definition of theory of evolution, please?

Evolution as first conceived by Darwin and Wallace, is a "theory" (meaning a hypothesis that collects evidence) meant to explain the origin of the species we now see on earth. In other words, evolution attempts to explain why the animals of the modern world look the way they do, and how they got to look like that. Or in other other words, where did they come from?

In answering this question, which Evolution does extremely well (so well in fact that nothing has dislodged it), the study of Evolution has branched out into genetics (unknown in Darwin's time, but still in full support of his ideas), paleontology (which animals did not survive, and why), plate tectonics, astronomy (theories of life's origin), and of course biology, anatomy, etc.

Evolution was never concerned with the existence of God (since it is not provable by any means) or the origins of the first "spark" of life for that matter, although as evidence continues to pile up, these matters are certainly touched upon inadvertently.

I can make this simple. I'm Christian, so i guess i am one of many You are asking. DARWIN's exact idea? No, i suppose i don't know a lot about it; i think i know more about his trial. I would not mind reading the definition from YOUR perspective, but here is mine. The species we have on Earth now were not always the same, and will not always stay the same. Evolution is on-going, and part of it is extinction. Another part of it is diversity. Scientists are still working on exactly how it all got started, but everyone agrees it had a starting point. Some think the beginning was a sudden eruption of all physical matter for no reason at all, known as the Big Bang. Not very logical, but there are hints of evidence that are being studied. Others refuse to believe in this random act because it is written that all things were formed by a higher being generally thought of as God, and that's what's written, but it is interpreted to mean that all things were created at the start exactly as they are now, and there is no logical reason to believe that, either. If You take the verb "WERE formed" and change it into "are being formed," the two ideas can be accepted as the same. I already admitted that i don't know. Furthermore, i assert that no one knows for certain. However, this is why i see no conflict between the scriptures and evolution. I just see people who want to argue. (Is anyone else having trouble with spellcheck?)

Summed up it is slow changes that happen to living things over time that lead to the diversity we see.

Tons. Fossils were all predictions. Fossil succession alone proves the idea. Speciation has been observed. Artificial selection is pretty obvious. DNA relationships were also predicted and confirmed. There is so much more that I'm not even going to cover.

It's not an hypothesis...its a complete theory. It's been settled science for about 100 years, so anyone actively working on just that would be redundant.

The simplest definition of evolution is the change in allele frequency over time.

If all the evidence collected to support the hypothesis were gathered together in one place it would fill a large section of a library. I know the creationists lie and claim that there is no evidence, but there's plenty of it and more being found all the time. If you'd actually like to see some of it, I'll email links. However, in my experience creationists would prefer to cover their eyes and continue to pretend that there is no evidence.

There are thousands of scientists working on various aspects of evolution. A friend of mine is one of them. He's a marine biologist.

There is not one "think tank." That's a creationist lie. Any plot to deceive people about evolution would have to involve tens of thousands of scientists all over the world. Do you have any idea how hard that would be to pull off?

You're obviously not actually interested in any evidence, but in the off-chance that someone else who actually *is* interested reads this post, I'm going to respond...to them.

First of all, you're confusing the terms hypothesis and theory. Without a clear understanding of the two concepts it is impossible to speak clearly about evolution. This will help: http://untruths.info/evolution-is-just-a-theory

Second, if you want the formal definition, you can read it for yourself. No need for me to interpret it for you. Interpretation on the behalf of others is what religious people do, not scientists. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution

Third, there are *legions* of scientists from *dozens* of fields that have been working on this topic for decades. It's not just some team or a single scientist concocting these ideas in dark room.

Fourth, if you're really curious about the evidence that has been collected and unfounded, please go to a major non-religious university and get a degree in Biology. If you still don't buy evolution after that, you're never going to and should spend less time debating things you can't understand.

Fifth, there is no "think tank" working on evolution. You're confusing them with the Creationists and ID proponents.

Sixth, what premature conclusions are you referring to? I'd love to see a list, but only if you wrote it. I don't want a copy-and-paste job.

Finally, you're actually right about one thing: evolution says nothing about the existence of God. Anyone who thinks that evolutionists are trying to disprove the existence of God are being outright lied to by their religious organizations. http://untruths.info/evolution-proves-there-is-no-...

If doesn't look like you want an real answer. If you want the specific details, you'll do better in the science section, although I'm sure there are plenty of people here that can answer it quite well.

There is no god in any scientific theory. There is no proof of god. There is no evidence whatsoever of any god. Why would they waste their time including a theological component. Evolution is SCIENCE not theology.

Edit: We don't use evolution to show that god doesn't exist. We don't have to show that god doesn't exist, because we can't find anything that shows he does. The Evolution argument is strictly for the Creationists.

The explanation of how all the facts of evolution fit together!!

Try asking your christian churches!!!

The Pope, Catholic Church, Church of England and mainstream churches all accept the big bang and evolution!!

Lord Carey the former Archbishop of Canterbury put it rather well – “Creationism is the fruit of a fundamentalist approach to scripture, ignoring scholarship and critical learning, and confusing different understandings of truth”!!

Nice that christians and atheists can agree and laugh together even if it is at your expense!!

Careful as you go now - we do not want you falling off the edge of your flat Earth!!

A set of scientific facts that have been corroborated by many different methods which explains how we got here, that simpletons just don't understand.

Ok, that's my definition, but I still think it's fitting.

In biology, evolution is change in the genetic material of a population of organisms from one generation to the next.

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You'd be much better off googling it or consulting a textbook. If you were genuinely interested you wouldn't be on R&S.