Questions for an Evolutionist

[NatDearborn]

I am very curious about what evolutionists believe. Here are some questions.

-Do you believe in God? If so, briefly explain your view.
-How do you think the universe began?
-How do you think life originated?
-Explain how you think life forms evolved.
-How old do you think the earth is and why?
-Do you believe in life on other planets, aliens, and UFOs?
-Is evolution still happening, and if so, what do you think will be the end result?
-Do you believe in life after death? Explain
-How do your beliefs in origins and evolution affect your sense of purpose for your own life?
-I would also like to hear any other comments you may have about your beliefs.

 

[Subduction Zone]

I am very curious about what evolutionists believe. Here are some questions.

-Do you believe in God? If so, briefly explain your view.
-How do you think the universe began?
-How do you think life originated?
-Explain how you think life forms evolved.
-How old do you think the earth is and why?
-Do you believe in life on other planets, aliens, and UFOs?
-Is evolution still happening, and if so, what do you think will be the end result?
-Do you believe in life after death? Explain
-How do your beliefs in origins and evolution affect your sense of purpose for your own life?
-I would also like to hear any other comments you may have about your beliefs.

Not asking for too much are you ( I know , they don't have this much needed smiley here)

Why not narrow down your questions a bit.

For any person to honestly answer them would require pages of text, regardless of what his actual beliefs are.

 

[46AND2]

I am very curious about what evolutionists believe. Here are some questions.

-Do you believe in God? If so, briefly explain your view.

I don't believe in one, but I am open to the possibility. All defined characteristics of god which I have come across do not make sense to me, and seem inconsistent and/or illogical.

-How do you think the universe began?

I don't know. I am not familiar enough with the current hypotheses concerning what happened "before" the big bang. I accept the big bang as a description of how the universe expanded from a singularity, once that singularity existed. I don't know how the singularity came into existence.

-How do you think life originated?

I think the hypotheses surrounding abiogenesis are plausible, but again, I don't know for certain. Even if we are able to recreate abiogenesis, it will only show how life COULD have originated, not how it did originate. We may never know the answer to the latter.

-Explain how you think life forms evolved.

Through random mutation and natural selection, primarily. Other mechanisms such as genetic drift contributed.

-How old do you think the earth is and why?

approximately 4.5 billion years old due to radiometric dating of meteorites and lunar rocks which have not been affected by geologic processes like the rocks on earth have been, and the theory of how the solar system was formed indicating that the earth is likely the same age as the rest of the debris in the solar system.

-Do you believe in life on other planets, aliens, and UFOs?

I find it highly likely that there is life on other planets, and virtually impossible that any of them have visited or could visit earth.

-Is evolution still happening, and if so, what do you think will be the end result?

Yes, it is still going on. The only end result for certain is extinction. All life on earth will eventually become extinct. No predictions can be made for the time intermediate, since it wholly depends on how the environment will change in the future.

-Do you believe in life after death? Explain

No. Once the brain dies, it dies. Our consciousness is not separate from our minds.

-How do your beliefs in origins and evolution affect your sense of purpose for your own life?

I like this question, because often Christians claim that if there is no afterlife, then there is nothing to live for. I wholeheartedly disagree with this. I think our life is VASTLY more important, since it is the only shot we have. I know of too many people lamenting this life and pining for heaven, wasting away years that they should be cherishing.

-I would also like to hear any other comments you may have about your beliefs.

I can't think of anything that I "believe." If there isn't evidence for it, I don't claim it. I'd rather say I don't know than speculate. Or...at least...I attempt to stick to this.

 

[CabVet]

I am very curious about what evolutionists believe. Here are some questions.

You misspoke, most of the questions you ask below are not about belief. Rather, you should have asked what we accept.

-Do you believe in God? If so, briefly explain your view.

This is irrelevant to any scientific discussion, but I will go ahead and say that there is no scientific evidence supporting the existence of a God of any religion.

-How do you think the universe began?

Through a process called the Big Bang.

-How do you think life originated?

Through a process called abiogenesis.

-Explain how you think life forms evolved.

By natural selection and genetic drift.

-How old do you think the earth is and why?

4.57 billion years because of all the geological evidence that we have.

-Do you believe in life on other planets, aliens, and UFOs?

Probability indicates that there is life in other planets. There is no evidence to support the conclusion that the phenomena referred to as UFOs are life from other planets.

-Is evolution still happening, and if so, what do you think will be the end result?

Yes, the result will be change.

-Do you believe in life after death? Explain

No. There is nothing to explain.

-How do your beliefs in origins and evolution affect your sense of purpose for your own life?

Evolution does not require "belief", you either accept it or you don't based on the evidence that is presented to you. The fact that I accept evolution has no effect in my moral compass or other areas of my life. I see no need for my existence to have a "purpose".

