How can you believe in evolution?

[Greater Phenia]

How can you believe in evolution?

I mean something happened and all of a sudden, BAM! We have an explosion and all of the things collide and form everything we have in our universe. Then some millions to billions of years later we have micro oranisms that evolve into fish. Next, those fish "grow" legs and walk onto land. After that, they some how evolve into all of the millions of billions of living organisms that we have today.

Could someone please explain as to why you would believe in this?

That's a good question, why would someone believe that evolution is the big bang theory, involves fish "growing" legs, and that there are "millions of billions" of species?

The answer, I'm afraid, is that public education in the US has been absolutely gutted and compromised, and infected with small-minded local political/social/religious biases. This sad fact is one which means the US is on its downward spiral and the impact will be felt for generations. By the time this state of ignorant affairs is widely known and accepted it will be long too late, the brain drain basically completed. China and the EU will each have taken their positions as superpowers and centers of culture, technology, innovation, entrepreneurship, and - if anyone is - combating the global problems of the energy crisis, the ecological crisis, and the problems associated with climate change.

[Arkinesia]

Well my difficulty is the math involved with current species.

We've found around 3,000 species still in existence or gone extinct after discovery, IIRC. Let's take this and say if evolution had made ONE variation to the animal in a major way…

(1/3,000)² or 1/3000 · 1/3000 = 1/9,000,000 = 1.1 · 10^-7

That's the chances if all species had one variation in their DNA by random chance. For them to evolve from one species to the next makes this even lower.

Granted, it's not COMPLETELY random. But it isn't guided, because according to humanism, there are no miracles. Therefore there could be no guiding power.

[Maurepas]

First, obligatory:



Second, what's with this new trend in threads? Maurepas doth not approve of them, >_>

[UnhealthyTruthseeker]

Well my difficulty is the math involved with current species.

We've found around 3,000 species still in existence or gone extinct after discovery, IIRC. Let's take this and say if evolution had made ONE variation to the animal in a major way…

(1/3,000)² or 1/3000 · 1/3000 = 1/9,000,000 = 1.1 · 10^-7

That's the chances if all species had one variation in their DNA by random chance. For them to evolve from one species to the next makes this even lower.

Granted, it's not COMPLETELY random. But it isn't guided, because according to humanism, there are no miracles. Therefore there could be no guiding power.

This has 2 problems:

1) You're damn right it's not completely random. In fact, natural selection makes sure that the probabilities are EXTREMELY biased in favor of certain characteristics.

2) You're also making the "one true path" fallacy in assuming that THIS is the only way evolution could have turned out. Did you know that any particular card combination has about a 1 in 8.066 x 10⁶⁷ of occurring after shuffling a deck of cards? Does it then make sense to conclude, based on that low probability alone, that this is a miracle? No, it doesn't, because we recognize that even though every combination of cards is unlikely, the cards ultimately have to wind up in SOME order. Similarly, even though any one combination of species may be super unlikely, the probability that there is SOME combination of species is very high, though not quite 1.

[Jaunty tunes]

I have only heard thoes who believe in a god not believe in evolution

The logic is there. We can see organisms evolving today to fit the environmental conditions. Humans are resposnible for causing many tpyes of dogs though breeding which is a start towards creating a new species. We can create pointless breeds of dogs easily. Within millions of years and much more space, heat and reproductive cycles it is quite easily for evolution to occur especially in bacteria.

Read the origin of the species it is in there

[Don-Valentino]

How can you believe in evolution?

I mean something happened and all of a sudden, BAM! We have an explosion and all of the things collide and form everything we have in our universe. Then some millions to billions of years later we have micro oranisms that evolve into fish. Next, those fish "grow" legs and walk onto land. After that, they some how evolve into all of the millions of billions of living organisms that we have today.

Could someone please explain as to why you would believe in this?

Well the evidence is there, even tho I am christian the theory of evolution makes sence. And they are very close to finding to origin of the universe by observing the planitary drift.

[Der Teutoniker]

How can you believe in evolution?

