Latest Challenges to the Teaching of Evolution

@rosborne979,

Quote:

And within science the theory of evolution is considered to be a fact.

You mean considered to be true.

consideration - the thought process of considering, of taking everything into account; Something considered as a reason or ground for a (possible) decision

true - consistent with fact or reality

There is nothing wrong with considering evolution when arriving at conclusions on the processes of life. The motive behind all this bruha is fear by fundamental Atheists that fundamental Theists will convince others that evolution is false.

Human consciousness being what it is, complex matters being what they are, science constantly arriving with new facts, and given the history of the vast majority of times science gets it wrong, declaring something to be a fact because you believe it requires a leap of faith that would make some fundamental religious people bawk.

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@spendius,

Quote:

What about pig's organs?

Life at any cost, Spendi...ANY cost....that way they dont have to find out if God really does exist. They take an instinct and make it a joke.

1 Reply

@spendius,

Time and distance are used to describe/measure the seperation of matter/energy.

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@Ionus,

ros said

Quote:

the theory of evolution is considered to be a fact.

to which Ionus responded

Quote:

You mean considered to be true

There, that wasnt so difficult was it ?

word games dont diminish the definition of theory to science.

Within the theory of evolution, there reside several "Laws"...

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@farmerman,

Quote:

Within the theory of evolution, there reside several "Laws"...

How would you phrase them fm so that the class can learn, or consider learning, how to answer your question in an exam--"What are the Laws of evolution?

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@farmerman,

Even Wikipedia has this snippet about "Theory" v "fact" in regards to evolution. This particulr insert may be one of the most "disambiguated" of their entries. Its been fussed with so many times that the only controversy left is choosing proper adjectives.

Quote:

A fact is a hypothesis that is so firmly supported by evidence that we assume it is true, and act as if it were true. —Douglas Futyuma
Evolution is a fact in the sense that it is overwhelmingly validated by the evidence. Frequently, evolution is said to be a fact in the same way as the Earth revolving around the Sun is a fact. The following quotation from H. J. Muller, "One Hundred Years Without Darwin Are Enough" explains the point.

There is no sharp line between speculation, hypothesis, theory, principle, and fact, but only a difference along a sliding scale, in the degree of probability of the idea. When we say a thing is a fact, then, we only mean that its probability is an extremely high one: so high that we are not bothered by doubt about it and are ready to act accordingly. Now in this use of the term fact, the only proper one, evolution is a fact.
The National Academy of Science (U.S.) makes a similar point:

Scientists most often use the word "fact" to describe an observation. But scientists can also use fact to mean something that has been tested or observed so many times that there is no longer a compelling reason to keep testing or looking for examples. The occurrence of evolution in this sense is fact. Scientists no longer question whether descent with modification occurred because the evidence is so strong

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@farmerman,

Quote:

There, that wasnt so difficult was it ?

If you remember every so often I have to remind you I think evolution is true...but it is not a fact. Scientists would know exactly what I am talking about and agree with me.

If you weernt so terrified of fundamental religious people you would be able to distinguish the facts of the matter.

Quote:

word games dont diminish the definition of theory to science.

Which science ? I have to continually remind posters here that different sciences have different definitions of what is a theory.

You have totally missed the distinction between fact, theory, factual and what is true and accurate.

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@farmerman,

It seems science in the USA is so terrified of fundamentalists they have set themselves up as Gods and changed the meaning of words.

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@farmerman,

HAve a nice Thankgiving to all the USers, HAve some nice down time and enjoy the waning soft light of Autumn.

1 Reply

@farmerman,

Never mind the season's greetings fm. What are these "laws" of evolution you made a noise about? This is not a glad-handing thread.

1 Reply

@High Seas,

Quote:

Truer words were never spoken

That's why I posted them. Your sarcastic response suggests you think you have original thoughts and that I'm the odd one out.

That's a serious delusion Madame.

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@spendius,

I can only dreg up a few at the moment
Dollos Law
Mendels Laws of Inheritence
Hardy Weinberg Law

law of faunal assemblages
laws of original continuity and horizontality
law of superposition
law of homoplasy

Theres a whole mess mlore in the support sciences such as radio chemistry or law of magnetism

.Magnetism is a law and a theory since
1 like any "law" its a fact that can be described with an equation
2Its a theory in its greater discoveries and applications.

Try to enjoy the daylight spendi. HAve you tried the new drink "4 LOCO"? its all the rage with the drinking set here in the states.

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@farmerman,

Those are labels fm. I want the laws themselves. Of evolution I mean. I didn't ask for a load of flim-flam.

1 Reply

@spendius,

I assume that you are at least minimally literate so that you are able to look them up. Try it, it would be a learning experience that doesnt require your brain to be infused with fairy dust.

Dont be sounding like I am here for your diversion. You may kiss my big black ass you phony.

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@farmerman,

It looks like if you set students an exam question asking what the laws of evolution are and they responded with "Dollos Law, Mendels Laws of Inheritence, theHardy Weinberg Law, the law of faunal assemblages, the laws of original continuity and horizontality, the law of superposition and the law of homoplasy and a whole mess more in the support sciences such as radio chemistry or law of magnetism" you would give them top marks and sell them a cap and gown, a vellum cerificate with serrated edges and fancy writing including two unreadable signatures, (frame extra) and a video of the presentation.

And they wouldn't need to know the slightest thing about evolution or the natural world to do that.

Give us the equations.

There is no 4 LOCO here that I know of. I've seen it discussed on CBS News by Katie as if it presages the bottom dropping out.

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@farmerman,

Waste no more time explaining anything to him - I did post the basic law of evolution and he admitted not understanding a word of it.
http://able2know.org/topic/121621-401#post-4423630

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@farmerman,

You're the phony and the proof is right here on this page.

1 Reply

@spendius,

Proof of phoniness certainly appears on this page. Also proof of incurable ignorance. Goodbye, Spendius.

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@High Seas,

Give over HS. That was no law. It was pure gibberish designed to make people such as yourself go weak at the knees.

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@Ionus,

Ionus wrote:

Human consciousness being what it is, complex matters being what they are, science constantly arriving with new facts, and given the history of the vast majority of times science gets it wrong, declaring something to be a fact because you believe it requires a leap of faith that would make some fundamental religious people bawk.

In science we don't declare something a fact because we believe it, we declare it a fact because we understand it.

Within science there is no leap of faith, only a leap of understanding.

2 Replies

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