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Evolution is Fact If you think otherwise please feel free to put down well thought arguments to the contrary?
Evolution is a fact in the sense of it being overwhelmingly validated by the evidence. Frequently evolution is said to be a fact in the same way as the Earth revolving around the Sun is a fact. The following quotation from H. J. Muller, "One Hundred Years Without Darwin Are Enough" explains the point.
There is no sharp line between speculation, hypothesis, theory, principle, and fact, but only a difference along a sliding scale, in the degree of probability of the idea. When we say a thing is a fact, then, we only mean that its probability is an extremely high one: so high that we are not bothered by doubt about it and are ready to act accordingly. Now in this use of the term fact, the only proper one, evolution is a fact.
The National Academy of Science (U.S.) makes a similar point:
Scientists most often use the word "fact" to describe an observation. But scientists can also use fact to mean something that has been tested or observed so many times that there is no longer a compelling reason to keep testing or looking for examples. The occurrence of evolution in this sense is fact. Scientists no longer question whether descent with modification occurred because the evidence is so strong.
Philosophers of science argue that we do not know anything with absolute certainty: even direct observations may be "theory laden" and depend on assumptions about our senses and the measuring instruments used. In this sense all facts are provisional.( And this could be said about anything but it this driving force that pushes us to question the information given to us all the more reason to scrutinize upon creationism and use to the best of our capacities logic to explain our history)
Scientific theories describe the coherent framework into which observable data fit. The "theory of evolution" is the framework that best explains observed changes of species over time and best predicts the new observations that continue to be made in evolutionary biology and related sciences.
The scientific definition of the word "theory" is different from the colloquial sense of the word. Colloquially, "theory" can mean a conjecture, an opinion, or a speculation that does not have to be based on facts or make testable predictions. In science, the meaning of theory is more rigorous: a theory must be based on observed facts and make testable predictions.
In science, a current theory is a theory that has no equally acceptable or more acceptable alternative theory, and has survived attempts at falsification. That is, there have been no observations made which contradict it to this point and, indeed, every observation ever made either supports the current theory or at least does not falsify it by contradicting it completely. A revision of the current theory, or the generation of a new theory is necessary if new observations contradict the current theory, as the current findings are in need of a new explanation (see scientific revolution or paradigm shift). However, the falsification of a theory does not falsify the facts on which the theory is based.
As well even the ex pope agreed with the theory of evolution and made this publicly known that this theory is fact
3 Answers
- 1 decade agoFavorite Answer
yeah, not really math
but since you talk about probability....
what is the chance of one asexual organism spontaneously producing a sexually-reproducing organism... and then another producing the corresponding sexually-reproducing organism?
I've never actually seen that question asked, so I myself am unsure if someone has figured out how that could be possible, but it makes me wonder...
_Darwin's Black Box_ introduces something known as "irreducible complexity;" just as a mouse trap can not function with all its parts, individual cells can not function without their parts. Furthermore, these parts have no other purpose other than to work with other parts of the cell... thus requiring all the parts to have evolved simultaneously. What is the probability of this?
and if you want more math-philosophy, what is the probability of you existing in that specific spot by chance? Well, there are theoretically an infinite places where you could be, and only one place where you are. Therefore, you have a 1/∞ probability of existing in that location by chance. In the circles I frequent, that is known as zero probability--an impossibility. Therefore, there must be a reason for you existing where you are, it can not be random chance. Think about that....
"The Privileged Planet" (http://www.privilegedplanet.com/) is good resource for understanding how special our planet is from a statistical standpoint. It talks about the probability of life occurring spontaneously, as well as the chance that life would occur on a planet which just happens to be the only place where one could see a solar eclipse (a truly beautiful sight)