Why do people believe in evolution?

[OldWiseGuy]

More people believe in evolution as time goes by. Is it because they have studied it and understand it, or is it because so many others believe it so they might as well too?

 

[Paulos23]

It is not a belief for me, but an acceptance that it is the best explanation based on the evidence I know.

And that is the thing, as I was exposed to more evidence, the less the Biblical story made sense to me.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

I remember college biology of the 70's:ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny.

 

[Speedwell]

More people believe in evolution as time goes by. Is it because they have studied it and understand it, or is it because so many others believe it so they might as well too? Is it the "belief du jour"?

Most people don't understand very much about anything that doesn't affect their lives directly. They are exposed to the theory of evolution very briefly in high school, it seems as plausible as any of the other scientific theories they learn about and unless they take a particular interest in it and go on to post-secondary study or belong to some cranky religious minority which rejects it, they never really think much about evolution one way or another again.

 

[chevyontheriver]

I remember college biology of the 70's:ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny.

Which is only sort of true. Not true enough to be a hard and fast rule.

 

[SigurdReginson]

I was raised with creationism in southern baptist home schooling. Evolution was a topic they barely touched on as "this is what they believe," and it was covered in a very dishonest straw man kind of way.

Evolution wasn't anything I really particularly cared about until a few years ago. Everything I've learned about it, I've had to do in my own time. My knowledge is lacking because of that, but thankfully I enjoy learning as a pastime.

As for why I think it's the most likely explanation for why life is the way it is, I think it makes sense! When you look at nature and the way it works, it all falls in line with the way things adapt to their environment. The evidence is solid, the evidence is overwhelming, and all of the other fields of science such as geology and climatology that can be used to verify it outside of biology, do.

Until something better comes along, evolution seems to be the best bet for why life is the way it is. I will certainly continue testing and exploring that notion, though.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Most people don't understand very much about anything that doesn't affect their lives directly. They are exposed to the theory of evolution very briefly in high school, it seems as plausible as any of the other scientific theories they learn about and unless they take a particular interest in it and go on to post-secondary study or belong to some cranky religious minority which rejects it, they never really think much about evolution one way or another again.

"Cranky religious minority". I like it better than 'sanctimonious old crackpot'.

 

[chevyontheriver]

More people believe in evolution as time goes by. Is it because they have studied it and understand it, or is it because so many others believe it so they might as well too?

I believe it because of the fossils. Paleontology provides a rich trove of data for understanding evolution. The other reason I believe it is the comparative DNA, which can be used to show relation among species, families, orders, classes, and even phyla. There is something to evolution.

It doesn't help that atheist humanists have glommed onto evolution as a 'proof' that Christianity is false, nor that creationists have glommed onto creationism as an essential dogma of their religion in an anti-scientific frenzy. Both polar extremes exclude the rational middle.

 

[chevyontheriver]

I was raised with creationism in southern baptist home schooling. Evolution was a topic they barely touched on as "this is what they believe," and it was covered in a very dishonest straw man kind of way.

Evolution wasn't anything I really particularly cared about until a few years ago. Everything I've learned about it, I've had to do in my own time. My knowledge is lacking because of that, but thankfully I enjoy learning as a pastime.

As for why I think it's the most likely explanation for why life is the way it is, I think it makes sense! When you look at nature and the way it works, it all falls in line with the way things adapt to their environment. The evidence is solid, the evidence is overwhelming, and all of the other fields of science such as geology and climatology that can be used to verify it outside of biology, do.

Until something better comes along, evolution seems to be the best bet for why life is the way it is. I will certainly continue testing and exploring that notion, though.

Do you see evolution and Christianity as mutually exclusive?

 

[SigurdReginson]

Do you see evolution and Christianity as mutually exclusive?

I think evolution could absolutely fit into the christian world view. They both exist independently of each other, and evolution truly is a marvelous thing.

If god were to express his creativity through nature, evolution would be an infinitely awe inspiring way to do it! As long as life persists, it will always develope into something new and unique through the course of time.

 

[BobRyan]

More people believe in evolution as time goes by. Is it because they have studied it and understand it, or is it because so many others believe it so they might as well too?

peer pressure

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

I have considered the suggestion that water, dust, gas rocks and sunlight will produce a rabbit given billions of years of time and a lot of just-so stories. I don't find those stories to be compelling or supported by science.

