A Quick Study Of "Evolution"

[Warrior FC]

"Taken From Definitions In The Webster's Dictionary"

1.) Evolution = A Theory

2.) A Theory = An Educated Guess

3.) An Educated Guess = To Skillfully Think or Suppose

4.) To Skillfully Think or Suppose = To Assume To Be True

Therefore we can rightly say that Evolution by definition is something that we ASSUME TO BE TRUE!

 

 

[chickenman]

you went wrong at step 2, go look up the word theory in a dictionary, there are several definitions, but only one applies. I don't think any of them mention the word guess

 

[lithium.]

the·o·ry Audio pronunciation of theory ( P ) Pronunciation Key (th-r, thîr)
n. pl. the·o·ries

1. A set of statements or principles devised to explain a group of facts or phenomena, especially one that has been repeatedly tested or is widely accepted and can be used to make predictions about natural phenomena.
2. The branch of a science or art consisting of its explanatory statements, accepted principles, and methods of analysis, as opposed to practice: a fine musician who had never studied theory.
3. A set of theorems that constitute a systematic view of a branch of mathematics.
4. Abstract reasoning; speculation: a decision based on experience rather than theory.
5. A belief or principle that guides action or assists comprehension or judgment: staked out the house on the theory that criminals usually return to the scene of the crime.
6. An assumption based on limited information or knowledge; a conjecture.


I don't see guess anywhere in there. heh

 

[Brimshack]

Interesting first post.

Now try looking up the words 'equivocation' and 'Amphiboly.'

 

[Orihalcon]

well, i guess somehow he got off track and jumped on again...
we assume evolution to be true because all the current evidence, through specimens and repeated observation have shown it to be the best explanation of how life works.

 

[Orihalcon]

he also went wrong at step 4, to skillfully think is to apply logic, not create facts through assumption.

 

[lucaspa]

Originally posted by Warrior FC
"Taken From Definitions In The Webster's Dictionary"

1.) Evolution = A Theory

2.) A Theory = An Educated Guess

3.) An Educated Guess = To Skillfully Think or Suppose

4.) To Skillfully Think or Suppose = To Assume To Be True

Therefore we can rightly say that Evolution by definition is something that we ASSUME TO BE TRUE!

 

Nice attempt at a semantic argument. Didn't anyone ever tell you that scientific debates are settled by data?  This type of argument might work well in a courtroom, but it won't work at all in either science or any honest search for truth.

Words within a discipline have special definitions.  Now, the Merrism-Webster online says a theory is:

"Main Entry: the·o·ry Pronunciation:
Function: <I>noun</I>
Inflected Form(s): <I>plural</I> -ries
Etymology: Late Latin <I>theoria, </I>from Greek <I>theOria, </I>from <I>theOrein</I>
Date: 1592
1 : the analysis of a set of facts in their relation to one another
2 : abstract thought : [URL='http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&amp;va=speculation3"]http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&amp;va=speculation'>http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&amp;va=speculation3"]http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&amp;va=speculation[/URL]
3: the general or abstract principles of a body of fact, a science, or an art &lt;music <I>theory</I>&gt;
4 a : a belief, policy, or procedure proposed or followed as the basis of action &lt;her method is based on the <I>theory</I> that all children want to learn&gt; <B>b</B> <B>:</B> an ideal or hypothetical set of facts, principles, or circumstances -- often used in the phrase <I>in theory</I> &lt;in <I>theory</I>, we have always advocated freedom for all&gt;
5 : a plausible or scientifically acceptable general principle or body of principles offered to explain phenomena &lt;wave <I>theory</I> of light&gt;
<B>6 a</B> <B>:</B> a hypothesis assumed for the sake of argument or investigation <B>b</B> <B>:</B> an unproved assumption <B>:</B> a body of [URL='http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&amp;va=theorems"]http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&amp;va=theorems[/URL'>theorems[/URL] presenting a concise systematic view of a subject &lt;<I>theory</I> of equations "

Hmm, "educated guess" doesn't appear on the list.&nbsp; Not only are you using selective data, but you&nbsp; seem to be making the data up. Now, being a scientific theory, evolution obviously fits #5.

But, in science, what is a theory? The National Academy of Sciences has defined some common scientific terms:

http://bob.nap.edu/html/evolution98/evol1.html

"Fact: In science, an observation that has been repeatedly confirmed.

Law: A descriptive generalization about how some aspect of the natural world behaves under stated circumstances.

Hypothesis: A testable statement about the natural world that can be used to build more complex inferences and explanations.

Theory: In science, a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world that can incorporate facts, laws, inferences, and tested hypotheses."

Notice that "well-substantiated".&nbsp; Theories in science are no longer "educated guesses" or "assumptions"&nbsp;&nbsp; That fits better with hypothesis.&nbsp; Evolution has been tested and tested again in repeated attempts to show it to be wrong. It has survived and is now supported to the point that it is perverse to withold (provisional) assent.

