Ray wrote:Quote:I differ with your characterization of the nature of the evidence.
You mostly draw inferences from fossils, Ray. You do not have direct observation (empirical evidence) of evolution when you see a fossil. The fossil is dead. The limited empirical evidence it provides would include that something that was alive is now dead. However, you do not observe it becoming a creature other than what it was. If you did, that would be empirical evidence of evolution, but you do not have it.
You infer from bacterial mutation that enough mutations might produce something other than bacteria. Bacteria have never been actually observed to evolve from bacteria to something else. After mutation, they are still bacteria; so you do not have empirical evidence of evolution.
You draw inferences as well from the other things you mentioned. No direct observation of evolution.
And also when we say something is falsifiable, it does not mean that another theory must be proven true in order to prove yours false. That is incorrect.
People have never seen Ancient Rome, but the pieces are there. It is theoretically not possible for us to have seen species evolve because evolution is something gradual, meaning that it takes multiple mutations and natural circumstances. We do see cases of mutations, and we can deduct from the evidences presented from the identical nature of embryos from different species, and from fossils that show a trend as time goes along that there is a change in the species of animals. Macro living things do not arise out of nothing. It is logically unsound if we were to say otherwise.
When a theory is flasifiable, it means that it is subject to future objection if it can be proven wrong. The concept of a theory implies that it has been proven or observed scientifically.
Hi,
Actually people DID see Ancient Rome, Ray. But people have never seen evolution occur or creation either, for that matter.
Inferences based on fossils are tenuous at best.
For example, if I find only fossils of organism A in a layer of rock at the bottom of the hill, and only fossils of organism B in a layer in the middle of the hill -- I cannot conclude from this that the two organisms did not live contemporaneously on Earth at the same time, can I?
No.
The evidence is insufficient to make such a claim. But that is exactly the type of claim that is often used in support of evolution. Basically, these are arguments from silence. "We don't see this, therefore.........."