EvC Forum: The phrase "Evolution is a fact"

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Topic: The phrase "Evolution is a fact"

Huntard

Member (Idle past 2315 days)

Posts: 2870

From: Limburg, The Netherlands

Joined: 09-02-2008

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Message 5 of 217 (487447)
10-31-2008 2:08 PM

Reply to: Message 1 by boysherpa
10-31-2008 1:05 PM

boysherpa writes:

The phrase "Evolution is a fact" is interesting to me, semantically. My question for discussion is whether this is a scientifically justifiable statement.

It sure is.

First, I don't think everyone is thinking of the same evolution when they talk about this statement. Some folks launch into a discussion of natural selection, which, i thought, was a mechanism of evolution but not evolution itself.

Yes, that's why I'm going to define evolution:

From wiki:

quote:
In biology, evolution is the process of change in the inherited traits of a population of organisms from one generation to the next.

This process has been observed to happen, thus, it is a fact.

Secondly, it is not clear to me what sense of the word fact is being used here.

It is definition 4.

If Evolution is a theory, it cannot be a fact. But, then, I may have missed the promotion ceremony.

You've got the wrong idea about the meaning of the word theory, so here's another definition.

Again, from wiki:

quote:
In science a theory is a testable model of the manner of interaction of a set of natural phenomena, capable of predicting future occurrences or observations of the same kind, and capable of being tested through experiment or otherwise verified through empirical observation.

As you can see it is something different entirely from a fact. The "Theory of Evolution" explains the mechanisms that make the FACT of evolution happen, and makes predictions about what we should find in nature.

So you see, evolution is both a Theory and a Fact.

I hunt for the truth

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	Message 1 by boysherpa, posted 10-31-2008 1:05 PM		boysherpa has not replied

Huntard

Member (Idle past 2315 days)

Posts: 2870

From: Limburg, The Netherlands

Joined: 09-02-2008

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Message 83 of 217 (489803)
11-30-2008 4:32 AM

Reply to: Message 82 by Beretta
11-30-2008 4:12 AM

Re: Incredulity

Beretta writes:

Well considering that most of the basic body plans that exist appeared in about 3 minutes in the 11th hour geologically speaking (in the Cambrian)I remain unconvinced.

Really? would you mind pointing out to me where in cambrian we can find the "body plan" for a:

Horse
Cat
Dog
Bird
Shark
Giraffe
Elephant
etc....

So, where are all these "basic body plans" then? No way? evolution you say?

Since radiometric dating is the only dating technique that lends any credence to the vast ages required for hypothetical macroevolution to have happened and is far from reliable and since remains of C14 that should be gone from all the 'old' rock layers still persists in measurable quantities (otherwise named "contamination" by those who 'know' that it should not be there) - I find it a somewhat tall tale at best.

You're wrong, there are numerous threads here that deal with this, and every time it has been pointed out that radiometric dating is very reliable.

Besides I still struggle to imagine how my brain could have evolved randomly.

Fortunately, your understanding of something is not a criteria for it being true.

As for alternatives, I opt for the Word of God over the words of fallible men.

Which, according to you, was written down by fallible men, edited by fallible men, translated by fallible men, and interpretted by fallible men. Hmm....you think they might've made a few mistakes here and there?

It's more in line with the demonstrable evidence.

To other readers, this means that it is completely NOT in line with ANY evidence.

The problem is not with incredulity, it's 'the credulous' that I find interesting.

Actually it is, even in the last sentence of the first paragraph you use incredulity as a basis for your argument.

I hunt for the truth

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	Message 82 by Beretta, posted 11-30-2008 4:12 AM		Beretta has not replied

Huntard

Member (Idle past 2315 days)

Posts: 2870

From: Limburg, The Netherlands

Joined: 09-02-2008

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Message 126 of 217 (521904)
08-30-2009 12:10 PM

Reply to: Message 125 by God of Pokiphlanon
08-30-2009 11:16 AM

Re: Not true

And when we look at population, we see the allele frequency of those populations change over time. This is called evolution. I am not lying. That is FACT.

I hunt for the truth

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	Message 125 by God of Pokiphlanon, posted 08-30-2009 11:16 AM		God of Pokiphlanon has not replied

Huntard

Member (Idle past 2315 days)

Posts: 2870

From: Limburg, The Netherlands

Joined: 09-02-2008

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Message 188 of 217 (524382)
09-16-2009 10:03 AM

Reply to: Message 187 by Archangel
09-16-2009 9:46 AM

Archangel writes:

And speaking of tree rings, Can you explain why, in such a old earth, no trees have survived past 8000 years anywhere according to this link, with the previous oldest at around 5000 years old?

Uhm....Why have no humans survived past 200 years anywhere? Because they died, Archy, that's what living things do, they die....

I hunt for the truth

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	Message 187 by Archangel, posted 09-16-2009 9:46 AM		Archangel has not replied

Huntard

Member (Idle past 2315 days)

Posts: 2870

From: Limburg, The Netherlands

Joined: 09-02-2008

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Message 214 of 217 (524673)
09-18-2009 3:03 AM

Reply to: Message 213 by Tanndarr
09-17-2009 10:47 PM

Re: Swing and a miss!

Tanndarr writes:

Do populations change over time?

They sure do according to Archy, for in Message 57 he states:

Archy writes:

...when in reality we have a world full of plant and animal life which does ADAPT in order to survive changing environmental pressures, this we agree with.

I hunt for the truth

This message is a reply to:
	Message 213 by Tanndarr, posted 09-17-2009 10:47 PM		Tanndarr has not replied

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