 

[lucaspa]

Originally posted by Orihalcon
we assume evolution to be true because all the current evidence, through specimens and repeated observation have shown it to be the best explanation of how life works.

A correction. We (provisionally) accept evolution to be true ...&nbsp; There is no "assume".&nbsp; Acceptance is a conclusion, not an assumption.

 

[notto]

fal·la·cy
n. pl. fal·la·cies

1. A false notion.
2. A statement or an argument based on a false or invalid inference.
3. Incorrectness of reasoning or belief; erroneousness.
4. The quality of being deceptive.

 

[lucaspa]

Originally posted by Warrior FC
[B"I hereby pronounce evolution to be a fairy tale, a myth, with no scientific or biological evidence and I also proclaim that evolution is nothing more than hearsays handed down from generation to generation to justify or explain ones existance by having to have documented proof by another humans (Darwin's) belief system to confirm with their intellects, the theory to be true". -- Warrior FC
&nbsp; [/B]

WFC, go to http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi&nbsp;and enter the search term "evolution"&nbsp; Start reading the abstracts. Read them all. It will take you a bit. &nbsp;Then get back to us on that "pronounce" thing.&nbsp;

 

[Doubting Thomas]

Hundreds of books written, thousands of professional, peer-reviewed papers, 150 years of research in a variety of fields...and the theory of evolution done in by a selective reading of a dictionary entry. <slaps forehead> Now, why didn't I think of that?

WFC, you really, really need to do some reading and learn something about the theory if you are going to seriously challenge it. Your proclamations, logical fallacies, dictionary stunts and repeated, irrelevant appeals to Genesis won't gain you any standing. This is a scientific issue. Do some work and educate yourself about it. I'm not trying to attack you. I'm offering you the best advice I can think of.

 

[Warrior FC]

Originally posted by lucaspa
WFC, go to http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi&nbsp;and enter the search term "evolution"&nbsp; Start reading the abstracts. Read them all. It will take you a bit. &nbsp;Then get back to us on that "pronounce" thing.&nbsp;

You want me to trust in links and books to study and read them so that I may be persuaded to believe evolution to be the truth, but you'll totally dis-reguard THE BOOK, called "The bible" that has been given through-out the world to enlighten people of the TRUTH to our existance AND OUR FUTURE.

I conclude that&nbsp;we can't us "books" or "links" to come up with our conclusion then.....You guys won't use the bible's evidence that I have found and I won't use book and link evidence for evolution, so apparently We must search somewhere else for the TRUTH!

 

[Brimshack]

New fallacy here: False alternatives. (Thanks for the material Warrior; let me know if you ever intend to try producing a reasonable argument.)

 

[seebs]

I have to say, there's a difference between science books and the Bible; they address different kinds of questions, and use different methods.

This is indeed a false alternative; it's like saying that, since a murder mystery won't give me the phone number of the local pizza place, why should I waste time looking in the phone book? I've already ruled out "book" as a source for "phone numbers".

 

[euphoric]

Originally posted by Warrior FC
You want me to trust in links and books to study and read them so that I may be persuaded to believe evolution to be the truth, but you'll totally dis-reguard THE BOOK, called "The bible" that has been given through-out the world to enlighten people of the TRUTH to our existance AND OUR FUTURE.

I conclude that&nbsp;we can't us "books" or "links" to come up with our conclusion then.....You guys won't use the bible's evidence that I have found and I won't use book and link evidence for evolution, so apparently We must search somewhere else for the TRUTH!

Okay, so if you won't accept any evidence from books or links (and I assume scientific journals would fall into one of these categories for you), why don't you propose an alternate&nbsp;source for determining the validity of a scientific theory.&nbsp;

-brett

 

[Orihalcon]

anything that isn't in the bible is automatically wrong, i guess. why is he using a computer?

 

[wildernesse]

You don't want to look at books to understand evolution? Fine. Go outside and look at the world and see how it acts. That's how we got evolution in the first place.

You also have to have an inquiring mind and a thirst for knowledge.

--tibac

 

[lithium.]

Well if you don't want to read any books or any websites that have a lot of evolution information then fine forget it. There is no reason for you to keep asking questions about evolution if you are not going to try to find out about it.

 

[Warrior FC]

Originally posted by wildernesse
You don't want to look at books to understand evolution? Fine. Go outside and look at the world and see how it acts. That's how we got evolution in the first place.

You also have to have an inquiring mind and a thirst for knowledge.

--tibac

When I go outside and look at the world... I see God in eveything!

I don't see a world that has evolved, I see a world full of creation!

&nbsp;

 

[seebs]

I see the idea of a world full of creation as *implying* continued growth and change - evolution.