Do you believe in evolution and why?

[Azraelw3x]

Oh and PLEASE STOP SAYING WE EVOLVED FROM MONKEYS. NO ONE BELIEVES THAT.

If we evolved from some other organism (which is incredibly likely), it was NOT a monkey. It was an ape-like primate, a hominid most specifically, which developed over time to have the traits we associate with homo sapiens today. We are not very closely related to monkeys.

Additionally, I'd like to add that I do think belief in God according to Judeo-Christian tradition is not incompatible with evolutionary views. Most Creationist outrage at "evolution" is due to ignorance about the nature of evolution and an overly literal interpretation of texts which have been mistranslated, distorted, and selectively chosen over the years. Evolution describes a process, not a reason for existence.

[dustin_ds3000]

Originally Posted by Azraelw3x

No offense, but I'm assuming most of you don't have very strong science backgrounds or know much about evolutionary processes at all. Evolution is a fact - even simple experiments in a laboratory can yield results strongly indicative of evolution.

In simple terms, evolution is simply the development of new traits within a species that distinguish a population from previous generations. Creation of drug-resistant bacteria, pure mutant strains of mice and fruit flies, and many other examples point to a definite change within species even in a very short period of time. Drawn out over millions of years, such processes with natural selection as a driving force is obviously a huge contributor to species diversity.

Look at symbiotic relationships between organisms, like between legumes and nitrogen-fixing bacteria, or moss, or even the (extremely likely) development of mitochondria and chloroplasts in eukaryotic cells as a result of endosymbiosis. In all these cases, species adaptation to environmental pressures led to mutual benefit for increasingly co-dependent organisms occupying different niches. Look at the pathogenic sicknesses that have afflicted humanity throughout our existence. Bacteria can't just appear from nowhere - they adapt and change to occupy new niches, to overcome defenses, to live in conditions that were formerly inhospitable.

And what of the similarities and differences between modern-era organisms and those of the past? We have records of reptilian creatures developing birdlike wings (Archaeopteryx, etc.), primates becoming more and more human-like and walking upright with complex social behaviors, of primitive plants with rudimentary structures similar to those more developed ones in angiosperms and gymnosperms today. You just can't ignore all this. There's a mountain of evidence supporting evolution as a real phenomenon that has influenced all life on Earth.

As for the argument about "entropy," you're talking about the Second Law of Thermodynamics, which is in itself controversial when applied to living systems and other kinds of systems outside classical thermodynamic evaluation of mechanical systems (basically, the flow of heat). While that is a debate unto itself, I believe it sufficient to bring up an idea which I believe has considerable validity - that even within overall entropic systems, you can have small-scale increase in order so long as there are counterbalancing forces. Entropy and order aren't even completely opposed when applied to these situations - the "random chaos" of nature in fact contributes to the development of new species which surpass those prior.

The question about "transitional species" is ridiculous. Look around you. We may all be "transitional" organisms. "Walking stick" insects have developed and lost wings several times. Plants have become extremely specifically adapted to their environments - like the so-called carnivorous plants (Venus flytraps, pitcher plants, etc.) which have what are basically super-modified leaves that allow them to obtain nitrogen for animal sources. There are many, many examples of organisms having changed from the past, both through the fossil record and in documented human history.

If you don't believe in evolution as the SOURCE of life, that's another story. But denying that evolution occurs is ludicrous.

Sorry for the huge rant, but I thought it justified.

thank you, you couldnt of said it any better

[dustin_ds3000]

Originally Posted by Azraelw3x

Oh and PLEASE STOP SAYING WE EVOLVED FROM MONKEYS. NO ONE BELIEVES THAT.

we came from cave men, came men or prehistoric humans

does anybody know what prehistoric means, its a term often used to describe the period before written history. thats means human like thinks was on earth before the bible was whiten. prehistory time ended around 3200 BC

[Kryren]

Azraelw3x, that was very well put.

As for someone saying earlier that human break Darwin's law about survival, that's not entirely true. We're not the most physically strong by a long shot, but we have the best adaptability and ingenuity. Our ability to build cities and technology is our great strength.

And there is proof of humans evolving. In caucasians you can see evolution in the past few centuries. In the 1600's the average height for a full grown male was roughly 5 feet, now it's 6 feet. This is due to cross racial breeding, yes, but even family trees that have stayed in the same racial profile have shown this growth.

