Poll: Does the Theory of Evolution have practical applications?

[Kylie]

The ToE has practical applications, see the post above. But I didn't vote.
I object to call myself an evolutionist. Creationists may call themselves creationists. they have decided a position and are shoehorning reality into their preconceived "conclusion".
I didn't. I studied sciences (that brighter people than me gathered) and reached a conclusion after study. The ToE is the conclusion after empirical investigation, not a position in which reality needs to be forced.
"Empiricist" doesn't cover it completely, but comes closer than evolutionist.

We, science minded people, should object every time we are called "evolutionists". It is completely idiotic to use that we self call us that way.

I think that in the contest of this thread, evolutionist describes anyone who has the position that evolution is a real process.

 

[pitabread]

I stand by my opinion. I think it is not wise to adopt that name for us self. I don't identify as an evolutionist anyway.

Since it is fashionable to label anyone with even the slightest difference of opinion as "in name only" (RINO), can I label the authors of that book as SCINOs?

FWIW, even Darwin used the term "evolutionist" (in the Descent of Man).

Every evolutionist will admit that the five great vertebrate classes, namely, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fishes, are descended from some one prototype; for they have much in common, especially during their embryonic state.​

The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation To Sex

 

[pitabread]

So on another note, I see creationists are still giving this thread a wide breath. Interesting that they aren't even electing to participate in the poll, much less the thread.

I suppose the applied sciences really are creationism's kryptonite.

 

[driewerf]

I think that in the contest of this thread, evolutionist describes anyone who has the position that evolution is a real process.

I get that. But I also got that malevolent people tend to ignore context when it suits them. Or tend to ignore that meanings of words can change over time (AV1611VET always used the subtitle from On the origin of species "the preservation of favoured races" for a reason).
Sometimes we should avoid to give "the other side" ammunition.

 

[Strathos]

(AV1611VET always used the subtitle from On the origin of species "the preservation of favoured races" for a reason).

Speaking of him, I hope he's just taking another long break, and covid didn't get him.

 

[Ophiolite]

Speaking of him, I hope he's just taking another long break, and covid didn't get him.

Agreed, but as you note he does take long breaks from time to time.

 

[pitabread]

Interestingly only a single creationist has responded to this poll. I know there are more than a few of them in these forums, so I'm really curious why they are avoiding this poll?

 

[Kylie]

Interestingly only a single creationist has responded to this poll. I know there are more than a few of them in these forums, so I'm really curious why they are avoiding this poll?

I'd also like to hear why @BobRyan doesn't think there are any practical applications for evolution.

 

[BobRyan]

I'd also like to hear why @BobRyan doesn't think there are any practical applications for evolution.

No PHD in chemistry claims to "fail to be able to record the results of a chemical reaction" without first "believing" that a prokaryote will one day turn into a horse given enough billions of years of time and "just so stories" all the way up what Dawkins calls "mount improbable" - adding that "belief" to the notes he/she makes regarding their observations.

Well "That is ok for the hard sciences like chemistry, physics, computer science etc.. but what about biology related science and practice?"

===================================

World class neurosurgeons like Ben Carson (A creationist) do not need to add their "belief" in that story above to the patient's perioperative record so that they can be successful in performing the surgery.

A scientists can "observe" the mutations that occur over time in a prokaryote culture spanning over 70,000 generations of prokaryotes without first "believing" that a prokaryote will one day turn into a horse given enough billions of years of time and "just so stories" all the way up what Dawkins calls "mount improbable" - adding that "belief" to the notes he/she makes regarding their observations.

A great many real-life "observations" and changes over time can be made without adding that "belief" statement as a preamble to their observation notes.

 

[pitabread]

I'd also like to hear why @BobRyan doesn't think there are any practical applications for evolution.

This would have to do with the fact that his version of evolution is not the scientific version of evolution.

 

[Kylie]

No PHD in chemistry claims to "fail to be able to record the results of a chemical reaction" without first "believing" that a prokaryote will one day turn into a horse given enough billions of years of time and "just so stories" all the way up what Dawkins calls "mount improbable" - adding that "belief" to the notes he/she makes regarding their observations.

Huh?

Has some scientists claimed that they've failed to record the results of a chemical reaction because of evolution?

Also, I don't think you understand what Dawkins' Mount Improbable analogy was getting at.

 

[BobRyan]

Huh?

Has some scientists claimed that they've failed to record the results of a chemical reaction because of evolution? .

I hope not. you don't need to sign a "belief statement" for evolution orthodoxy - to then be able to see the result of an experiment or conduct an experiment.

 

[Kylie]

I hope not. you don't need to sign a "belief statement" for evolution orthodoxy - to then be able to see the result of an experiment or conduct an experiment.

So what point were you trying to make?

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Interesting that not a single creationist has elected to vote on this poll. I wonder why that is?

Limited choices?

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Evolution is given credit for many things, much like racism is blamed for many things.

 

[pitabread]

Limited choices?

There are only so many options one can put in a poll. And "Yes", "no", "unsure", likely covers the bulk of the possible responses.

 

[pitabread]

Evolution is given credit for many things, much like racism is blamed for many things.

Unless you're trying to poison the well, such a comparison doesn't make any sense.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

There are only so many options one can put in a poll. And "Yes", "no", "unsure", likely covers the bulk of the possible responses.

I voted for #1. I believe that without the belief in evolution some discoveries would not be made, even if they might have been.

 

[pitabread]

I voted for #1. I believe that without the belief in evolution some discoveries would not be made, even if they might have been.

What do you mean by "belief" in this context? And what is a scientific application to you?

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Unless you're trying to poison the well, such a comparison doesn't make any sense.

I'm just expressing what others have said, that evolution is given credit even when it was not necessary for a scientific development. Similar to all deaths that involve Covid-19 are deemed Covid-19 deaths. George Floyd is a glaringly obvious example as well. He didn't die from a 'cops knee on his neck', but from medical complications of drug use (according to the coroner's report).