-I would also like to hear any other comments you may have about your beliefs.

None, the opinions expressed above are not beliefs.

 

[RickG]

I am very curious about what evolutionists believe. Here are some questions.

-Do you believe in God? If so, briefly explain your view.

Absolutely.

-How do you think the universe began?

A singularity suddenly begin to expand.

-How do you think life originated?

Abiogenesis

-Explain how you think life forms evolved.

There are numerous factors. There's not enough room to explain them in a single post.

-How old do you think the earth is and why?

4.54 Ga +/- 1%. From the dating of meteorites, moon rocks, and mathematical models that deal with the mass of the sun and other well know physical properties, which all give the same relative dates.

-Do you believe in life on other planets, aliens, and UFOs?
-Is evolution still happening, and if so, what do you think will be the end result?

I think it would be foolish to believe life doesn't exist throughout the universe. I do not believe extraterrestrials have visited the Earth. And yes, evolution is still happening, this is being observed by scientists.

-Do you believe in life after death? Explain

I just believe there is and hope I'm right. If I'm wrong it won't make any difference.

-How do your beliefs in origins and evolution affect your sense of purpose for your own life?

Better understanding of how things work and why.

-I would also like to hear any other comments you may have about your beliefs.

This is not the forum for that. Ask that question in one of the apologetics forums.

 

[Elendur]

I am very curious about what evolutionists believe. Here are some questions.

Sure.

-Do you believe in God? If so, briefly explain your view.

No. I haven't hear a consistent definition (that is, a definition that's not equivalent to the universe) that has enough evidence to support it.

-How do you think the universe began?

I don't really think much about it, however the current big bang model describes events to the point where we can't observe any more.
I have no clue what came before that (if anything).

-How do you think life originated?

I don't think much about that either and I don't think the hypotheses I've heard about have enough evidence for me to support them.

-Explain how you think life forms evolved.

With the process called evolution, the same as we can observe today.

-How old do you think the earth is and why?

Dunno, see the big bang cosmology model for an educated guess.

-Do you believe in life on other planets, aliens, and UFOs?

Believe? No. Hope? Yes. It'll be a bit more exiting then.

-Is evolution still happening, and if so, what do you think will be the end result?

Yes, evolution is still happening. The concept of an end result is something that assumes some kind of perfect product, or pinnacle, of evolution.
I don't think that assumption is validated.

-Do you believe in life after death? Explain

Nope. I hope for it, or something like (or better than) it, yet I've seen no evidence that would promote that.

-How do your beliefs in origins and evolution affect your sense of purpose for your own life?

I don't know since I haven't tried enough beliefs to see the effects from other beliefs.

-I would also like to hear any other comments you may have about your beliefs.

I try to keep my beliefs/assumptions to a minimum.

 

[Notedstrangeperson]

I am very curious about what evolutionists believe. Here are some questions.

-Do you believe in God? If so, briefly explain your view.
-How do you think the universe began?
-How do you think life originated?
-Explain how you think life forms evolved.
-How old do you think the earth is and why?
-Do you believe in life on other planets, aliens, and UFOs?
-Is evolution still happening, and if so, what do you think will be the end result?
-Do you believe in life after death? Explain
-How do your beliefs in origins and evolution affect your sense of purpose for your own life?
-I would also like to hear any other comments you may have about your beliefs.

• I'm a theistic evolutionist, so I believe God created life on Earth via evolution. My reasoning is simply that if God is the creator of the world and everything in it, then whatever we find is the result of His creation.
• Probably the Big Bang, although physicists opinions on how the Big Bang itself started have been changed greatly over the last few years.
• Abiogenesis. I differ slightly from the other evolutionists on this forum (both theistic and atheistic) in that I believe evolution and the creation of life from inanimate matter are different levels of the same subject.
• Via evolution. I suspect that macroevolution (or speciation) works in a slightly different manner to microevolution, but I don't advocate the "God of gaps" approach.
• 4.5 billion years old according to the latest evidence.
• While I believe that life on other planets is entirely possible (quite likely in fact), we simply do not have any proof that they exist. UFOs - aliens from other planets visiting Earth - are a myth.
• Evolution is still happening and will continue to happen so long as we continue to reproduce. Where this will lead us, I have no idea.
• I believe in "soul sleep". When we die, that is it: we remain dead. However during the End Times we will be physically resurrected and sent to either heaven or hell.
• Tough question ... although I have been interested in prehistoric creatures most of my life, I only developed an interest in human evolution a few years ago. For the majority (about 95%) of our existance humans lived as hunter-gatherers, as indeed did many people right up to the 20th century. Why did God decided to come down to demonstrate to a few people living in ancient Israel how we should live a mere 2,000 years? I don't really know.
• Hmm, that's about it.