One thing to remember is that Darwin was wrong. Science had again and again found flaw with his theories, but he is still considered a great man because he laid the groundwork and made notes on things that we have later investigated more thoroughly.

[Jzune]

Yes but i was referring to evoltion within one species.

[mr.handsomeman]

well.....I think that cutiepie made the best point and the most true point of us all...good job cutie.

[Jzune]

Originally Posted by cutiepie

You can believe in God and still think evolution is factual.

I mean, if the environment changes, then the species within that habitat have to go with the flow (some die off and the surviors reproduce)

But it's a completely different thing to say that humans somehow miraculously originated from monkeys. nonono. none of that makes sense to me. God created the earth and every creature dwelling in it. Now, animals and landscapes may go through some mutations and changes and such, but God is the reason for everything. God is the beginning and the end.

period. : ]

I agree with this but i dont think evolution exists. I do think species adapt to their habitats just like we do. I think there is a difference in evolution and adapting.

[mr.handsomeman]

Originally Posted by Jzune

I think there is a difference in evolution and adapting.

there really is. we just need to define it more you know?

[Jzune]

Yes we need to clarify the question a bit more, so were not bouncing off the walls

[EndUnknown]

the secular evolutionist view of how life started is too unlikely to me. based around the flawed Miller experiment to create ONE protein of the BILLIONS needed for dna, let alone an organism.

[Omnidragon]

I dont get how people dont accept evolution as fact TBH there is an overwhelming amount of evidence from different variations of bacteria found in layers of ice at the poles to the skeletons found of primitive man etc hell some African tribes have developed an immunity to AIDS they are still carriers but they dont die from it so if thats not evolution at work im not quite sure what is

and yes the process takes hundreds of thousands of years so you are not likely to see and changes in teh past few hundred years and jsut because we have evolved a greater sense of compassion for the sick doesn't mean evolution isnt working it is evolution that created those sick people and yes our current attitude will weaken the gene pool by keeping those people alive but it is evolution none the less just in a bad way
evolution is not always progress it is jsut random mutations and the mutations who are that little bit faster etc usually get to breed more often caus they can out run a predictor quicker etc

and Dark whole dont forget that 1 protien would have been created billions of trillions of times over in a primordial earth and then when those proteins combine you aren't double the length as well as the fact that DNA wasnt the first for of life building block but RNA was which is much shorter and the building block of single cell organisms like viruses

to your adaptation vs evolution adaptation if a form of evolution humans do it seen as we have conquered our environment more than most species

[Gregory]

Excuse me? I believe that.

Originally Posted by Azraelw3x

Oh and PLEASE STOP SAYING WE EVOLVED FROM MONKEYS. NO ONE BELIEVES THAT.

[Nurta]

Originally Posted by Gregory

Excuse me? I believe that.

Then you must have failed biology.

[Azraelw3x]

Originally Posted by Jzune

I agree with this but i dont think evolution exists. I do think species adapt to their habitats just like we do. I think there is a difference in evolution and adapting.

I'm not quite sure what you're saying...

1) Are you aware that Homo sapiens, or "human," is a species? Saying that "species adapt to their habitats just like we do" doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

2) What difference are you suggesting between evolution and adaptation? Evolution is the adaptation of a population to environmental conditions... If you mean adaptation as in just getting used to the environment and passing on these "adaptations" to offspring, you're coming dangerously close to Jean-Baptiste Lamarck's theories about trait inheritance, which have been pretty much completely debunked. Certain traits are made more common in a gene pool by the death of individuals with less favorable traits, or by preferential reproductive behaviors.

3) Again, traits don't just burst into existence because an organism thinks they'd help. Giraffes (in a classical refutation of Lamarck) didn't just stretch their necks until they could reach higher vegetation. The rise of any so-called "adaptation" is due to some mutation, cross-over of genetic material (in meiosis, lateral gene transfer, etc.), or increased likelihood of organisms with certain traits to survive and reproduce.

