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To: Señor Zorro; ToryHeartland
The first thing to understand is that those who "assault" Darwinism are not assaulting science, despite the fact that many scientists have embraced Darwinism.

Those who assault "Darwinism" are also assaulting scientists. The phrase "Darwinism" is a creationist construct - There are no "Churches of Darwin" or Darwinist Schools or anything that gives that term credence. Charles Darwin was a mortal man who lived in the 19th century and through diligent research, published a few really good, really important books. One was all about barnacles. Another was about his ideas on speciation. Nothing more. That said, by attacking Darwin's ideas, you ARE attacking science as a whole. Or, at least ALL of biology and all its branches, like it or not.

Both Creation and Darwinism are, fundamentally, religions.

I suppose this may be right if you can show me where this "Darwinism" is practiced. Since it doesn't exist in scient, maybe it IS a religion of some sort.

Christian Creation cannot be proven, though an excellent case can be made that it takes less faith to accept Creationism than it does to accept Darwinism.

It's not just that Christian Creationism can't be proven - it can't even be studied. That's the problem. Nor can any of the thousands of other creation myths out there. Evolution (which is what I guess you mean when you continue to type "Darwinism," CAN be studied and falsified. Hence, it's science, NOT religion. Now, if you could please state this "excellent case," we're all ears.

Darwinism cannot and has not been proven.

There is no such thing as Darwinism. What IS your idea of what Darwinism is anyway? Do you not understand that tens of thousands of scientists have built upon Darwin's ideas and that while he certainly nailed the framework, his word was hardly the last in the biological sciences. And oh, as anyone who has ever read a single CREVO thread knows, no one can ever, EVER "Prove" a theory. Ever. Never ever. Never.

The fossil record does not support a slow morphing of species into each other and the timelines that scientists parrot at every opportunity are sheer speculation.

I'm not sure which fossil record your creationist pamphlets have been lying to you about, but there is literally mountains of fossil evidence that would blow your mind, if you chose to look at it. Fish to elephants, courtesy of Ichneumon, for a start.

The process of carbon dating relies on assumptions that are unscientific and unproveable, besides unlikely like: the rate of carbon depletion is constant, the rate of carbon depletion is unaffected by external conditions, there are no traces of the daughter element to be found in the original specimen. These are all unproveable and highly improbably, generally speaking.

You forgot to add, except when dating shrouds, ark pieces, or bible stuff - then it works fine. Aside from your falsehoods about C-dating, surely you realize that now in 2006 there are LOTS of other dating methods. When different methods are independently used on something, and they date that something the same, it works damn well. Here's another excellent essay by Ichneumon refuting your creationist talking points.

To sum up: Darwinism is unscientific, ergo attacking Darwinism is not attacking science.

Hmm, methinks you must do some more work. What's funniest here is that if we pretended your points were valid, they were, "Darwinism is a religion, it can't be proven, the fossil record is lacking, and carbon dating is prone to error." Wrong, theories never are, You could spend a lifetime studying fossil lineages, and we would do fine without C-dating, if we needed to. Whoops.

You then prattled on about how "Darwinism" results in all sorts of anarchy and lawlessness and men without direction adn origins and atoms and space blah, blah, blah. You know, typical creationist claptrap. Evolution says nothing of any God, government, or social more. Y'know, stuff like this:

I would argue that we can never definitively, imperically prove how the world began

... which has absolutely nothing in the world to do with evolution. Then you linked AiG, which explains where you get your empty arguments from (though I think they are the most honest creationist site.)

And besides, "Intelligent Design" pretends that it isn't about "faith," that it is indeed science. So thanks for dispensing with that nonsense forthrightly.
516 posted on 02/20/2006 2:59:22 PM PST by whattajoke
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To: whattajoke

See those all the time. Newbies come on, dump their "one big load," never to return and actually "debate."

I don't think they're ever prepared for the response they get.


652 posted on 02/20/2006 6:04:19 PM PST by stands2reason (It's now 2006, and two wrongs still don't make a right.)
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To: whattajoke
Those who assault "Darwinism" are also assaulting scientists.

If true, it is still not assaulting science, and I fail to see why they should be entitled to some sort of special protection.

The phrase "Darwinism" is a creationist construct - There are no "Churches of Darwin" or Darwinist Schools or anything that gives that term credence.

A Darwinist is someone who follows Darwin--believes what he did. There need be no vestment of supernatural power in Darwin simply because there is Darwinism--and there is while there is Darwinism while there are believers in what Darwin wrote.

