How do you define the word Evolution?

I do. I do. But that doesn't distinguish between evolution and phenotypic plasticity or ontogenesis. But that is not the thing to be described in this case. (Though we do have a word for that. It's also called "evolution".) That was a bizarre non sequitur.Edited by Dr Adequate, : No reason given.Edited by Dr Adequate, : No reason given.

You can in fact trust scientists. What you can't do is trust them and believe your halfwitted religious dogma. I see that you've made your choice.

We noticed.

No, the bacteria evolve to become immune. See, this is exactly why we need to say that the bacteria evolve immunity, rather than just "developing" immunity, so that people don't get misled into imagining some such process as you describe. It's called mithridatism, and you must have heard of at least one example of it --- you must know that a long-term alcoholic can drink alcohol in quantities that would kill a non-drinker. (This is not "immunity" in the sense that the immune system is involved, it's done by the liver.)Another example is that people can become immune to snake venom. In this case antibodies are involved.I know of no instance of it occurring in bacteria.Edited by Dr Adequate, : No reason given.

Agreed.

"There are people who think that 2 + 2 = 5 who are competent in arithmetic."

Did they mention what they hit their heads on? But as dwise1 points out, the result of such classes is that people can't make sense of the subject. OK, how would it accommodate the following:* Modern species of mammals are found in the earliest sedimentary rocks.* Human embryos produce and then shed feathers in the womb.* No-one has ever observed any evidence of a beneficial mutation.* Genetic analysis shows that the nearest relative of every species of Old World monkey is a corresponding species of New World monkey.* All and only those mammals with spots or stripes focus their eyes by moving the lens backwards and forwards like an octopus instead of deforming the lens like regular mammals.* Genetic analysis shows that although humans are genetically closest to chimpanzees, chimpanzees are closest to gorillas.* Whales have olfactory pseudogenes ... of bees.

Well, it is called The Origin of Species, but that's not what creationists mean when they come out with this nonsense is it?

Lots of people say that, as you could have found out by, y'know, looking at what people in the medical profession say instead of making stuff up. Then what you suspect is driveling demented lunacy from beginning to end. This is gibberish. You are indeed. If you mean a causal connection, there isn't one.

To you it may, but not to people who've studied evolution: we find this deeply obvious. Of course there is evidence; one of the many differences between science and creationism is that in science making stuff up is frowned on.

Here's one.

And ... what is the relevance of this essay to the definition of evolution? Does Zimmer define evolution in some unconventional way in the course of the essay? Please supply a quotation.

Yes, what of it? No-one has claimed that the theory of evolution explains everything, just that it explains the things that it does in fact explain.

Even if he did, just saying so would not in fact be an argument.

That depends who you ask. Dredge was denouncing speciation as an evil-utionist lie just the other week, perhaps you could have explained to him that the thoughts he currently has do not represent current thinking. Well, that was vague. I didn't even know theology could go out of date. What observations of God have you made since he wrote the article that invalidate his theology? None? OK, then his guess is still every bit as good as yours. Or better, since it reconciles God with the world we actually live in. ... and they evolved, how else do you ... oh yeah, magic. But that does not make perfect sense. That's remarkable claim given that we can actually watch these variations evolve. But not supporting the claim that this is the definition of evolution.Edited by Dr Adequate, : No reason given.