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Anonymous
Anonymous asked in Society & CultureReligion & Spirituality · 1 decade ago

Atheists are you aware that Charles Darwin did not proved the theory of evolution in his book?

Charles Darwin did not use good logic in his famous book, "The Origin of Species."

W.R. Thompson, a Canadian entomologist(entomology-study of insects) of international repute, wrote in his introduction to the centennial edition of Darwin's Origen, "Darwin did not show in the Origin that species had originated by natural selection; he merely showed, on the basis of certain facts and assumptions, how this might have happened, and as he had convinced himself he was able to convince others.

Chapter 4 of the Origin, entitled "Natural Selection; or the Survival of the Fittest," occupies 44 pages in the 1958 mentor edition. In this chapter Darwin used the language of speculation, imagination, and assumption at least 187 times. For example, pages 118 and 119 contain the following phrases; "may have been," "is supposed to," perhaps," "If we suppose," "may still be," 'it is probable," "will generally tend," "may" "will generally tend," 'If," 'if...assumed," "supposed," "supposed," "probably," "It seems, therefore, extremely probable," and "We may suppose." Is this really the language of science? No, it is not.

Of Darwin's speculative arguments Thompson wrote, "....Personal convictions, simple possibilities, are presented as if they were proofs, or at least valid arguments in favor of the theory....The demonstration can be modified without difficulty to fit any conceivable case. It is without scientific value, since it cannot be verified; but since the imagination has free rein, it is easy to convey the impression that a concrete example of real transmutation (change of one species to another) has been given."

Source: Thompson, W.R., Introduction to The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin, E.P. Dutton and Co., New York.

Have faith dear friends in God, not theories.

Genesis 1:1

Isaiah 45:18

Colossians 1:16

Hebrews 11:1-6

Genesis 2:1-3

Exodus 20:8-11

Psalm 14:1

24 Answers

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  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    They are aware, satan is just manipulating them to keep believing even though they know its all lies...

    Source(s): Thanks Carissa, Took the Words right out of my mouth...
  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Oh dear lord that you say you believe in please flick the switch in your brain from "Off" to "On"

    First, Darwin DID prove his Theory to the best of scientific ability for his time, which compared to the means that Thompson had in the 1900s was stone age tools, and that he was open to the idea that he could very well be wrong so did not write his book in absolutes

    Second, Science has since Darwin come a long way in filling in the gaps left by Darwin

    Third, you quote a man who died in 1972 and so are ignoring the 37 years of scientific advancement including the find of many transitional fossils

    Fourth, it doesn't matter what some dead guy or Darwin himself had to say....what matters are the FACTS and the FACTS validate Evolution so even if it started out as a Monty Python skit it does NOT in any way imaginable in this space-time reality affect Evolution's validity

    Source(s): Truth, Facts, Reason, Reality
  • 1 decade ago

    As far as your argument goes, that's right: Darwin *proposed* a model. If you read the book, he did not attempt to prove it because he didn't have a mechanism, only an explanation. Today, we have the mechanism and the evidence that he didn't have.

    Similarly, Newton followed the same lines of reasoning in the "Principia Mathematica." He even wrote in private correspondence that he was troubled by the laws of gravity because it implied "action at a distance." But, surely you don't reject gravity and calculus because Newton himself didn't prove his work? (and, incidentally, he couldn't, because his stuff wasn't entirely correct--but that's a different story for a different day).

    Also this sentence: "It is without scientific value, since it cannot be verified;" That's false. Something has no scientific value *if it cannot be disproven.* Something need not be verifiable in order to be accepted as true. Otherwise, models in science would never change at all. This sentence shows a gross misunderstanding of how science proceeds.

    As for the Bible, what is that, if not a collection of assertions?

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    No biggy.

    Thousands of scientists have continued the work he started and established Evolution is a fact. So much has been discovered once they learned about genetics that the fossil record isn't even needed anymore to prove evolution.

    Obviously, you do not know what science is, and therefore shouldn't attempt to talk about it, until you learn more.

    A Scientific Theory is not a wild guess. It is based on many facts.

    Religion isn't even a hypothesis, something which can be tested.

    This weak question of yours is yet more proof that religion is a bad thing.

    Source(s): check this out and learn: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/beta/evolution/darwin...
  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    "Darwin did not show in the Origin that species had originated by natural selection; he merely showed, on the basis of certain facts and assumptions, how this might have happened, and as he had convinced himself he was able to convince others."

    that my friend is the definition of a theory.... a theory is not actual proof... it just a belief of what could have occurred.. and everyday scientist look for ways to disprove it... and if they do not disprove it... then the theory witholds... ....

    theory : a well-substantiated "explanation" of some aspect of the natural world

    no where in the definition of theory do they say it is proof

    Source(s): biological science major
  • 1 decade ago

    Most scientists - and I say this based on poll data provided in my source link - accept the theory of evolution as a whole. The argument is in the details of the theory. The few that disregard evolution do so because of (surprise!) their religious beliefs (read: willful ignorance).

    By the by, theories do not require "faith" to make them true; they require education to understand them.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    No sh--, Sherlock. It was scientific evidence that backed up evolution. And the origin of life is actually explained by the theory of abiogenesis which is also becoming fact.

    Oh, and sweetie, I hate to break it to you, but evolution isn't purely an atheist "belief." Grow up and stop generalizing.

    Source(s): pantheist pagan with a f...ing brain
  • 1 decade ago

    Yes, your right, Darwin proposed a hypothesis to explain the diversity of life and its origins. Since then the amount of evidence that has been amassed has elevated his hypothesis to the position of accepted theory. That is to say, it is now accepted fact; no longer a matter of conjecture.

  • 1 decade ago

    If you are trying to discredit the principals of evolution, you are far too late.

    Knowledge regarding evolution has already greatly improved our quality of life. It has produced tens of thousands of discoveries in genetics, epidemiology, archeology, agriculture, embryology, bacteriology… the list goes on.

    Denying evolution now would be like denying the possibility of electronics after using a telephone, television and computer.

    .

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    I am aware that your use of English is very poor and that your "understanding" of the words "proof" and "theory" is weak at best.

    Evolution can be observed in nature unlike the stories in the bible.

  • 1 decade ago

    The theory does not depend on Darwin. Wallace would have published his book on the same thing, if Darwin had not beaten him to it. Many scientists have expanded the theory since then.

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