 

[SigurdReginson]

I believe it because of the fossils. Paleontology provides a rich trove of data for understanding evolution. The other reason I believe it is the comparative DNA, which can be used to show relation among species, families, orders, classes, and even phyla. There is something to evolution.

It doesn't help that atheist humanists have glommed onto evolution as a 'proof' that Christianity is false, nor that creationists have glommed onto creationism as an essential dogma of their religion in an anti-scientific frenzy. Both polar extremes exclude the rational middle.

I agree for the most part, though what does humanism have to do with anti-christians sentiments? I like humanism, but I'm not an anti-theist. I think humanism just has some good ideas on how to treat one's fellow man.

I think it might be more accurate to describe these folks as just anti-theists.

 

[BobRyan]

I remember college biology of the 70's:ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny.

Amen to that - what a fake that was exposed as ..one of the greatest in history according to the text books that report on documented fraud. In this case it was Ernst Haeckel -- who was later disciplined by his own university.

A 1997 article in Science entitled ‘Haeckel’s Embryos: Fraud Rediscovered’ brought the issue back on the table

 

[pitabread]

More people believe in evolution as time goes by. Is it because they have studied it and understand it, or is it because so many others believe it so they might as well too?

There are studies that have correlated understanding of the science of evolution with acceptance of it. So in general, I'd expect it would be the former.

 

[pitabread]

It doesn't help that atheist humanists have glommed onto evolution as a 'proof' that Christianity is false,

I have not seem any "atheist humanists" make this claim. You only generally see these claims from creationists.

 

[honey badger]

More people believe in evolution as time goes by. Is it because they have studied it and understand it, or is it because so many others believe it so they might as well too?

matter evolves and we witness it ...

 

[Ophiolite]

More people believe in evolution as time goes by. Is it because they have studied it and understand it, or is it because so many others believe it so they might as well too? Is it the "belief du jour"?

I strongly suspect that the majority of people who believe in evolution are as well founded in their beliefs as those who reject the concept of evolution. That is, not at all well founded. Sadly the educational system in most nations, especially as it relates to the skill of critical thinking, is woefully inadequate to avoid a strong streak of gullibility.

However, this is completely irrelevant to the authenticity of evolutionary theory. Like @Paulos23 and for the same reason I accept evolution. Provisionally. However, nothing I have seen yet causes me to think that this provisional acceptance will require changing. To anticipate objections you might have I add these two points:

• There are many unanswered questions in evolutionary theory. In a couple of cases I suspect we are missing something major. The discovery of hox genes, the concept of niche construction and the focus on evo-devo have addressed some of those. Until the others are addressed I remain sceptical of the completeness of our explanations in some areas.
• To provide background for an SF novel I've been avoiding writing for decades I need evolution not to be "true". Consequently I have been hyper-critical of each concept and new development in theory, hoping to find a conclusive, or even plausible weakness.

To summarise those points slightly differently. While I provisionally accept evolution I've been aggressive and persisent in testing it against my doubts. It keeps coming back a winner.

 

[d taylor]

More people believe in evolution as time goes by. Is it because they have studied it and understand it, or is it because so many others believe it so they might as well too?

The reason any one believes what they do, is they have believed the evidence presented by whoever is seeking people to believe their information.

Now this evidence does or does not have to be true, it just needs people who believe it to be true.

I am sure you believe people went to moon or you live on a globe. Why do you believe probably 90% of science but reject the evolution part.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

I am sure you believe people went to moon or you live on a globe. Why do you believe probably 90% of science but reject the evolution part.

It doesn't compute (in my mind).

 

[Strathos]

I never saw a conflict between deep time and evolution and my faith as I was growing up. In fact, I only learned that creationists even existed when I was a teenager. I actually found the debate quite interesting, but after seeing many arguments from both sides, I came to the conclusion that creationist arguments always fell into one of 3 categories:

1. Blatantly dishonest arguments that could easily be shown to be false. They keep making these arguments no matter how many times they are refuted.

2. Scientific arguments that sound plausible at first glance, but when you do the research it turns out that they don't hold water.

3. Arguments that can't be refuted scientifically, but that I find to be dubious on theological grounds (i.e. God created the earth 6000 years ago but made it look much older).