What difference would you have in evolution if life started 1) naturally, 2) seeded from outer space, or 3) by some divine intervention?And this led you to debate the three choices.
The actual answer is that evolution could proceed as described with any of these three origins -- because evolution involves change, not origins.
FWIW, truly I miss many of the recently departed "evos" -- you must be feeling like the "Lone Ranger" around here lately. Some of those people are first-rate thinkers and they were wonderful "adversaries" in debate.
Its ironic that you miss some of the recently departed, as you and a number of others helped to run them off. You see mysticism and religious belief as equals with science; that might be acceptable in philosophy, but it doesn't cut it in science. But what was particularly galling was the number of times those supporting the theory of evolution were told by a few posters that they were going to hell, compared with Hitler and Stalin, or their years of study and research were denigrated on the basis of something quote mined from the web or lifted from some silly anti-science website like AnswersInGenesis. Then, a year or so ago when the admins and management started playing games and banning pro-science posters, many others took the hint and left. That is when Darwin Central was formed -- as a refuge.
Finally, I am certainly not feeling like the "Lone Ranger" (Hi Dave!). I have science on my side, so I have you outnumbered and outgunned! ;-)
What difference would you have in evolution if life started 1) naturally, 2) seeded from outer space, or 3) by some divine intervention?
And this led you to debate the three choices.The actual answer is that evolution could proceed as described with any of these three origins -- because evolution involves change, not origins."
Which proves that 'evolution' means absolutely nothing at all. It's the old bait-and-switch routine played upon credulists. Nothing more.
I just watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail tonight. I tend to doubt the outnumbered part.
Full Disclosure: ...very small rocks.
Cheers!