My Darwin Challenge

[AV1611VET]

Was Charles Darwin qualified to say we came from Africa?

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

What would you accept as a qualification?

Genuine question, just to know the parameters of this 'challenge'.

 

[AV1611VET]

What would you accept as a qualification?

Beats me.

Scientists set the industry standards; and I'm not a scientist.

Just pretend I don't exist, and the question comes up in a think tank.

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

Beats me.

Scientists set the industry standards; and I'm not a scientist.

Just pretend I don't exist, and the question comes up in a think tank.

So, I really could say anything then.

 

[BPPLEE]

Was Charles Darwin qualified to say we came from Africa?

He was a naturalist, geologist and biologist. No mention of Paleontology when I do a search for him. So I don't know maybe someone else can answer.

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

He was a naturalist, geologist and biologist. No mention of Paleontology when I do a search for him. So I don't know maybe someone else can answer.

See, the thing is that Darwin, and Thomas Huxley before him, postulated the idea that, since the greatest amount of apes is in Africa, then humans must have come from Africa.

Modern paleontology and archeology proved him right.

 

[AV1611VET]

So, I really could say anything then.

Academia says anything that they can force-fit into their paradigms or gloss over with a blue line -- so yes, I guess you could say that.

But it's a simple YES or NO question, so I'm sure academia will talk it to death, then never answer it.

That's why I call these things "challenges."

 

[AV1611VET]

He was a naturalist, geologist and biologist.

I don't care if he was a ballet dancer.

No mention of Paleontology when I do a search for him.

Oh.

So I don't know maybe someone else can answer.

But you can't?

Not even a guess? an opinion? a try? speculation? theory? hypothesis? or otherwise?

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

Academia says anything that they can force-fit into their paradigms or gloss over with a blue line -- so yes, I guess you could say that.

But it's a simple YES or NO question, so I'm sure academia will talk it to death, then never answer it.

That's why I call these things "challenges."

Does it really matter even if he wasn't? He was still proven right in the end.

 

[AV1611VET]

See, the thing is that Darwin, and Thomas Huxley before him, postulated the idea that, since the greatest amount of apes is in Africa, then humans must have come from Africa.

Hmmm.

With respect to this challenge: TMI and who cares?

Modern paleontology and archeology proved him right.

Neat.

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

Hmmm.

With respect to this challenge: TMI and who cares?Neat.

As I've often said: so what? The theory of evolution does not begin or end with Charles Darwin. He just wrote the most concise book explaining the phenomena that is called evolution.

 

[AV1611VET]

Does it really matter even if he wasn't?

I really don't care if he was or wasn't, myself.

MY ASSUMPTION is that he was; especially if he backed it up with data.

And even if he didn't back it up with data, I still think he was qualified.

Wrong -- but qualified to say it.

He was still proven right in the end.

Huh ... nice.

In the meantime, back to my simple YES or NO challenge ...

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

I really don't care if he was or wasn't, myself.

So you contradict yourself by asking this:

In the meantime, back to my simple YES or NO challenge ...

If you don't care, why even ask?

 

[AV1611VET]

As I've often said: so what? The theory of evolution does not begin or end with Charles Darwin. He just wrote the most concise book explaining the phenomena that is called evolution.

Oh, boy.

I can see this is going to be another standard collegiate crap shoot cowardly conversation causing constant consternation continually.

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

Oh, boy.

I can see this is going to be another standard collegiate crap shoot cowardly conversation causing constant consternation.

You're the person who keeps bringing up Charles Darwin like he's a prophet of evolution/science.

 

[AV1611VET]

If you don't care, why even ask?

Oh, I don't know.

To pick your brain? cause you to think? throw out a challenge question every now and then?

Maybe give you guys a chance to show your collegiate skills? defend your positions?

I've been wrong before though.

This isn't my first rodeo.

 

[eleos1954]

Was Charles Darwin qualified to say we came from Africa?

In his 1871 book The Descent of Man, Darwin speculated that it was “probable” that Africa was the cradle of humans because our two closest living relatives—chimpanzees and gorillas—live there.

He had limited evidence regrading any of his hypothesis, compared to today what was known during his time was extremely limited.

hypothesis
a supposition or proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation.

 

[AV1611VET]

You're the person who keeps bringing up Charles Darwin like he's a prophet of evolution/science.

Nah -- he's just the Father of Evolution, with a major capital city named after him, his face on a ten-pound note, and buried in England's most prestigious graveyard.

Maybe we should let him rest in peace?

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

Oh, I don't know.

To pick your brain? cause you to think? throw out a challenge question every now and then?

Maybe give you guys a chance to show your collegiate skills? defend your positions?

I've been wrong before though.

This isn't my first rodeo.

And you're always the clown who thinks he's the bullfighter.

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

Nah -- he's just the Father of Evolution, with a major capital city named after him, his face on a ten-pound note, and buried in England's most prestigious graveyard.

Maybe we should let him rest in peace?

Clown at a rodeo...