Define Evolution

Warrior FC · Dec 13, 2002

Define evolution (In as few words as possible).

notto · Dec 13, 2002

Change in the genetic composition of a population during successive generations, as a result of natural selection acting on the genetic variation among individuals, and resulting in the development of new species.

Warrior FC · Dec 13, 2002

Originally posted by notto
Change in the genetic composition of a population during successive generations, as a result of natural selection acting on the genetic variation among individuals, and resulting in the development of new species.

And who is the author of this definition?

JohnR7 · Dec 13, 2002

Originally posted by notto
Change in the genetic composition of a population during successive generations, as a result of natural selection acting on the genetic variation among individuals, and resulting in the development of new species.

What we basicly all agree on:

"Change in the genetic composition of a population during successive generations, as a result of natural selection acting on the genetic variation among individuals"

What we all disagree on:

"resulting in the development of new species"

There is no evidence that new species evolve out of old ones. Not that it really makes any difference, but there is no evidence.

kern · Dec 13, 2002

There is tons and tons of evidence, you just don't accept any of it, and will never accept any of it as long as you think evolution contradicts the Bible.

-Chris

lithium. · Dec 13, 2002

There is no evidence that new species evolve out of old ones. Not that it really makes any difference, but there is no evidence

Are you completely sure about this. There are people on this forum that has shown evidence for macroevolution.

ifriit · Dec 13, 2002

Warrior FC: And who is the author of this definition?

Well, since he attributed no source, I think it safe to assume the author is notto.

Warrior FC · Dec 13, 2002

Originally posted by ifriit
Well, since he attributed no source, I think it safe to assume the author is notto.

Well since he is the author of his own definition , then what stops all of us from coming up with our own definition of evolution or any other word for that matter?

Where did man get the intelligence to create words and then define them?

seebs · Dec 13, 2002

I can't reliably answer that question, although I have theories, but either you're just digressing horribly, or you're planning to try the "first cause" argument, which is unpersuasive. I mean, I *believe* in God, and I don't think it's a good argument.

seebs · Dec 13, 2002

BTW, if you really want to know about how words are defined, you should learn linguistics. You can probably get a decent answer within a couple of hours of study, but really understanding the mechanisms would probably take a couple years of study. It's probably easier to just accept that "people can invent an idea, name it, and then iron out the definition".

notto · Dec 13, 2002

It's the standard dictionary defintion.

ifriit · Dec 13, 2002

Warrior FC: Well since he is the author of his own definition , then what stops all of us from coming up with our own definition of evolution or any other word for that matter?

Nothing prevents you from doing it, but it becomes increasingly difficult to communicate if you insist on using a word in a way that others don't. However, notto's definition is quite close to that of most biologists that I've read, and as such, it appears accurate. The point I was trying to make is attributing the definition of evolutionary theory to a single person would be difficult--the definitions we have are the result of the efforts of many people.

Warrior FC: Where did man get the intelligence to create words and then define them?

Perhaps this would be best discussed in another topic.

MSBS · Dec 13, 2002

Originally posted by ifriit
Perhaps this would be best discussed in another topic.

Yeah, WarriorFC hasn't started nearly enough topics today!

Warrior FC · Dec 13, 2002

So just accept what other people say?

ifriit · Dec 13, 2002

Warrior FC: So just accept what other people say?

I suggest that you at least accept that they've said it. If someone says "evolution means blah," that indicates what they mean when they say "evolution." You either have to accept their definition or articulate the one that you are using.

JohnR7 · Dec 13, 2002

Originally posted by seebs
or you're planning to try the "first cause" argument, which is unpersuasive. 

1) First cause is the first arguement.

2) Infallible of the Bible is the second.

3) The miracles, healing and a demonstration of the power of God is third.

There are two that give witness to the Father, Jesus and the Person of the Holy Spirit.

God created us in a way so that we could understand the universe around us. He put knowledge and wisdom into the created world, so that we could seek it out and discover it.

There would be no science if God did not put it there, and give man the ability to find it. It just amazes me that infidels discover as much as they do. But it is because they are consistant.

Mechanical Bliss · Dec 13, 2002

Originally posted by JohnR7

God created us in a way so that we could understand the universe around us. He put knowledge and wisdom into the created world, so that we could seek it out and discover it.

Then why does our natural knowledge about the world not show any signs of creation?

There would be no science if God did not put it there, and give man the ability to find it. It just amazes me that infidels discover as much as they do. But it is because they are consistant.

God didn't create science, humans did.

Warrior FC · Dec 14, 2002

...and where did humans bet their abilties?

seebs · Dec 14, 2002

Originally posted by Warrior FC
...and where did humans bet their abilties?

Well, playing skeptic, all of the evidence suggests we got them the same way everything else did. We have seen things get abilities; they get them through crossbreeding, mutation, and selection, so presumably, that's where we got ours.

There is good reason to believe that the ability to think evolved; we see evidence of it everywhere, and there are interesting similarities between our brains and those of other animals, etcetera etcetera.

There's nothing weird about this. It's like asking "where did cats get good low-light vision". They evolved it, gradually, and there's plenty of evidence about how it came about, and why it was useful for them.

WinAce · Dec 14, 2002

Originally posted by JohnR7

There is no evidence that new species evolve out of old ones. Not that it really makes any difference, but there is no evidence.

Are you using the biological definition of species?

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