 

[Mr. Pedantic]

I am very curious about what evolutionists believe. Here are some questions.

-Do you believe in God? If so, briefly explain your view.

No.

-How do you think the universe began?

I believe the Big Bang is the prevailing theory, though I don't understand the science well enough to argue for or against that, or any other alternate hypotheses.

-How do you think life originated?

Don't know.

-Explain how you think life forms evolved.

The theory of evolution

-How old do you think the earth is and why?

~4.6bn years?

-Do you believe in life on other planets, aliens, and UFOs?

Probably, by definition probably, and probably not really.

-Is evolution still happening, and if so, what do you think will be the end result?

Yes. And there is no "end result" to evolution. It is, by definition, a reactionary process.

-Do you believe in life after death? Explain

No. I subscribe to (though again, I don't understand the science enough to argue for or against different hypotheses) a materialistic philosophy of mind. This kind of makes the presence of a soul unnecessary, and therefore no need to have an afterlife.

-How do your beliefs in origins and evolution affect your sense of purpose for your own life?

The purpose for my life is what I give it. I'm not sure why I do what I do rather than subscribe to a short-term hedonistic philosophy (I never got YOLO).

-I would also like to hear any other comments you may have about your beliefs.

 

[Skaloop]

I am very curious about what evolutionists believe. Here are some questions.

-Do you believe in God? If so, briefly explain your view.
-How do you think the universe began?
-How do you think life originated?
-Explain how you think life forms evolved.
-How old do you think the earth is and why?
-Do you believe in life on other planets, aliens, and UFOs?
-Is evolution still happening, and if so, what do you think will be the end result?
-Do you believe in life after death? Explain
-How do your beliefs in origins and evolution affect your sense of purpose for your own life?
-I would also like to hear any other comments you may have about your beliefs.

1) No, I have never been presented with a good reason to do so.
2) As a singularity. The exact process by which it happened, though, I don't know.
3) Abiogenesis. The exact process by which it happened, though, I don't know.
4) Life forms evolved through natural selection.
5) The Earth is ~4.5 billion years old, according to all the latest evidence.
6) Life, quite possible. Aliens (as in intelligent beings), unlikely. UFOs (as in those aliens have visited Earth), extremely unlikely bordering on impossible.
7) Evolution is still happening, but there is no end result. Evolution of life on Earth will only end when life on Earth ends.
8) I do not believe in life after death. I don't know what there is to explain about that.
9) My acceptance of abiogenesis and evolution has no effect on my sense of purpose.
10) They're not technically beliefs.

Anyway, since we're sharing, I'm curious as to what your answers to your questions are.

 

[Subduction Zone]

I am very curious about what evolutionists believe. Here are some questions.

-Do you believe in God? If so, briefly explain your view.
-How do you think the universe began?
-How do you think life originated?
-Explain how you think life forms evolved.
-How old do you think the earth is and why?
-Do you believe in life on other planets, aliens, and UFOs?
-Is evolution still happening, and if so, what do you think will be the end result?
-Do you believe in life after death? Explain
-How do your beliefs in origins and evolution affect your sense of purpose for your own life?
-I would also like to hear any other comments you may have about your beliefs.

Okay, I was wrong. We can give very short answers.

No. Why believe in something that there is no evidence for?

It started with the Big Bang. Before that we cannot say, right now.

Abiogenesis.

4.55 B.y. plus or minus 10 million years. Empirical evidence.

Yes, yes, no.

Yes. Life will further change due to changing environments.

No. See the explanation for the existence of god.

Deeply.

That's it for now.

 

[CabVet]

Okay, I was wrong. We can give very short answers.

We can try, but whether or not it will satisfy the OP is a different question...

 

[Cute Tink]

-Do you believe in God? If so, briefly explain your view.

No. I used to, but I found that I couldn't feel anything out there.

-How do you think the universe began?

Big Bang seems likely. I'm not in the field.

-How do you think life originated?

Abiogenesis, though again, I'm not in the field.

-Explain how you think life forms evolved.

Evolution. Seems well supported. Not in the field.

-How old do you think the earth is and why?

4.5 billion years or so.

-Do you believe in life on other planets, aliens, and UFOs?

I hope there is. Aliens would be interesting. UFOs I find doubtful.

-Is evolution still happening, and if so, what do you think will be the end result?

No end result. That question implies that evolution has a direction and it doesn't. It does still seem to be in effect, given that it is a natural process, there is no reason for it to stop, unless nature itself stagnates (meaning zero change in all possible areas of nature).

-Do you believe in life after death? Explain

No. I don't believe that there is anything more than what we see (I have not seen convincing evidence otherwise).

-How do your beliefs in origins and evolution affect your sense of purpose for your own life?

