, I was taught that this is the only explanation for why things are the way they are today.[/QUOTE]

Heh, I went to a catholic school and they didn't even mentioned creationism in religion class. Someone brought it up in biology once and my teacher laughed it off. Then again, mine was a catholic prep school with more emphasis on prep.

Though this topic has been argued multiple times, the only thing needed to make it identicle is for chunk to show up.
 
the process of evolution is a fact. it absolutely does occur. the only theoretical concept is how it occurs, and even then, scientists have a good grasp of this. "theory" is a word too often misconstrued as something along the lines of "a little idea we've been toying with."

and, btw, in science, "just a theory" is one of the most ignorant phrases you could possibly hear. a theory holds up to the highest standards of scrutiny and generally is accepted as fact. would you call the theory of gravity "just a theory"?
 
[quote name='vietgurl']When I was in a Catholic high school (didn't last long), we were taught that the theory of evolution was wrong. At Berkeley when I took general bio last semester, I was taught that this is the only explanation for why things are the way they are today.[/QUOTE]

And when I was in Catholic high school, I was taught that evolution was truth.
 
I checked yes but the question is poorly worded . . . not to be too picky, but I don't "believe in" evolution . . . this makes it sound like a faith. "I have faith in evolution" wouldn't make much sense.

They idea that living beings evolve seems beyond question . . . cultural evolution means we are using these machines rather than sending smoke signals. Biological changes of an evolutionary type are well documented.

The central question is whether or not humans evolved from lesser animal forms or a god placed us on earth more or less as we are now.

Personally I think we are still lesser animals who just got lucky . . . but our luck is our undoing.
 
Gravity is just a theory (because we don't know what causes it, it has not yet become law), but my feet are still on the ground.
 
[quote name='vietgurl']When I was in a Catholic high school (didn't last long), we were taught that the theory of evolution was wrong. At Berkeley when I took general bio last semester, I was taught that this is the only explanation for why things are the way they are today.[/QUOTE]

one example of how every religion is narrow-minded
 
[quote name='The Successful Dropout']one example of how every religion is narrow-minded[/QUOTE]

Believe nothing, o monks,
merely because you have been told it ...
or because it is traditional,
or because you yourselves have imagined it.


Do not believe what your teacher tells you
merely out of respect for the teacher. But whatsoever, after due examination and analysis,
you find to be conducive to the good,
the benefit, the welfare of all beings
that doctrine believe and cling to,
and take it as your guide.
Click to expand...

Oh yeah, that Buddha was so close-minded :lol:
 
I am just curious, does anyone leave Catholic high school as a virgin?

I only went for half a year, and I think there were only like 3 virgins in my class when I left.
 
[quote name='Rich']And when I was in Catholic high school, I was taught that evolution was truth.[/QUOTE]

Ditto (I'm not Catholic though)

On the Darwin's Teory of Evolution I believe; it could have went either way, unless of course it didn't.
 
[quote name='camoor']Oh yeah, that Buddha was so close-minded :lol:[/QUOTE]

That fat bastard doesn't know anything. Let's ask Richard Gere and his pet gerbil instead. :D
 
[quote name='Quackzilla']I am just curious, does anyone leave Catholic high school as a virgin?

I only went for half a year, and I think there were only like 3 virgins in my class when I left.[/QUOTE]

Lots of them at my old one. The more liberal catholic schools, and where they aren't in their own little religious world, seem to have less of that stuff. At least that's my guess, since the catholic schools around here never fit into that traditional catholic school model, and they are much more liberal.
 
I loved the irony of 15 year olds having sex in an empty classroom in a school which teaches strict abstinence.

Carly was hot...

I'm going to be wanking to that for the rest of my life! :D
 
[quote name='zionoverfire']Um no, that's all part of various other theories that fit under Darwinian evolution. Evolution itself really is just the change in the genetic makeup between generations, most people don't seem to understand that.[/QUOTE]

wasn't the question about Darwin's theory?
 
There's no absolute proof that evolutionary theory is valid, but there's more than enough evidence that shows evolution is most likely the case.

Edit: Typos. Dammit.
 
[quote name='Sleepkyng']wasn't the question about Darwin's theory?[/QUOTE]
Not originally. The thread originally just asked if we believe in evolution. The original poster changed it after we replied that the question was too vague to really answer.
 
i read this book once that talked about how stupid people had to be to believe in darwinism. like the main argument was where was matter created from? that just brings you back to angels and demons though.... AH my head hurts
 
[quote name='charcoalfeather']i read this book once that talked about how stupid people had to be to believe in darwinism. like the main argument was where was matter created from? that just brings you back to angels and demons though.... AH my head hurts[/QUOTE]

i think i may have read that....was it called "the Bible," by any chance? ;)

there's really no effort required to discredit the claims of someone that you're stupid for NOT believing in an all-powerful deity responsible for everything simply because he can't comprehend the fact that matter, which can neither be created or destroyed, may simply have ALWAYS existed....similar to the God he unerringly and irrationally believes in.
 
also, that's a pretty weak freakin' argument on his part (at least i think it's a his)...if you have to go all the way to the origins of matter to have an argument against the darwinian principle of natural selection, then you're really beyond helping.
 
[quote name='Ledhed']I don't see how anyone couldn't believe in it.[/QUOTE]

You are unaware that there are stupid people in this country. By being unaware of this that makes you stupid as well.
 
There isn't enough evidence to go back to the initial creation of life itself.

It's limited in scope and history and by no means complete as an all encompasing theory of how life began.
 
[quote name='PittsburghAfterDark']There isn't enough evidence to go back to the initial creation of life itself.

It's limited in scope and history and by no means complete as an all encompasing theory of how life began.[/QUOTE]
*cough*
 
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