That said, by attacking Darwin's ideas, you ARE attacking science as a whole. Or, at least ALL of biology and all its branches, like it or not.

How so? All of science or biology (as the case may be) is wrapped up in Darwin? Attacking one fallacious idea does not mean jettisoning the rest. At one time the Ptolemaic system was prevalent, to put it mildly, in science. Was Copernicus, by attacking this one erroneous, but widespread, idea attacking all of astronomy or all of science? No, rather he was upholding both.

I suppose this may be right if you can show me where this "Darwinism" is practiced. Since it doesn't exist in scient, maybe it IS a religion of some sort.

It is practiced in the hearts of those who affirm it, as is all religion. You are in error because you associate religion with the external trappings and organizations that often, but not always, follow it. Islam is more than Mecca and Catholocism is more than the Vatican.

no one can ever, EVER "Prove" a theory. Ever. Never ever. Never.

Relax. I am not saying you can, but many have asserted that Darwinism has, in fact, been proven. It is with this that I take issue in my statement. So, you are acknowledging, then, that Darwinism/Evolution is based on faith?

Do you not understand that tens of thousands of scientists have built upon Darwin's ideas and that while he certainly nailed the framework, his word was hardly the last in the biological sciences.

No, but they are followers of Darwin.

First, you seem to have misunderstood one thing: I did not set out to be exaustive when I began writing, I set out to lay out the argument for someone who had asked. Just because I don't talk about others, doesn't mean I am disregarding them. I was trying to interject some brevity into what was already a fairly long, though I've seen longer, post. Secondly, I should like to add that I personally believe all "relics" (as the Catholics are so proud of calling them) to be spurious, whether through good intent or bad is irrelevant. I could care less about dating shrouds, because I could care less about the shroud. Finally, the whole thing was an ad-hominem red herring as I said nothing about the subject.

All dating is based on some kind of axiom(s) as no one can conduct studies going far enough back to actually verify their results that far.

which has absolutely nothing in the world to do with evolution.

My statement was and is about the origin of the world. I know the difference. If you wish a broadened premise, very well: I would argue that what happened prior to the existence of man, be it the creation of the world or the creation of the creatures in it [which, as a side note, Darwinism DOES attempt to explain] cannot be proven. You cannot dismiss the point, but you can play semantics with how it was worded.

And besides, "Intelligent Design" pretends that it isn't about "faith," that it is indeed science. So thanks for dispensing with that nonsense forthrightly.

I was addressing the difference between Creationism and Darwinism. I believe that God created the heavens and the earth in six literal days--but I am not an Intelligent Design advocate and so your argument on that score is not with me. Intelligent Design seeks to say that, due to the inherent complexity in our world, evolution fails to explain its origin and, furthermore, that the best way to explain origins is to say that there was some intelligent driving force. This does not even, in and of itself, preclude evolution. It allows evolution driven by an intelligent controller. If you have issues with ID, take it up with someone who is an advocate of ID, for I will not defend that which I do not hold.

You then prattled on about how "Darwinism" results in all sorts of anarchy and lawlessness and men without direction adn origins and atoms and space blah, blah, blah. You know, typical creationist claptrap. Evolution says nothing of any God, government, or social more.

My point was that these are collaries of the evolutionary worldview. These do not disprove evolution (as I have already stated), but, if one does hold mindless chance as the origin, then it is a logical next step, despite the fact that most of those who cling to it lack the logic or courage to make that step. You also seem to be taking them out of context as though they were, in and of themselves, arguments against evolution. They are not. If you refer back to my original post, you will note that I am answering a question which someone else posed: Why is it so important? It matters because there is so much more at play then a conjecture.

I'm not sure which fossil record your creationist pamphlets have been lying to you about,

The one that lacks transitional forms and contains an explosion of life rather than a slow progression into it.

I actually have spent relatively little time at AiG. I have been there and have seen good things, but they taught me little--if anything. If you wish to say that I am speaking Creationist talking points, fine. I could care less. That does not in any way negate their truth or veracity.

On the side, I think if you'd look closely at your own writing, I think you'd find that it is comprised of the same old, tired evolutionist/Darwinist talking points.

"Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? " Job 38:4-7

"Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." 1 Corinthians 1:20-21

1,149 posted on 02/21/2006 12:49:32 PM PST by Señor Zorro ("The ability to speak does not make you intelligent"--Qui-Gon Jinn)
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