I mean something happened and all of a sudden, BAM! We have an explosion and all of the things collide and form everything we have in our universe.

That's not evolution. I believe in evolution because it seems to mostly make sense, and it has considerable evidenciary support.

I also believe in a Divine Creator, but that is seperate, and subject to personal evidence.

[Cannot think of a name]

I say this every time, but it's not like the arguments change (though I still think this is just someone having a laugh at our expense, I could go on about that but meh...)

If you have an alternate theory, lets see the evidence for that, not against the theory you don't like. Because in the thousands of years of history of things we didn't know how worked but later found out, 'magic' has not turned up as the answer. Not once. Perhaps you think 'magic' is due, but if it were on the roulette wheel, I wouldn't bet on it.

At best we may have some details wrong, but the process-it happens. We see it and use it all the time.

[Demented Tigers]

One of the many reasons why we believe in Evolution, is that its principles are used by scientists all the time. Medicine relies upon the the theory of evolution heavily.

New medicines are created to deal with the changes pathogens make as they adapt to current medicines. Thats why, for example, certain Malaria drugs don't work in different parts of the world.
The investigation, diagnosis and treatment of genetic disorders is based upon aspects of evolutionary theory, and is vital for those afflicted.

Evolutionary theory has been put into practice for thousands of years in animal breeding and botany. All domesticated animals are alternate versions of their wild counterparts, which were created by us. We selected traits in animals that we found desirable, or selected out those we did not, and created new species which suited our uses. Examples are dogs, chicken, cows, cats, sheep, goats etc. This kind of breeding still goes on for example in horse racing, where race winners go out to stud in order to pass on its race winning genes, and in farming to breed animals with larger amounts of meat. In botany, people have spliced plants together, and breed plants for specific traits, to grow better fruit (or vegetables, beans etc.). it's how businesses maximise profits, by selecting plants with certain traits which minimise susceptibility to things like frost damage or plant diseases, whilst providing a big healthy harvest.
An early example of this was Mendel's peas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregor_Men ... ridization

The reason for writing all this is to show that the theory and the principles of evolution, whether you believe in them or not, are used everyday by every person on this planet. Our medicines, our pets, our food, and many other things, are created by people using the principles of evolution, and that is why we believe in it.

[Dyakovo]

How can you believe in evolution?

If you mean the Theory of Evolution through Natural Selection, I don't. I accept the ToE as the best available explanation for how and why species change over time. If you just mean evolution in general, well, it would be because it is verified fact.

I mean something happened and all of a sudden, BAM! We have an explosion and all of the things collide and form everything we have in our universe.

That would be the Big Bang Theory, not the Theory of Evolution.

[Dyakovo]

Still? lol no one is even answering him, it's like watching a political debate in here.

He was answered. The entire premise of his question is ignorant.

Well....... yeah ok, how about we restart?

What makes one think that evolution is true? That it happens?

Yes.

[Dyakovo]

Evolution is a little more believable than a supreme being making all life go "DING!" and exist.

Also, if Creationism is correct, then the earth is barely 3000 years old. When carbon dating clearly shows it's a few billion.

Actually Creationism says it is about 6000. And, it wasn't a "DING!". What evidence is there of evolution?

Seriously?

[Bottle]

I "believe" evolution because I have personally observed it many times. I "believe" in evolution the same way I "believe" that water can be brought to a boil through the application of heat.

[Unchecked Expansion]

I "believe" evolution because I have personally observed it many times. I "believe" in evolution the same way I "believe" that water can be brought to a boil through the application of heat.

Thermal Expansion is only a theory! Teach the controversy!

[Risottia]

How can you believe in evolution?
I mean something happened and all of a sudden, BAM! We have an explosion and all of the things collide and form everything we have in our universe.

Excuse me, but the Big Bang (which is not about "all things colliding") and the Evolution of life are two very different theories.

Also, evolution is not a belief. It's a consistent theory supported by direct observation.
wiki ApoA-1 Milano

[Cabra West]

How can you believe in evolution?