My life has the purpose that I give it.

 

[Shemjaza]

I am very curious about what evolutionists believe. Here are some questions.

-Do you believe in God? If so, briefly explain your view.

I don't. I was a Christian as a child and an agnostic theist until my late twenties... but I no longer believe in any form of god.

-How do you think the universe began?

I don't know. From what I've read when time began there was already a singularity of 'something' which expanded in the big bang.

How the initial thing came about before time? I have no idea, it may have existed for ever in some form or another.

-How do you think life originated?

There's no really good theory yet, but I find abiogenesis from non living chemicals in the oceans of Earth the most convincing.

-Explain how you think life forms evolved.

Replicators expanded over the Earth with the more successful mutations offspring expanding and adapting to the many diverse places life can exist.

-How old do you think the earth is and why?

Around 4.5 billion years from radiometric dating of rocks on Earth and in space. Also from theoretical models of the Solar system's formation.

-Do you believe in life on other planets, aliens, and UFOs?

Life on other planets, yes, intelligent aliens, yes and UFOs, no.

I think somewhere out in this truly enormous universe there are other planets with intelligent aliens, but the distances are vast and intelligence is rare so I think most if not all species will live and die without ever meeting aliens.

-Is evolution still happening, and if so, what do you think will be the end result?

Evolution is still happening, as long as life reproduces and competes for resources there will be evolution... just the pressures are different these days.

I see us modifying ourselves and other life to live in space and even in other star systems.

But the end result is eventually death. Every individual dies, and ultimately every species goes extinct. I just hope that some life from Earth is still living out in the Universe when our sun has gone out.

-Do you believe in life after death? Explain

No, we live on in the things we leave behind, in memory and in our descendants.

-How do your beliefs in origins and evolution affect your sense of purpose for your own life?

The vastness of evolutionary history and the size of space certainly put the petty issues of bad days at work and Christmas shopping in perspective.

Looking at my hands typing on these keys, I find it wonderful to think that the skill and dexterity that evolved for climbing trees and snatching fruit is being used to communicate across the globe.

-I would also like to hear any other comments you may have about your beliefs.

Completely aside from my status as an atheist, I think an evolving Earth is far more interesting and clever then a slowly rotting and broken down creation. I can see how the TEs find admiration for their God when they think about it.

 

[Orogeny]

-Do you believe in God? If so, briefly explain your view.

No.

-How do you think the universe began?

Don't know.

-How do you think life originated?

Dunno.

-Explain how you think life forms evolved.

Via natural selection.

-How old do you think the earth is and why?

4.6 billion years; radiometric dating.

-Do you believe in life on other planets, aliens, and UFOs?

I don't 'believe' in these things, but understand that some of these things likely exist within our universe.

-Is evolution still happening, and if so, what do you think will be the end result?

Yes to the first part, the second part makes no sense as evolution is not deterministic.

-Do you believe in life after death? Explain

No, because there is no evidence of such.

-How do your beliefs in origins and evolution affect your sense of purpose for your own life?

They do not.

-I would also like to hear any other comments you may have about your beliefs.

They do not include acceptance of things that do not have supporting evidence.

 

[Split Rock]

I am very curious about what evolutionists believe. Here are some questions.

-Do you believe in God? If so, briefly explain your view.
-How do you think the universe began?
-How do you think life originated?
-Explain how you think life forms evolved.
-How old do you think the earth is and why?
-Do you believe in life on other planets, aliens, and UFOs?
-Is evolution still happening, and if so, what do you think will be the end result?
-Do you believe in life after death? Explain
-How do your beliefs in origins and evolution affect your sense of purpose for your own life?
-I would also like to hear any other comments you may have about your beliefs.

1. I do not know if there is a god, but if there is, that god is not like anything Christians worship.
2. Big Bang theory. Before that, no one knows.
3. Probably abiogenesis.
4. Mutation, natural selction, genetic drift and gene flow.
5. Between 4.5 and 4.6 by. That is what the evidence supports.
6. There is probably life on other planets. UFOs are "unidentified flying objects." Thus there are UFOs, but they are very unlikely to be space ships.
7. Of course evolution is still happening.. we see it. The end result will be continued extinction and speciation. Life will continue in some form until the earth is destroyed.
8. I do not beleive in life after death. This is something we all would like, but the consciousness and personality are dependent on the activity of the brain. If the brain is dead, then so is the person.
9. They pretty much don't.

 

[NatDearborn]

Thank-you so much!

 

[46AND2]

Thank-you so much!

Well that was anticlimactic.

 

[Elendur]

Thank-you so much!

 

[CabVet]

Well that was anticlimactic.

Very!

 

[Cute Tink]

And at the same time, it was refreshing to have someone just appreciate the input!