Many of the comments I've read seem ill-founded and poorly informed. What many of you aren't keeping in mind is that evolution is a phenomenon, something that happens. The nature of the how it happens or why life exists at all is immaterial to the discussion of whether evolution, or the passing of new traits through genetic information, occurs. -IN CASE THIS ISN'T CLEAR ENOUGH - this is a response to those of you who belabor the point about the origin of life as if it were a crucial element of evolution.

Saying you don't believe in evolution essentially says you don't believe in genetic inheritance (through DNA, RNA, etc.) and natural strengthening of favorable traits - and that God or some other entity/force simply creates a new species almost identical to the one prior in exactly the same place, appearing to develop from previous generations, whenever conditions change. Outside of purely metaphysical speculation, such an idea is ridiculous. I am personally a (non-denominational) Protestant with a strong belief in the existence of a God, and it is patently obvious to me that attacking evolution is ridiculous, and not a defense of religion in any way.

[EndUnknown]

I don't believe we have evolved from single celled organisms, but I do believe evolution on a small scale is possible(variations in species, such as a chihuahua and a great dane, but never a vast change, such as single celled organism to man, or even primate to man)

[thresixty]

Evolution makes more sense than us just suddenly appearin on earth.

[nathanlawliet]

Originally Posted by Dark Whole

I don't believe we have evolved from single celled organisms...

I do, after reading about things. I read in an article somewhere that people had this ice block somewhere in some cold area, and they actually found life forming inside of the ice...

Something like that. You'd have to see the article to understand. If I find it, I'll show everyone. I think I did a current event on it..

[trash berd]

-The Bible said that the earth was round 1600 years before man figured it out. (Isa. 40:22)

"There is One who is dwelling above the circle of the earth..." -Isaiah 40: 22

This scripture says "... the circle of the earth...", it states that the earth is a circle, not a sphere, according to this scripture, the earth is still flat.

-The Bible said that the universe is running down only 2500 years before man found out. (Isaiah 51:6, Ps. 102:26, Rom 8:20-21)

"Raise YOUR eyes to the heavens themselves, and look at the earth beneath. For the very heavens must be dispersed in fragments just like smoke, and like a garment the earth itself will wear out, and its inhabitants themselves will die like a mere gnat..."- Isaiah 51: 6,

"They themselves will perish, but you yourself will keep standing;
And just like a garment they will all of them wear out.
Just like clothing you will replace them, and they will finish their turn" -Psalms 102: 26

"For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will but through him that subjected it, on the basis of hope
21 that the creation itself also will be set free from enslavement to corruption and have the glorious freedom of the children of God." -Romans 8: 20-21

Alright, I may be reading this wrong, so feel free to correct me on this, but on that last one, the first two parts
"For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will but through him that subjected it"
Is it just me, or is that saying that god created the universe to destroy it? It states that the creation did not do this on it's own. Is that just me that sees that?

But back on topic, for the Isaiah one, it says that the universe will disappear as if it was a puff of smoke, to start off, the universe will increase in speed, and the concentration of dark matter (This stuff holds the galaxies together) will decrease, and the galaxies will tear themselves apart, this doesn't mean that the planets and such will do the same, the planets could live on, the human species could live, and by that time, we probably could create something to combat the extreme cold.

On the psalms one, it says that everything will die, but not everything, for starters, that's impossible. And according to this, it says that "They will finish their term", that means that even in this heaven thing, you will still die there eventually.

-The Bible said that the earth rotates on an axis 3550 years before scientists discovered the same. (Job 38:12, Luke 17:31,34)

"Was it from your days onward that you commanded the morning?
Did you cause the dawn to know its place" -Job 38:12

"On that day let the person that is on the housetop but whose movable things are in the house not come down to pick these up, and the person out in the field, let him likewise not return to the things behind." -Luke 17: 31

"I tell YOU, In that night two [men] will be in one bed; the one will be taken along, but the other will be abandoned." -Luke 17: 34

These do not directly state that there is an axis that earth rotates on, and I don't speak bible, so could someone translate that for me?

-The Bible said that the stars cannot be numbered 3000 years before astronomers figured it out. (Genesis 15:5, 22:17)

"He now brought him outside and said: “Look up, please, to the heavens and count the stars, if you are possibly able to count them.”..." -Genesis 15: 5

" I shall surely bless you and I shall surely multiply your seed like the stars of the heavens and like the gr