What do you think about those that say evolution and the universe is statistically impossible?
So many say that there had to be a "god" in order to start it.
However, in order to make a statistical probabilistic determination you need a sample population from which to draw. In both cases, we only have one known sample population. Evolution and the Origin of the Universe are therefore both 1:1, thereby giving both evolution and the origin of the universe a 100% probability. Therefore, the universe and evolution are mathematical guarantees.
Thoughts? Opinions or comments on this reasoning?
2010-06-14T02:08:59Z
CORRECTION: Okay, yes, they say it is improbable. Nevertheless, they are both 1 for 1 so far as we know. We have no other cases of evolution and certainly no other cases of Big Bangs. You can't provide a statistical value without a sample population. Something to compare it to.
Jabber wock2010-06-14T04:58:21Z
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To make such a claim, they would a) need to narrow down all possibilities of mechanisms of such starting to a justifiably limited set, then b) understand each of those so completely that they would know all the factors involved. Then c) the numerical factor of each value would have to be known, so as to arrive at any calculated probability.
In other words, they need to do the maths based on known values otherwise it's a meaningless claim.
I have never seen this done, so such baseless claims are just hot air.
Far more common is to try to claim dunno = goddidit, or just to use utterly disingenuous pseudo-science.
An example:
@chaser: "The Moon moves farther and farther away from the earth each year and would have been close enough to crash into the earth less than 30,000 years ago."
Nonsense. The Moon is moving away due to tides imparting angular mementum. That process is well understood, and the amount being imparted presently moves it further away by 38mm per year. If that were constant over 30,000 years, that would only make it 1.14km closer, not 380,000km - quite a difference, don't ya think?
It's not just the theory of evolution here but the big bang theory vs creationism. You're right, in each there had to be a start point. This is either God, or wherever the matter to start the big bang came from. I don't believe that God created the world as is, I think there is strong evidence in evolution. In high school though we satisfied all my friends by saying that God created the earth as it was billions of years ago and all the creatures evolved to how they are today... but for this to be true God would have to have been some bacteria type thing :)
My opinion : Does it really matter? We're here already, why not explore the present?
Probability is impossible to calculate, because we have no idea whatsoever how many universes there might be. Reality could stretch trillions upon trillions of times further than we can even begin to imagine.
With that in mind, I don't see how anyone can reasonably say that either is improbable. I think they just haven't given the question due consideration--as is usually the case with those people.
I think your reasoning is sound, darling. Those who say that there had to be a god are allowing their faith to trump the evidence and logic.
@chaser, your answer so blatantly misrepresents the work of the scientists you cite that you lose all credibility. Mendel's work showed the mechanism of heredity and had not one thing to say about species "transmuting" into other species. Pasteur's work showed the existence and action of bacteria and supported germ theory, and said not one thing about the impossibility of life arising from non-living materials. Weismann's work simply disproved the earlier Lamarkian idea about adaptation...it actually supported Darwin's conclusions.
Try a real education instead of parroting the nonsense in one creationist book.
The odds of life forming from the warm primordial soup are beyond 10 to the power of 50.
Meaning they would never happen, like dropping red white and blue from an airplane would never paint an American flag on a field, no matter how many times you try