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All sorts of animals do all sorts of things. I was referring to eagles. The notion that they evolved, to know what the mama Decorah eagle knows, from eagles who had no clue is preposterous.

If you want to continue this exchange, please humor me by telling me whether you believe "evolution" occurs slowly over many years or if instead you believe it occurs in a single generation.

ML/NJ

All sorts of animals do all sorts of things. I was referring to eagles. The notion that they evolved, to know what the mama Decorah eagle knows, from eagles who had no clue is preposterous.

Evolution is a gradual process, and that is true of behaviors as well as physical features. Modern animals, with their modern behaviors evolved from other animals with similar behaviors. Eagles have exhibited maternal behavior for as long as they have existed. But ancestors of eagles many millions of years ago did not have that behavior. Many species of birds that exist now do not have that behavior.

If you want to continue this exchange, please humor me by telling me whether you believe "evolution" occurs slowly over many years or if instead you believe it occurs in a single generation.

That question is so ridiculous that I don't even know how to answer. Only if you believe in literal creation à la book of Genesis could you believe that animals suddenly appear, fully formed and with complex behaviors already programmed in their heads. Scientifically, we know that the form and function of organisms develop gradually over millions of years.