[cookcounty]

"Just because some people erroneously equate evolution and atheism does not mean that they are really linked. Demonstrating the existence of a deity ..... would not invalidate evolution."

But I think you're missing the fact that the whole Darwinian enterprise assumes a priori that all things have a natural explanation, in other words, that the supernatural does not exist.

I understand fully that science has to be about seeking natural explanations for phenomena, but what bothers me is the lack of willingness to admit that at some point, it could be that natural explanations may possibly be insufficient. What's wrong with saying "we don't know how cells could have formed from inanimate matter"? What's wrong with saying, "We're not sure how humans appeared on the earth"? Instead, your typical high school bio text is written with a "we know almost everything" attitude.

[jennyp]

I understand fully that science has to be about seeking natural explanations for phenomena, but what bothers me is the lack of willingness to admit that at some point, it could be that natural explanations may possibly be insufficient. What's wrong with saying "we don't know how cells could have formed from inanimate matter"? What's wrong with saying, "We're not sure how humans appeared on the earth"? Instead, your typical high school bio text is written with a "we know almost everything" attitude.

I have a question: Out of all the problems that science has tried to solve in the last few hundred years, which scientific problems exactly has any form of supernaturalism solved? Science uses methodological naturalism because otherwise the scientist can just throw up his hands at any time & say "goddidit" & go home. So, when in the history of science has "goddidit" ever advanced science or answered any scientific question?

[Dimensio]

But I think you're missing the fact that the whole Darwinian enterprise assumes a priori that all things have a natural explanation, in other words, that the supernatural does not exist.

This might be an assumption of the "Darwinian enterprise", but it is not a facet of evolution.