I mean something happened and all of a sudden, BAM! We have an explosion and all of the things collide and form everything we have in our universe. Then some millions to billions of years later we have micro oranisms that evolve into fish. Next, those fish "grow" legs and walk onto land. After that, they some how evolve into all of the millions of billions of living organisms that we have today.

Could someone please explain as to why you would believe in this?

Because I've seen evolution happen.
That question is pretty much like asking how you can believe in cars...

However, I do think you are actually talking about abiogenesis, or the origin of life.
Evolution deals with the origin of diversity.

[KludgeMUSH]

What's not to believe about evolution? All one has to do is look at a dog to tell that something is going on. Everyone knows dogs are a type of wolf. Yet, clearly, SOMETHING has caused dogs to evolve from being wolf-like creatures to being a range of different types of dog, such as small, cute, and fuzzy. How did this happen? Evolution. Some aspect of the environment, specifically, us, has caused the wolves to become small, cute, and fuzzy, because being small, cute, and fuzzy proved to be an effective survival strategy. Why bother chasing down animals to kill them when people will give you food just because you are small, cute, and fuzzy? Thus, wolves have evolved into filling this niche of small, cute, fuzzy animal: The dog. Considering that has turned into in only a few thousand years, why is it surprising that primitive ape-like creatures can turn into people over millions? Do you believe in God? If so, why do you believe your God incapable of such a thing, if we can turn a wolf into a puppydog?

[Cabra West]

Actually Creationism says it is about 6000. And, it wasn't a "DING!". What evidence is there of evolution?

How many hundreds of studies and experiments would you be willing to read?

[Acycia]

It makes more sense then a magic genie creating the world in seven days.

Six days, heathen. On the seventh he kicked back and smoked some of the ganja he created. Thus sayeth the Prophet Marley.

Yes, it clearly says in the Bilbio that on the Holy Sabbath it is our duty not to work and to smoke at least two ounces of that sweet mary jane that our dear god provided for us.

[Self--Esteem]

@KludgeMUSH

Your thesis is a bit faulty. The reason wolves have evolved into dogs is because we domesticated them. Evolution isn't a process of thinking, it's a natural process. Just because you think you can stay underwater forever doesn't mean that this is actually going to happen.

[Ifreann]

........

....Courage Wolf?

[Unchecked Expansion]

@KludgeMUSH

Your thesis is a bit faulty. The reason wolves have evolved into dogs is because we domesticated them. Evolution isn't a process of thinking, it's a natural process. Just because you think you can stay underwater forever doesn't mean that this is actually going to happen.

Human direction is a perfectly valid selective pressure. Wolf to Dog is evolution, simple as that

[Cabra West]

@KludgeMUSH

Your thesis is a bit faulty. The reason wolves have evolved into dogs is because we domesticated them. Evolution isn't a process of thinking, it's a natural process. Just because you think you can stay underwater forever doesn't mean that this is actually going to happen.

That's nothing to do with evolution, but with selection.
Where do you think humans selection differs from natural selection?
The individuals with the helpful/desired traits get to reproduce, the rest don't.

[Ifreann]

@KludgeMUSH

Your thesis is a bit faulty. The reason wolves have evolved into dogs is because we domesticated them. Evolution isn't a process of thinking, it's a natural process. Just because you think you can stay underwater forever doesn't mean that this is actually going to happen.

Human direction is a perfectly valid selective pressure. Wolf to Dog is evolution, simple as that

And thence, the poodle, dispelling forever he notion that evolution necessarily leads to superiority.

[Unchecked Expansion]

@KludgeMUSH

Your thesis is a bit faulty. The reason wolves have evolved into dogs is because we domesticated them. Evolution isn't a process of thinking, it's a natural process. Just because you think you can stay underwater forever doesn't mean that this is actually going to happen.

Human direction is a perfectly valid selective pressure. Wolf to Dog is evolution, simple as that

And thence, the poodle, dispelling forever he notion that evolution necessarily leads to superiority.

Good enough to be a police dog