Secondary Addiction Part III: Ann Coulter on Evolution

Talk Reason ^ | James Downard

[Junior]

Following her discussion of dinosaurs examined in Part II of this series, Coulter (2006, 219) ventured this:

For over a hundred years, evolutionists proudly pointed to the same sad birdlike animal, Archaeopteryx, as their lone transitional fossil linking dinosaurs and birds. Discovered a few years after Darwin published The Origin of Species, Archaeopteryx was instantly hailed as the transitional species that proved Darwin's theory. This unfortunate creature had wings, feathers, teeth, claws, and a long, bony tail. If it flew at all, it didn't fly very well. Alas, it is now agreed that poor Archaeopteryx is no relation of modern birds. It's just a dead end. It transitioned to nothing.

But could Archaeopteryx be our one example of bad mutations eliminated by natural selection? Archaeopteryx can't fill that role either, because it seems to have no predecessors. The fossils that look like Archaeopteryx lived millions of years after Archaeopteryx, and the fossils that preceded Archaeopteryx look nothing at all like it. The bizarre bird is just an odd creation that came out of nowhere and went nowhere, much like Air America Radio.

Where should one begin with this?

[CarolinaGuitarman]

Placemarker

[staytrue]

The bizarre bird is just an odd creation that came out of nowhere and went nowhere, much like Air America Radio.

Ok but how does this bizarre bird/dino fit into the theory of intelligent design.

If it is extinct, and has no decendants, why the hell would it have been created except to leave us with some fossilized bones.

[Junior]

It was a bird with distinctly reptilian features (teeth, bony tail, and one species lacked a wishbone). If it weren't for the feather impressions it would've been classed as a small therapod dinosaur.

Of course, all this is spelled out in the article which you evidently forebore reading.

[tallhappy]

Of course, all this is spelled out in the article which you evidently forebore reading.

Forebore reading? ??????

[EveningStar]

The bizarre bird is just an odd creation that came out of nowhere and went nowhere, much like Air America Radio.

Drivel.

[EveningStar]

Coulter ping

[SampleMan]

If it is extinct, and has no decendants, why the hell would it have been created except to leave us with some fossilized bones.

To fill my 40 gallon gas tank in my Suburban.

[Lazamataz]

Forebore reading? ??????

Four bore reading.

[Lazamataz]

wrong answer, because it had some of these characteristics doesnt make it a former or partial dino of any kind, there are birds today who have teeth too, big deal....

Chickens got dentures.

[Junior]

There is one group of birds that have teeth as juveniles, but lack any other reptilian features.

It's true. You can lead a creationist to evidence, but you cannot make him think.

[HayekRocks]

Forebore reading

'Forbore' is the past tense of the verb 'forbear', though I do believe the first 'e' is supererogatory

It is not an unusual word. For example, consider Mr. Thomas Babbington Macaulay's Horatius on the Bridge

No sound of joy or sorrow
Was heard from either bank;
But friends and foes in dumb surprise,
With parted lips and straining eyes,
Stood gazing where he sank;
And when above the surges,
They saw his crest appear,
All Rome sent forth a rapturous cry,
And even the ranks of Tuscany
Could scarce forbear to cheer.

[HayekRocks]

there are birds today who have teeth too,

Could you please tell us which birds these are?

[Junior]

Paleontologists AND NOW "JUNIOR" FROM FREE REPUBLIC, have tried to turn Archaeopteryx into an earth-bound, feathered dinosaur.

No one said anything about it being "earthbound," nor that it was non-perching. You made that up. Archaeopteryx is in the Aves (bird) clade. However, because of its position in the Jurassic, being relatively basal to that clade, some therapod dinosaurs have been moved to Aves, including members of dromaeosaurs and oviraptorids.